Traditional Thai Wedding......
A traditional Thai wedding is one of the most important aspects of Thai life and culture. Wedding ceremonies in Thailand are extremely grand and elaborate. All relatives, close and distant, make it a point to be present at a family wedding where the grooms parents give money to the bride’s parents as part of the Thai custom.
In Thailand the minimum age for marriage is 20 in villages and it is 28 and older in cities. Usually the wedding is arranged between the elders of the two families. They approach the monks and compare the stars of the prospective bride and groom. It is important that the stars are in harmony and match each other. If this does not happen then the wedding will not be held. Once it is found that the stars of the bride and groom are in harmony, an auspicious day is selected to perform the wedding ceremony. Generally, August is considered as the most auspicious month and one will find many weddings taking place across Thailand during that month.
During the marriage ceremony, friends and relatives of the groom dance all the way to the bride’s house with hands laden with gifts. Just before the marriage ceremony, the engagement is done with monks chanting sacred words. Once the engagement is over, it paves way for the actual marriage ceremony. The marriage ceremony is performed by Buddhist monks who chant sacred verses. One of the most sacred words during a Thai wedding is Sin-sod. Without these two words a marriage is incomplete. Sin-sod refers to the money that the groom’s parents give to the bride’s parents.
Once the wedding is solemnized by the monks, the feasting begins. Monks are offered food and they bless the new wedded couple and the entire gathering with holy water. Once this is over, the monks leave and with this the marriage ceremony comes to an end. However, many modern couples continue to enjoy their wedding day with friends and family.
|
