Skip to main content
Thai BuddhismThai Culture

The Thai Buddhist Wedding Ceremony Process

The Process to Get Married in Thailand

Thai wedding Once both parties have agreed to marry they must meet with the woman’s parents to discuss the dowry. Often this is done with the help of a third party from the man’s party. This person is often a trusted elder person, friend or someone know to both the woman’s and the man’s family. In Thai society, the man and woman will find a suitor who is honourable and/or a person that they respect to be เถ้าแก่/tâogεε/. Often negotiation of the dowry can be a tricky business but it is generally based upon what value the woman can bring to the man and the man’s family, so education, age and the woman’s own net worth need to be taken into account. It is also based on what is known to have been given in the past for brides and importantly what the husband can afford.

Thai wedding how to prepare in Thaialnd

The date of the wedding is discussed with monks who use a lunar calendar and the birth dates of the bride and groom to locate a lucky date.

The Process to Get Married in Thailand

 

Monk Taking Marriage Ceremony in Thailand

Thai Buddhist Wedding

– Man side: they will have ขบวนขันหมาก/kàbuankǎnmaàk/ which is the procession to go to ask the woman to be a bride at the woman’s home. The procession can be a procession of cars, trucks, walking sometimes even with elephants often with music, long drums and wailing.

The Thai Wedding Procession | Learn Thai Culture Thai Groom Awaiting the wedding procession | Thai Culture

In the procession itself going to the wedding place, guests of the groom carry banana plants, rice and desserts signifying food, the dowry presented on a tray.

Thai Ceremonial Wedding Gifts | Learn Thai Culture

– Woman side: they will ‘gather people and wait to welcome the wedding party ขบวนขันหมาก/kàbuankǎnmaàk/.

The ceremony itself will be taken by 9 monks for good luck. 9 is a lucky Buddhist number.

Thai Bridge on her Wedding Day | Thai Culture

Thai House Preparing for Thai Wedding | Thai Culture

 

 

 

 

 

The Thai Buddhist Wedding Process

  1. พิธีสงฆ์/pítii sǒng/

The wedding ceremony is very important for Buddhists. The purpose of this ceremony is to wish the bridal couple a happy life. The betrothed couple will light incense and candles and pray, then monks will give the readings and after that, the monks will bless water for the ceremony. Once the couple have given food and offerings to the monks the monks will pray and sprinkle holy water to bring luck to the couple.

Monk Wedding Blessing | Thai Culture

  1. พิธีการตั้งขบวนแห่ขันหมาก/pitiigaan dtángkàbuanhεεkǎnmaàk/

Thais like to have betrothal and wedding ceremony on the same day so will arrange ขันหมากหมั้น/kǎnmaàkmán/ procession and ขันหมากแต่ง/kǎnmaàkdtεεng/ procession altogether. At the beginning of the procession, there will have long drum players to play fun music. During this process, the bride will wait at home and the procession will make it’s way slowly to her. When the procession has arrived at the bride’s house. the bride’s parents will welcome the groom’s party with the girl who holds betel nut trays. The girls will wash the feet of the groom before entering the marriage location. When the procession wants to enter to the house, they have to pass 3 gates which are ประตูนาก/pràdtuu naâk/, ประตูเงิน/pràdtuu ngӘn/ and also ประตูทอง/pràdtuu tͻͻng/. At each gate, the groom is asked a question and has to answer correctly in order to pass through. Often the groom will bring money envelopes to help pass the gates. In practice, this event takes place at the entrance of the wedding venue after to procession to the venue.

Wedding Ceremonial Procession Thailand | Thai Culture

Thai Wedding Gates | Wedding Ceremony | Culture

 

 

 

 

 

3. พิธีสู่ขอและพิธีนับสินสอด/pítii suùkͻͻ̌ lε pítii nápsǐnsͻͻt/

When the brides family accepts the procession of the groom they will place the items from the procession in the marriage venue and then the groom’s เถ้าแก่/tâogεε/ will ask for the woman. After the woman’s parents agree, the เถ้าแก่/tâogεε/ will open พานสินสอด/paansǐnsͻͻt/ (dowry tray)and this is the beginning of พิธีนับสินสอด/pítii nápsǐnsͻͻt/. The money will be placed on the red or gold fabric and displayed for all to see. The bride’s parents will count a little for effect.  Once finished counting the dowry both parents of the groom and the bride will spread beans, sesame, paddy, popped rice, flower, silver and gold leaves on the dowry after that mother of the bride will wrap the dowry with fabric and carry the dowry on her shoulders.

Thai Gifts | Wedding Ceremony Thai wedding

4.พิธีสวมแหวนหมั้น /pítii suǎmwεε̌nmán/

Ring exchange – after พิธีนับสินสอด/pitii nápsǐnsͻͻt/ the time is reached to exchange rings.

Thai Rings | Wedding Ceremony Thailand

Presentation of the Ring | Wedding Ceremony Thailand

 

 

 

 

 

5.พิธีรดน้ำสังข์ /pítii rótnaámsǎng/

This process begins with bride pair lite the incense and candles and sit on the stool พิธีรดน้ำสังข์/pítii rótnaámsǎng/. The bride will always sit on the left. The MC or person organising the event will give the happy couple garlands.

The Process to Get Married in Thailand Blessing Couple with Water | Thai Wedding Ceremony

 

 

 

 

 

6.พิธีส่งตัว,พิธีปูที่นอน /pítii sǒngdtua, pítii bpuutiînͻͻn/

This is the last part of the process known as sending wedding couple to the bridal house. The wedding couple will wait in front of the room. The parents of the bride and groom will make their bed before inviting the newly wedded couple into the room. Everyone has to dress up well. The bride and groom’s family prepare the pillows in the bed and then place things on the bed. Crushed stone, green gourd, old male cat, water bowl and a tray with has some rice and mung beans on it. After inviting the happy couple to their prepared room. The family retire and join a party with the wedding guests.

The Wedding Bed | Thai Culture

The Process to Get Married in Thailand

Thai Wedding Ceremony – Vocabulary

English

Phonetic

Thai Script

To get married

Dtεεng ngaang

แต่งงาน

Bride

Jâo saǎw

เจ้าสาว

Groom

Jâo baàw เจ้าบ่าว

Ceremony

pítii

พิธี

Dowry

Sǐnsͻͻt

สินสอด

Auspicious time

rӘӘ̂k ฤกษ์

Bride’s house

Rᵾanhͻͻ̌

เรือนหอ

Procession

kàbuan

ขบวน

Society

Sǎngkom

สังคม

To engage

Mân

หมั้น

Flower

Dͻͻkmaáy

ดอกไม้

Gate, door

Pràdtuu

ประตู

Ring

Wεε̌n

แหวน

Relatives

Yaât

ญาติ

To welcome

Dtͻͻ̂n ráp

ต้อนรับ

Pillow

Mͻͻ̌n

หมอน

Mattress

Tiînͻͻn

ที่นอน

Sweetheart

Kuûrák

คู่รัก

Wedding Dress Chút dtεεngngaan

ชุดแต่งงาน

I hope you enjoyed my blog

Kruu Gaew
Thai Language Hut