And the award for the least fun wedding goes to....

THAI PEOPLE!

okay okay, maybe that sounds a little mean--but I mean it in jest. Thai weddings are perfectly lovely and celebratory... but really, they resemble an award ceremony more than a wedding.

Lets start at the beginning...

So, about a week after I arrived to Thailand, I was told that one of my coworkers was getting married and I would be attending the wedding. I had only met this coworker once, but she was very sweet. I had already been warned about a few things, and man, am i glad I was.

First, NO DANCING... what, did you read that right? yeah, NO dancing! If I really took time to think about it, it makes sense. I went to a "club" last Friday and it was PACKED with people standing around and, well, drinking and slightly swaying. Thai's don't dance.

Second, I was told they would be boring and mediocre--not my words... so I went with an investigative eye more than a enthused guest.

The wedding took place on Sunday, November 15th at the Bang Na Assumption Campus--where loy kathong was held.

The invite... in thai

The Bride is Ja, the Groom is Man.. Ja Man...heehee, makes me giggle.

Here is the picture they had at the entrance.. I am impressed that they had a picture of their wedding day ON their wedding day...

here is what the wedding hall looked like... LOTS of tables... maybe, like, 60?

My coworkers and I didn't attend the church ceremony so while we waited in the hall we took pictures in front of a very "prom like" background.

NOTE: people where anything to thai weddings. Some people were in suits and evening dresses, some where in jeans (like my coworker above). Heels, dress shoes, flip flops, sneakers. NO dress code apparently.

my boss, Ajarn Noppadon, and I. Doesn't it look like a red carpet entrance??

When the bride and groom finally showed up, they actually stood in front of this pink flowerly background for about 90 MINUTES and took pictures with anyone who came up to take one with them.

Preparing for photos... this guy was SERIOUS... like a bodygaurd maybe??

Here is one of my coworkers with the couple. ( there is a professional picture of me in it, but I couldn't get the photographer to use my camera. Jerk)

While they took pictures, people stood in line to sign the guest book and leave their "gift". A gift is just an envelope with money in it. Works well enough.

I found the greatest part to be that when you put your envelope with money in the basket you got your wedding souvenir-- a little bag with 20BAHT in it... haha, you GIVE money to GET money. loooooved it. I mean, no need to mess around... we know what matters. 20BHT is enough for breakfast...

Then we sat at our table. All the food was family style. Start off with a small plate of cashews, then an assortment of pork, then a thai style seafood salad, a little blackened duck, some noodles, fried shrimp with a mayonnaise dip, and last but NOT least, a plate of fruit!

Here is a FARANG eating FARANG! (a foreigner eating guava!)

So, while we were all eating, the bridge and groom went from the back of the room to the front of the room, and went ON stage and had people come up and toast them and their new life together. There were little picture montages of the couple from childhood, school and there MANY engagement photos.

Here is Ajarn giving his speach...

Everytime someone went up to toast, we had to stop eating, stand up and cheers three times. As if someone was winning an award and was getting a standing ovation. Have I proved my point yet...

The only part that felt like a wedding is when they went up this little platform to light three candles and cut the cake. It was in the middle of the room and everyone could see from there seats. It was very nice.

Here are the steps leading up to the cake.

This was my fourth wedding this year and overall it was the most educational (and sober...boo) and I am glad I went, but I would be okay if I never attended another Thai wedding as long as I live.

The end!

Chang Gaow! (cheers!)

B