The ceremony

Khan Mak (Procession of the Groom-to-be) - ขันหมาก

Technically, the procession of the groom is part of a Thai engagement ceremony. Historically, the procession would leave the groom’s house and travel across the village to the bride’s home. Today it is a much shorter journey through the wedding venue 🙂
The procession is usually accompanied by dancing and traditional music on long drums, and the groom’s family and friends come to the bride’s home bearing symbolic gifts, such as flower garlands, a parasol (symbolising that the groom will provide shade to his new household), Maak or Betel Nuts, held by the groom (historically an important component of Thai hospitality, and a symbol of harmony and unity), candles, Thai sweets, a Banana tree (historically the banana tree would then be planted in the bride’s family home symbolising ease and prosperity as the whole tree is useful, from the trunk to the leaves and the fruits), a sugarcane tree (symbolising a sweet life) and of course, the wedding rings.
The Khan Mak is also a moment for the groom’s family and friends to bond with each other and support the groom in his new chapter of life

Passing through the “gates” - กั้นประตู

The bride's friends and family will ‘block’ the way to the bride with ‘gates’. At each gate, the bride’s friends and family will set challenges for the groom to overcome - this is usually a moment of great fun and entertainment for both the bride and groom’s party
Historically, in a context where dating was uncommon, the game of the gates gave an opportunity for the bride’s and groom’s family and friends to get to know each other

Fetching the bride - เจ้าบ่าวรับตัวเจ้าสาว

Together with the mother of the bride, the groom is now formally allowed to go and see his bride
Traditionally it is the mother-of-the-bride who accompanies the groom - this is to acknowledge the special place she has in her daughter’s life, particularly as the one who carried and gave birth to her. (On a more funny note, in olden times when dating didn’t exist, the humorous explanation for this tradition was that the mother had to accompany the groom to make sure he collected the correct woman as his bride!)

Conch Shell Water Blessing Ceremony - พิธีรดน้ำสังข์

The bride’s parents will place garlands on the married couple’s shoulders, then the groom’s parents will place a circlet of blessed thread (mongkol) on the heads of the couple, representing their symbolic joining and unity. The couple ‘wai‘ as specially prepared white thread, ‘sai monkol‘, is looped and used to link together the bride’s and the groom’s heads. It is symbolic that the thread forms two circles which whilst linked, also remain independent. This indicates that the couple’s destinies are linked, but individual identity is retained. The circle is also symbolic because of its continuity and the fact that merit can be carried around in the circle.
The couple will then kneel on a pedestal with their hands out, and starting from the most senior members of the immediate family each guest in turn will get a chance to bless the couple by pouring symbolically blessed water using a conch shell over the newlyweds hands. Bowls of flowers are placed underneath the hands to catch the water.