Destination Weddings: Thailand
For style and elegance in the midst of the Bangkok bustle, look no further than The Peninsula Bangkok (http://bangkok.peninsula.com). The hotel offers a Thai wedding package, which includes a ceremony in a pavilion overlooking Chao Phraya River, traditional Thai wedding outfits, a "hae khan mark" (groom’s procession), musicians, dancers, dowry bowls and a whole lot more.
Phuket, Thailand, is another dream wedding destination, with Thai Buddhist weddings particularly popular with everything from sunset beach ceremonies to five-star hotel and beach resort weddings.
At the Amanpuri , perched on a peninsula overlooking the Andaman Sea in Phuket, happy couples can have an informal Buddhist blessing involving up to five monks. Christian and non-religious blessings are also available. (The resort recommends that guests hold their civil ceremony in their home country.) Right next door and easier on the wallet, celebrate your love far from the madding crowd at the cheerful and welcoming Chedi Phuket, which offers Thai or Western-style wedding packages.
Krabi options include the elegant Layana Resort & Spa (www.layanaresort.com) and the hidden Rayavadee (www.rayavadee.com) set in the Krabi Marine National Park. The Rayavadee caters for smaller weddings and holds ceremonies in a candle-lit limestone cave with an ocean backdrop.
In Koh Samui, Tongsai Bay's traditional Thai wedding package also includes a "long drum" procession. Take note that the ceremony is a traditional Buddhist service: monks should not be asked to pose for photos (this is considered insulting). Revealing wedding gowns are out, too. If you really have to let it all hang out, choose the resort's Western wedding package (but the ceremony is a non-binding one). If you want a legal wedding, marriage registration can be arranged but you will have to get all the necessary documents translated and approved by your embassy and the Thai foreign affairs ministry yourself.
The Four Seasons is a smart option though the buggy rides are vertiginous and the Six Senses Hideaway Samui does elaborate “Hideaway Weddings” with great views all around from its perch high up a headland. The Six Senses has a remarkable spa as well with the same wraparound Cinemascope views.