Thai Wedding Traditions

Usually, we will have a Monk Blessing as is the Buddhism custom at the house of the bride or the bridegroom (which will be the place for the event) in the morning. After that, there will be marriage registration.

In the afternoon, the traditional wedding customs will be followed. It is called ROD-NAM-SANG, and is the main event where both the bride and the bridegroom’s family get together. They witness this important event. Both the bride and the bridegroom will sit close together on the floor (or small stage) with their hands held in WAI style (like the way we pay respect to the Lord Buddha). A flower chain connects the hands. The most senior person will act as the leader of the event. He or she will start to soak the couple’s hands in water and wish them good luck. The water is contained in a conch shell container (ROD is soak, NAM is water, and SANG is conch shell). Then, the parents and others will do the same.

On the same night, there will be a wedding party. People like to organise the function in the hotel since the facilities are easier to set up.  It could be arranged in different ways i.e. Cocktail style, Buffet Thai food, Chinese food, or sit down dinner. Whatever the style, the wedding party usually follows the same steps.

(ที่มา: http://www.apmforum.com/columns/thai15.htm)

*   Before the wedding, the groom needs to visit the bride's home to talk about the money and gifts to be given to her family.

*   The wedding starts early in the morning with the procession ceremony called 'Hae Khun Mag'. During this ceremony, the groom leads the guests and brings gifts and food to the bride's house. The 'Ram Klong Yao' song plays until the end of this procession.

*   After arriving at the bride's house, the groom has to cross two gates, the 'Silver Gate'

and the 'Gold Gate'. The groom can only pass through by giving them envelopes containing money or other gifts. He must pay more to enter through the 'Gold Gate'.

*  In the afternoon, a traditional wedding custom known as 'Rod Nam Sang' (or the 'Shell Ceremony') takes place. This is the main event which brings together both the families of the bride and the groom. During this ceremony, the bride and the groom sit together on a small stage.

    Then their parents and guests pour a shell filled with holy water (Nam Sang) on their hands and give them blessings.

*  The final ceremony is 'Song Tua', which is about sending the newly wed couple to the bedroom (Ruen Hor). For this, they must invite a respectable adult couple, who have been married only once, to 'pave' their bed in order to bring an auspicious thing to their beginning.

Culture:

• Irish poem

     กลอนไอริช (Irish poem) เกี่ยวกับเดือนที่เหมาะสมในการแต่งงาน

Marry when the year is new,
Always loving, kind and true.

When February birds do mate,
You may wed, nor dread your fate.

If you wed when March winds blow,
Joy and sorry both you’ll know.

Marry in April when you can,
Joy for maiden and for man.

Marry in the month of May,
You will surely rue the day.

Marry when June roses blow,
Over land and sea you’ll go.

They who in July do wed,
Must labour always for their bread.

Whoever wed in August be,
Many a change are sure to see.

Marry in September’s shine,
Your living will be rich and fine.

If in October you do marry,
Love will come but riches tarry.

If you wed in bleak November,
Only joy will come, remember.

When December’s showers fall fast,
Marry and true love will last.

กลอนไอริช (Irish poem) เกี่ยวกับวันที่เหมาะสมในการแต่งงาน

Monday for health,
Tuesday for wealth,
Wednesday the best day of all,
Thursday for losses,
Friday for crosses,
Saturday is no day at all.

(ที่มา: http://www.abitoblarney.com/irishweddinginformation.htm)

Ireland

*   invited to the bride’s house just before the wedding

*   a goose is cooked in his honour

*  wears a wreath of wide flowers in her hair

*  carries wild flowers,  magic handkerchief and horseshoe

*   part of wedding dress is used to make christening robe of first-born

*  three-tier fruitcake made by an older    female member of the family

*   decorated with swans or fairies

*   top layer is saved for the christening cake of first-born

* wedding cake

* dancing- the bride shouldn’t dance with both feet off the ground