Previously I talked about the beautiful and unique traditional Thai wedding many times. My younger sister just got married and it made me thinking that there are some interesting aspects in the wedding party in Thailand that are worth sharing.
When Thai couples tie the knot, there are two wedding events; traditional Thai ceremony and the wedding party. Some couples do both events in the same day – traditional Thai ceremony in the morning followed by the party in the afternoon or evening. Some couples prefer to do them on a separate day.
I would like to talk about few interesting activities in the wedding party that are different from the western wedding arrangements.
The Guest list
Thai wedding party is usually large in attendance. I am talking about the number of invited guests between 300-1000 people, especially if it is the wedding of the first child in the family. Parents will invite almost every single person they know; family members, relatives, colleagues, neighbors and of course it includes the immediate family of those guests. The more people the parents and the couple know, the bigger the wedding.
This is due to the Thai custom about ‘face’ – especially if the family has important status in the society. If you don’t invite someone, they will feel insulted and you could lose the relationship with them. Often times the wedding of the children is like a reunion party for the parents.
The Envelope
Thai people don’t usually give wedding gifts, instead we give cash. When the guest receives the wedding invitation, they will use the envelope of the invitation card to put the cash in. Then when they arrive at the wedding party’s reception, there will be money boxes for the guests to put the cash envelope in. You can also write wishes for the wedding couple in a guest-book prepared at the reception and receive a wedding souvenir.
In case the guest cannot attend the wedding but they have received the wedding invitation, they should also ask someone who is going to the party to put the money in the envelope for them.
When the party finish, the couple will count the money they received and also make a note of the amount of the money they receive from each guest, so when they are invited to the guest’s wedding or the wedding of the guest’s child, they should put more money in the envelope.