The Thai traditional wedding is a special ceremony due to its charm and romance. Here are some of the three unique traditional wedding customs in Thailand. 

Pre-wedding 

In Thai tradition, it is the task of one of the closest friend’s of the groom to ask for the hand of the bride on behalf of his friend to his father. The friend is also tasked with leading the negotiations for the dowry (son sod). After the father has accepted the proposal, an astrologer is consulted when setting the wedding ceremony’s date. On the evening before their wedding, a Buddhist ceremony officiated by nine monks leads the procession as the couple pays respects to their ancestors. 

The wedding ceremony 

Traditional weddings Thailand usually begin as early as 6 am. Nine invited monks bless the couples. The couple is bound by a string forming a circle to symbolise their union. The monks’ pray for the couple, and each monk receives an envelope, usually containing some money. The couple will then eat lunch with the monks and donate to the local temple (wat). The main wedding ceremony (rod Nam sang) usually takes place in the afternoon. The bride and groom will have their hands connected with a flower chain. Their hands are soaked in a conch shell filled with water as they receive good luck wishes. The wedding ceremony will continue until dinnertime as the guests enjoy the day and make merry. 

Preparing the bridal bed

This traditional ritual still takes place in some of the rural areas. The couple will be blessed by an old couple in the bridal bed. The bed may be surrounded by coins, bags of rice and other items to symbolise a happy marriage, fertility and prosperity. It is a traditional ritual that the couple do not move these items from their bridal bed for three days.