Traditional Thai weddings in Pattaya

For your special day why not make a break with tradition and opt instead for the exotic nature and enchantment of a Buddhist wedding ceremony in the delightfully romantic surroundings of a tropical paradise? The Royal Cliff Beach Resort offer all the atmosphere and ceremony of a Buddhist wedding presented in style to make your wedding day an unforgettable experience.

Upon arrival, you will be advised regarding facilities for clothing, hairdressing or makeup. In addition, we will be more than pleased to assist you with your personal preparations, if you require.

Buddhist weddings traditionally take place in the morning since Buddhist monks only take one meal a day before noon time. At the auspicious time of 09:15 hrs the groom will be escorted by a male staff member in traditional Thai costume to the elegant lobby of the Royal Wing where he awaits his bride. At 09:25 hrs the bride will be escorted by a female member of staff, also dressed in traditional Thai costume, in limousine to the lobby. It is at this time that the formal exchange of rings takes place in the presence of your chosen witnesses, since this is not part of the Buddhist custom.

The Buddhist wedding ceremony itself is held in one of our elegant outdoor Presidential Suite Salas, which will be beautifully decorated with fresh tropical flowers for the occasion and background music playing Thai songs. The Presidential Suite Salas are located at the end of the secluded Royal Wing & Spa beach.

At around 09:40 hrs the bride, bridegroom and guests will be escorted in a procession to the salas where they will wait for the monks to arrive (approximately at 10:00 hrs). During this period, a master of ceremony from the hotel will explain the order of the ceremony, things to do and not to do and your roles in general. Throughout the ceremony, owing to Buddhist religious practices, the bride may not touch or hand anything directly to the monks.

As the monks proceed to the salas, the bride and bridegroom greet the monks and pay their respects. The monks rest for a few minutes while the abbot asks the couple to light the candles and incense before calling the monks to pray. Whilst in prayer, everyone is to remain in a quiet and respectful state.
Once the ritualistic prayers have ended, the couple offers lunch to the monks. The food is provided by the hotel and the lunch lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Following tradition, you then present each monk with a small offering of flowers, incense sticks and an envelope of money (provided by the hotel) to demonstrate your respect and gratitude. The monks then resume praying and once again you pay your respects by jointly pouring water into a bowl as the monks pray over you, to reflect on your new life together.

The ceremony effectively over, a final farewell is given to the monks who leave to return to their temple. The wedding party then moves to the adjoining Presidential Suite Sala for the reception which includes the traditional pouring of water over your hands by the guests and symbolic cutting of the cake. If purchased locally, the reception can also include a champagne toast and lunch.

This beautiful and intriguing ceremony perfectly captures the unique spirit of Thailand as well as the origins of its religion and we guarantee that you will treasure the memories of your special day for a lifetime.

Remarks:
– If there are no or few guests, members of the hotel staff will© help to celebrate the party if requested.
– In the unlikely event of bad© weather, the ceremony can be moved indoors to a Presidential Suite or the elegant surroundings of a nearby restaurant.