Among other things, Monfai, the place I am staying at, has many Thai weddings. For example, they had a wedding this morning (Saturday) and one this evening. They also have one Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night. This is a particularly busy week but most weeks they have at least 3 weddings since I’ve arrived. I dress up in peasant Thai/Lanna clothes. I wear a skirt which is really just a big tube of cloth (one size fits all?) with a metal chain belt, a small tank top like thing that is very tight and then a formless jacket made of rough hewn cotton. Some of the guest are wearing lovely traditional Thai clothes; others are wearing jeans and t-shirts. Most of the guests sit on the floor around these little round tables. Before the service and the dinner there is a sampling of Thai food. Sampling is really an understatement. To name a few: nuts, many types custard like squares, little omelets, pad thai, Kow Soy, grilled fish, papaya salad, little coconut pancakes, waffles, sugar cane. I think most people fill up on this before the meal. They always have a selection of juices such as passion fruit. They serve Thai herbal whiskey called laoyadong which is popular among the Thai men.
At most weddings they start out with the appetizers mentioned above while the bride and groom greet the guests. Then the actual wedding ceremony starts. The guests may listen intently or they might chat through the whole thing. The couple sits with what I think is the equivalent of a justice of the peace who chants in Pali a long Buddhist wedding prayer. The family comes up and ties strings around the wrists of the bride and groom wishing them well. Then the dinner is served. There is usual entertainment of Thai music, traditional Thai dances and folk music. The evening ends fairly early, 11 at the latest.
