Dream wedding in Thailand: official or symbolic ceremony?

Tourists from Russia love to relax in Thailand.
Travel agencies provide their statistics on the popularity of countries; last year (2018) more than one and a half million Russians visited the kingdom. This kingdom is famous for its magnificent beaches with white sand and clear blue water. Here you can find a lot of entertainment and delicious food. A wedding on the seashore, and even more so on the paradise islands of Thailand, is a dream for many. Girls strive for the beauty of the ceremony, and what could be better than a wedding in such a heavenly place. A wedding in Thailand will be the most memorable among others.

It is important to understand that the order of marriage remains unchanged.

The administration will provide a representative who will read everything strictly according to the text. Diluting this speech is not allowed, so if you want to say your customized vows, it's best to resort to an informal ceremony. To do this, it is enough to sign officially in Russia, and in Thailand arrange an unofficial part of the ceremony, in which case it will be possible to deviate from the rules and make it your own. In addition, even the groom cannot be dressed in black in the official ceremony; no classic “our” suits are provided here.

An unusual form of wedding is a wedding according to local traditions in a Buddhist temple. Local temples welcome any visitors, so even people who are not native to the Thai religion can get married here. They party here in full force and everyone will definitely remember this holiday for the rest of their lives.

A wedding in a temple begins early in the morning. The groom is escorted to the temple by guests and soloists of the local orchestra. Everyone is dressed in local traditional costumes, singing and playing local instruments. This is how the locals announce that the groom has arrived for the ceremony. The hall is decorated with bright flowers. According to tradition, the monks dress the lovers with flower garlands. Flowers are given to all relatives and friends of the bride and groom. The bride and groom receive a small certificate with the seal of the temple. Unlike a traditional wedding in Russia, rings are not needed here. The monks use red threads to bind lovers together, which bind the hands and heads of the couple.

According to local traditions, this ritual is performed to unite the lives of two people into one. The bride and groom exchange flower wreaths and drink a love potion. The ceremony also includes other rituals. For example, it is imperative to plant a tree of fidelity and release small birds from your hands. In our country they traditionally sprinkle flower petals, and in Thailand they pour water from large sea shells over the hands of those getting married.

Personal experience:

Having made copies of passports on the 2nd floor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and received transfers at 14.00, we went up to the third floor to the Legalization department.

The first step is to write an application for legalization from each person. The forms are freely available, as are pens and a sample.

There was no queue at the window, the employee checked all the documents and said that today we only have time to apply for regular legalization, which takes 3 business days, or we can come tomorrow morning and apply for accelerated legalization.

We preferred the expedited one. Today the quest “Get married in Thailand” was coming to an end. The next morning, we arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 9 am with all the prepared documents. There were a lot of people. First, we need to stand in line at the window where there was no line the day before, where the employee checked our documents again and issued a ticket for the electronic queue. For expedited legalization, visitors are directed to window 11-12. The boss is sitting there. The line came after about an hour. Having visited the high-ranking leader one by one, we saw that our numbers immediately lit up in the windows “for mere mortals.” We submitted documents to these windows and paid 800 baht for legalization. They told me to come back for documents in 4 hours.

Since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located outside the city, there is absolutely nothing to do; there is no point in going to the city, since there is not much time. As a result, we discovered some kind of antediluvian shopping center nearby, which even had a cinema. You can go there if the sessions are suitable. At 14.00 we received our documents and happily went to the Bangkok registry office in the hope of getting married as soon as possible.

Marriage registration

Name: Bangrack Dictric Office
Address: 5 Naret Alley, Bangkok 10500
Coordinates: 13.730589,100.523442
Document reception hours: 09:00-16:30
Take with you: 2 affidavits and 2 translations with a legalization stamp, international passports
Price: 220 baht+3500 if you do not have an interpreter and 2 Thai witnesses, whom the registry office will organize for you.

You can hold a symbolic wedding not only in a temple

The bride and groom themselves or with the help of an agency can organize everything as they want, with the exception of official documents. But even this point can be corrected if you prepare in advance the documents that will be needed only for the appearance of the guests, and officially register the marriage in advance in your homeland. A symbolic wedding can be held any way and anywhere.

Even a specially hired artist or any other person can carry out symbolic registration according to the scenario that the newlyweds want. It is not prohibited to bring even your own registrar to Thailand. Guests do not need to know that the ceremony is unofficial. You can do everything naturally and look like an official marriage.

In a symbolic ceremony, you can choose the place that suits you. Often hotels or places right on the coast are chosen. Local organizers already know the most suitable beautiful places for ceremonies. Some even offer very exotic options, such as a waterfall or a cave. During the ceremony, you can add local traditional rituals. And you can arrive at the place to your guests in a very unusual way - by boat or elephants.

Thailand is also suitable for lovers of extreme weddings. There are also rocks with excellent views, and some couples even sign their names underwater.

Where is the best place to spend

Where is the best place to have a wedding in Thailand? It is a country of hundreds of islands and exotic places. Here you will find wild beaches, palm trees and many interesting landscapes. Agencies for organizing wedding ceremonies offer to choose a wedding venue. There are proven options that are very popular among couples in love.

There is a misunderstanding that this resort does not have good beaches where you cannot have a ceremony with an arch by the sea. But that's not true. Almost any agency will organize you a secluded place right in Pattaya. You just need to drive out of the city center to do this. Luxury hotels with their own beaches also provide their services.

In Pattaya

This resort is the most accessible and famous. It is famous for its large number of entertainment and restaurants. If you want to have a modern wedding with an unusual time, then Pattaya is for you. It is easy for guests and you to find an inexpensive hotel with a swimming pool.

In Phuket

What is the best wedding ceremony in Thailand? Phuket is the largest and most popular island in Thailand. There are many variations of wedding celebrations in this place.

Firstly, the classic check-in in privacy on the beach.
Secondly, an unusual wedding in Thailand, the traditions of which involve painting in a Buddhist temple.
Thirdly, holding the celebration at the hotel.
Fourthly, a budget option on a public beach.

On Koh Samui

The second most popular wedding in Thailand is on Koh Samui. This exotic place is famous for its wild beaches and colorful nature. But the pleasure of spending a holiday here is not cheap. This can be understood by how much tickets to your destination cost.

Attention! If your budget allows it, then a wedding in this paradise will become one of the most memorable events in life for you and your guests!

The beautiful island has preserved many historical traditions, so a blessing ceremony from the monks in combination with a beach holiday is popular here.

You can choose any of the islands of Thailand for an informal wedding ceremony

Everywhere you can find a local wedding planner who can recommend any suitable venues. The number of guests can be any, the main thing is to discuss this number with the organizers in advance. Depending on the complexity of the wedding, local agencies take a month or more to prepare. Particularly exotic options with a large program are prepared for at least 3 months. If you entrust the organization to local specialists, then it is not even necessary to go to the location for control. Many agencies involve communicating with clients during preparation via online communication, and the dress rehearsal is no longer held just a few days before the event. The agency organizes a turnkey wedding and hires all the necessary people, from a simple wedding stylist to a person for registration and a set of dishes that will be on the tables.

Many people choose a wedding location from local villas, which are famous for their gorgeous views of the coast and from here you won’t need to leave anywhere, you can even stay overnight there.

If you want to retire and enjoy the views of Thailand just the two of you, then such options also exist. There will be no annoying bride price and other standard competitions; you will spend time with benefit only for yourself. You can hire a special photographer who will record all the action and send you already processed photographs. This ceremony does not require much preparation at all. Many locals are well familiar with such holidays and the arch and cake can be ordered right on the spot.

Prices for a wedding in Thailand are much lower than in Russia. A standard wedding by the sea, which includes a photo shoot, alcohol, fruit and music, will cost about $800. You can sit quite modestly, without anyone invited.

Cost of additional services in 2021:
Makeup and hairstyle for the bride – from $100
Wedding dress rental – from $40
Video shooting of a wedding from above – from $250
Elephant wedding invitation – from $50

Official registration of marriage

I would immediately like to answer the main and burning question: is it possible to officially register your marriage in Thailand? The consular department in Thailand registers and dissolves marriages only between those citizens of the Russian Federation who are permanently residing in the Kingdom. A permanent resident is considered to be a person who has deregistered in Russia at his previous place of residence and has officially registered in Thailand.

Those persons who reside in Thailand temporarily can also register their marriage in accordance with all the canons and rules of the Kingdom. To do this, they need to fill out an affidavit of marital status at the Consulate. It is filled out in English and approved by the signature of a Consulate employee.

But then it will be necessary to go through a difficult office path. To formalize the relationship you will need:

translate the affidavit into Thai
submit the original along with the translation to the Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. There it will be legalized and the translation certified.
After this, you must submit your passport along with the affidavit to the municipality, where your marriage will be registered.
A Thai marriage certificate in Russia will be valid only after its legalization. To do this, you will need to go to the passport office and put the appropriate stamp in your passport there.

Why is it beneficial to have a ceremony for only two people and who is it suitable for?

If you are tired of these standard ceremonies, where you need to show guests how great you are and organize banal competitions for relatives, then such a secluded wedding is what you need. You will enjoy each other without prying eyes and take memorable photos. Here you don’t have to think through everything yourself and take care of every guest, everything is done just for you. The local agency will organize everything for you, and you can calmly enjoy the beauty of the local beaches and nature.

Such weddings are organized on private beaches; you don’t have to worry that there will be other people in your photos who have nothing to do with you. As a rule, there is no cake for such ceremonies; local fruits and light snacks are usually used. The speech of the local coordinator may vary, the main thing is to warn about these changes in advance.

A local certificate is issued for you, which confirms the symbolic wedding. What is unusual is that it will indicate a different year from the future, because in Thailand the chronology works completely differently. The Thais are 543 years later than in standard chronology.

After the ceremony, you can be taken to any of the local restaurants or even organized a romantic dinner for two on the beach.

Things to consider

It is also possible to have a wedding in Thailand organized independently, but for this you need to provide the following details:

Thailand is famous for its wonderful weather, but it is not like that all year round, because there is a rainy season. At this time, tropical rain can occur at any time, especially on the islands. The greatest amount of precipitation falls: May-September in Phuket and Pattaya, and on Samui from October to December. Please keep this in mind when booking your tour and ceremony.
If you had a wedding in your home country in a lush classic or chic dress, then buy a different outfit for a Thai beach ceremony. May you have two wedding dresses.
A photo shoot is an essential part of any wedding. There are many Russian photographers traveling around the country who are ready to give you a beautiful picture for reasonable money. Contact them through forums and social networks in advance.
Don't forget to use tanning products when you go to the celebration, because you will be spending a lot of time in the sun.

Often the local sand tradition is chosen for a wedding.

At this moment, two colors of sand are mixed into one vessel. This tradition means that two destinies are mixed into one.

Programs and prices for a wedding in Pattaya:

Economy - 9,000 baht (traditional wedding on the temple grounds, conducted by 9 monks. Duration about 2 hours)
Standard – 15,000 baht (duration about 4-5 hours, includes a little more traditional parts than the previous version and a more extended photo session)
European ceremony – 15,000 baht (takes about 3 – 4 hours, mostly held on a private beach, the price includes the bride’s bouquet, dress, snacks and music)
Ceremony on the island - 35,000 baht (everything included is the same as in the European one, but the ceremony itself takes place on a separate island, and not in Pattaya)
European and Buddhism ceremony – 25,000 baht (combination of programs in the temple and painting on the beach + 250 minutes of photo session for lovers and their guests)

Programs and prices in Phuket are different; famous people and public figures like to celebrate weddings here:
Luxury wedding – 18,000 baht (duration 3 hours, includes transfer and service for 5 guests, the ceremony takes place on the territory of a 5 star hotel)
Buddhism - 18,000 baht (duration 2-3 hours in a local temple with monks, price includes transfer for 5 round trips)

Advice! Think in advance about all the little things that you want to see at the wedding, otherwise you may face a high price for additional services. It is ideal to book a simple ceremony a month in advance.

Phuket is best for those who want to take heavenly ceremony photos on the beach. Organization here takes from one to three months. Pattaya is suitable for those who want to have an unusual ceremony in a temple.

Personal experience:

We didn’t go to a translation agency, because, firstly, we still need to find them, and secondly, we decided not to take risks and do the translation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself, in order to reduce the likelihood of errors, and even in case of errors, so that there would be somewhere quickly and redo it for free. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located outside the city near the airport. There is a whole complex of ministries called the Government Complex.

The building we need

At the entrance we meet “helpers” who offer to translate documents at a price of 400 baht per page, but we refused them because there is no guarantee of the quality of the translation. This is, after all, a legal document, and mistakes are unacceptable. Having gone up to the second floor, we saw the “TRANSLATION” window. We arrived at it at 12.00. They charged us 500 baht/page for translation. The translation took 2 hours. In the same building there is a cafe with wifi and a cheap canteen, so there was something to do, especially since we hadn’t even had breakfast yet.

In addition, the translation can be done here

Certification of documents at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Name: Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Address in Thai: 123 ถ.แจงวัฒนะหลักสี่กรุงเทพมหานคร 120210
Address in English: 123 Chaeng Watthana Rd., Laksi, Bangkok 10210
Coordinates: 13.8905, 100.5671
Document reception hours: 09:00-15:00, for expedited legalization 08:30-12:00. No more than 50 people per day are accepted for accelerated legalization, so be on time.
Price: 200 baht per document/stamp, expedited - 400 baht per document/stamp
Take with you: 2 affidavits and 2 translations, international passports, copies of passports (on the second floor you can make copies for 2 baht/page)

What does marrying a Thai woman give to a male tourist?

Contrary to all the men's expectations, not so much. Having acquired a wife in Thailand, a visiting spouse can only count on receiving an annual visa as a tourist and an official work permit. This is where the delights of life end; we are not talking about any citizenship or type of residence here.

To become a resident of Thailand, you need to “beat off” more than one threshold and prove to the local authorities that you are a financially secure person. Security by standard standards is at least forty thousand baht. That is, this is exactly the income a Thai groom should have. Surprised? The question arises: “Is it even worth marrying a Thai woman in Thailand or not?”

Of course, this is a matter for each man personally and the right to choose still remains with him. However, it is worth weighing everything carefully and thinking it through before making such a decision. But first things first.

Traditions and oddities of Thai families

Like any other country, Thailand has its own family traditions and customs, which to a visitor may seem strange, at a minimum, and “hard” at a maximum. Why?

1. In families, everyone works and it will not be possible for a gigolo to sit out with the wife’s relatives or on her neck, as a groom or husband. This is not accepted here and is considered unacceptable and shameful.

2. Before asking a Thai woman to marry, it is worth knowing that for the bride you need to pay a considerable ransom to her relatives, and this cannot be avoided or delayed either. The so-called bride price in our country, and in theirs - sin-sot, by average standards is about 10 thousand dollars. Wow? Have you changed your mind about marrying a Thai woman yet?

Yes, but that's not all. When the bride price is paid, the relatives have a considerable government loan that needs to be paid. Moreover, in order not to seem stingy and ill-mannered, the groom will have to take on the repayment of several months of this same loan in addition to the paid bride price.

3. You will also have to face housing difficulties right away. It’s not a decent place to live with your in-laws, and you can only buy housing with a lot of money. Again, if this suits you, keep in mind that registering an apartment or house is for a Thai wife, then according to the law of the country, the home will be considered joint. Otherwise, if a woman divorces, the apartment will remain with her legally.

But how about taking that kind of money? Start your own bissnes? But then, without citizenship, half of your business will again legally belong to your wife. Only citizens of the country are allowed to have their own 100% business in Thailand. No stateless bank will give you a loan; again, it turns out that it can only be issued in the name of a spouse.

4. Chastity in this country is generally not accepted or practiced as such. On the contrary, if you meet a beauty in a cafe or bar, you risk a lot. The majority, not all of course, but the bulk of the ladies here have already been married to our “Russians” more than once and have defrauded them.

Not to mention the fact that each of these ladies strives to “pick up” the tourist and drags him not just anywhere, but straight to bed. This can also be fraught, because no one has yet abolished “bed” illnesses with such and such a lifestyle.

Therefore, here you can often see an elderly Russian and a young Thai woman walking arm in arm. In other matters, there are plenty of young “our machos” here who fell for the bait of insidious beauties.

5. When real family life begins, it turns out that the husband must also feed all his wife’s relatives, this is the custom. At the same time, the wife herself suddenly loses her initial affection and complaisance, her temper and character emerge, and family squabbles and quarrels begin. Which literally a year later end in divorce and empty groom’s pockets.