Getting Married in Thailand

Thailand has long been a favourite with travellers for its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, warm people and a wide reaching hospitality landscape. It is the same reasons that have made the Southeast Asian nation increasingly popular with runaway brides and grooms who wish to cement their ties in this beautiful country. But there are other reasons why destination weddings are gaining in popularity to the tune of 10 to 15 per cent market growth per year as reported by the Phuket director of Tourism Authority of Thailand. The most practical reason is cost. The price tag for a wedding in Thailand averages out lower than similar type of matrimony in other Asian countries such as India, Korea, and Japan, and considerably lower than those in Europe or the United States.

Thailand's various resort destinations each have something different to offer. The northern city of Chiang Mai is known for its ancient Lanna culture, Krabi for its limestone rocks, Trang for its unique underwater weddings, Koh Samui for beachfront villas, and Phuket for its jet-set chic. What's more, the standard of facilities at all-inclusive resorts, and the bespoke services offered to private villa guests should allay any trepidations of would-be married couples. For the big day, no detail is too small for the local wedding planners to ensure a seamless flow of events. Despite Thailand being a predominantly Buddhist country, weddings of other religious faiths can also be arranged according to the couple's wishes. The exclusivity of the event, coupled with an exotic destination, only adds to the appeal of an overseas weddings.

Most smaller wedding parties tend to favor private residences, for their intimate seclusion. However, in recent years, villas have been increasingly catering to larger wedding parties, with built up space put aside specifically for events. Compared with even bigger hotels and resorts, couples can put a villa'a relative small size to maximum advantage. A dedicated team of service providers can liaise with the couple to fulfill their every whim -- photographers and/or videographers to document the special day, a seasoned celebrant to officiate, mesmerizing floral arrangements, and if desired, even orange-robed monks to incorporate select aspects of a traditional Thai wedding. Then of course there are the pre-wedding preparations. Most high-end villas have on-site spa pavilions with therapists on call for the bride and her bridesmaids to spend a day pampering in anticipation for the big day. Should the groom wish to spend a day sailing with the boys prior to tying the knot, yacht chartering can also easily be arranged through villa management companies.

Instead of driving away from the wedding to the airport in a car adorned with a 'Just Married' sign, why not combine the wedding and the honeymoon in one destination so as not to break the romantic momentum? One of the most  popular venues for weddings in Thailand is right on the beach, against a backdrop of blue seas in the shade of swaying palm trees. A reception party can be held poolside in the privacy of a villa, catered by a small army of trained F&B professionals. When the dancing feet tire, simply retreat to the bedroom pavilion close by and catch some shut-eye in preparation for the honeymoon the day after, either sailing off into the sunset with your loved one, or making the short journey to the closest island helipad -- and yes, the Thai wedding planners are also happy to tie strings of empty cans to trail behind the car.