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The perfect wedding starts with the perfect venue, and Thailand’s Lanna Kingdom with its period architecture and traditional culture offers an amazing backdrop for any occasion.

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Image Credit: Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort

A bit of history

Located in Northern Thailand, Lanna was once a flourishing kingdom with its own unique culture and architecture. However, after centuries of war with neighbouring Burma, the kingdom fell into disarray and by the 1800s was annexed by the Siam king. Today, visitors can still see evidence of its rich culture in the city of Chiang Ma.

Lanna as a wedding destination

Lanna wedding guarantees an unforgettable event. The combination of Burmese temples, ornate teak structures, and Thai traditions sets the tone for a charming wedding. From luxury city hotels to scenic resorts such as Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, you’ll have plenty of options in terms of stunning locations.

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Image Credit: Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort

Traditional Lanna ceremony

In a traditional ceremony, the venue is adorned with beautiful flowers, and the groom starts the ceremony by carrying trays filled with more flowers and bridal gifts. A monk will then offer blessings and prayers for a peaceful and prosperous wedded life and tie a binding string around the couple’s wrists. The ceremony ends when the couple plant a love tree.

Compliment your wedding with an amazing meal

A Lanna wedding isn’t complete without a sumptuous meal that includes signature sweet and savoury dishes from across Northern Thailand.

Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world. Google+

The success of the celebrations depends very much on the appropriate venue as an inappropriate venue will mean that the bride’s parent will be saddled with a big bill for a reception that was not quite up to expectations. Getting advice from experts on how to find a suitable wedding venue in Hua Hin will definitely help frazzled couples.

Planning the Wedding

Researching bridal fashions, lifestyle and food magazines and checking out local bridal shops for inspiration will help to decide on the kind of celebration to have and the attire for the bride and her attendants. Set a date and time for the wedding selecting a period convenient to you and your partner and ensure it is not clashing with other family events.

Beach Weddings at AVANI Hua Hin Resort & Villas
Image Credit:  AVANI Hua Hin Resort & Villas

Hua Hin beach weddings

Tie the knot in style amid the romantic breeze and the dazzling view. Hua Hin is a renowned beach town that offers exclusive wedding plans at exotic beach locations. There is an exciting range of luxury hotels and resorts the likes of AVANI Hua Hin Resort & Villas to choose from when it comes to creating the perfect Hua Hin wedding function to make your special day extra memorable.

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Image Credit:  AVANI Hua Hin Resort & Villas

Prepare a Budget

A wedding celebration and the honeymoon to follow definitely need a carefully prepared budget. This will help leave out unnecessary expenditure, determine the scale of the celebration, the type of venue and the number of guests.

Guest List

The number of wedding guests to be invited is a personal choice and there is no need to feel obliged to invite everyone you know.

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+

Of course, you will remember the place you exchange your “I Do’s” forever, but how on earth do you make your special day extra special? If you are looking at a destination wedding amid the verdant reverie of Thailand, you are in for the most memorable experience of your lifetime!

Why choose Thailand?

With white sandy bays and verdant tropical settings ideal for the ultimate celebration of romance, Thailand offers a deserving setting to exchange your vows.

What Kind of Wedding Do You Have in Mind?

If you want to leave out the cliché beach weddings and settle for a Chiang Mai wedding amid the blooming flora, there is a range of jaw-dropping settings to choose from. Popular accommodation providers such as Anantara Chiang Mai Resort are ready to go the whole nine yards for the happy couple and offer various venues be it a riverside lawn, a colonial house or even a rooftop terrace.

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Image Credit: Anantara Chiang Mai Resort

Re-creating that fairytale

If you wish for a show-stopper wedding everyone will talk about for the years to come, Thailand provides that ultimate dreamy landscape. It will also offer your guests an incredible experience.

Now showing Photo, Thai Wedding Set Up
Image Credit: Anantara Chiang Mai Resort

The Plus Point

The best part of getting hitched in Thailand is that you can spend your honeymoon amid the same stunning setting. The spectacularly idyllic beaches are perfect to walk on hand in hand and if you are looking for more action, you can definitely visit the most electrifying city in the world, Bangkok.

Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world. Google+

Congrats on your marriage! Where are you planning to go on your sweet honeymoon? Think no more, it’s time to pack your back-pack and head to Thailand.

Koh Phangan


 
Located in Thailand, the “Vegas of the East,” Koh Phangan is a much sought after city. Honeymooners will enjoy this town for its blissful beaches, luxurious resorts, splendid places that caters to all your fantasies. Ensure to check into a Koh Phangan resort, the likes of Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villas to get the best out of your honeymoon.

Enjoy the sunrise with your soulmate

If you’re a sucker for mesmerising views of the sunrise, then you’ve got head down to Than Sadet Beach. It’s known as one of the best beaches in Thailand, that faces the east, making it perfect to capture brilliant images of the first rays of dawn as they lazily spread out across the sky.

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Wolfgang StaudtSunrise on the BeachCC BY 2.0

Bottle Beach

The beautiful bay features pristine white sands and stunning aquamarine waters, making it a must-visit destination for honeymooners. While you’re here, make sure to check out the view of the bay from the popular viewpoint located above the beach.

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Christian Fernandez Gamio (Golfer70), Koh Phangan BottleBeach 22CC BY-SA 3.0

Dance the Night Away at a Full Moon Party

Koh Phangan is most popular for its rambunctious full moon parties; these, however, are seasonal and if you happen to be visiting the island off season for a full moon party not to worry. The Half Moon Parties are just as vibrant, crazy and fun.

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joestump https://www.flickr.com/photos/joestump/Full Moon Party Ko Pha NganCC BY 2.0

Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting.

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Image Credit: AVANI Pattaya Resort & Spa

With the rapid globalisation witnessed by the world during the past fifty years, the world has shrunk in size, metaphorically, making communication and travel convenient. Increased globalisation also means that those who wish to get married in an exotic destination can also do with immense ease for the internet facilitates such events effectively. Weddings abroad are fast becoming the ‘in’ thing to do as it allows couples to have memorable places they can visit and relieve old memories, while enjoying the convenience of opting for wedding packages that make the process hassle free. If you wish to get married in Thailand, there are certain tips and tricks that one can take advantage of to obtain a better deal.

First and foremost, the wonderful diversity Thailand enjoys in terms of its culture, architecture and natural beauty, allow couples the wonderful opportunity to choose the kind of backdrop they wish when they exchange their vows. Couples can choose to select a wide variety of backdrops for their wedding photographs and choose, for instance, a beachside wedding at AVANI Pattaya Resort & Spa and exchange vows and sunset leading to a dinner in the evening. On the other hand, a wedding in Pattaya can also be a reception at a hotel with a stunning interior.

Apart from the wedding ceremony itself, there are several other rules and regulations foreign couples will need to comply with prior to exchanging vows. These include a trip to the Embassy to obtain an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry in Thailand. In order to obtain this Affirmation, a form has to be filled and submitted with your passport. Once obtained, the Affirmation must be translated into Thai. This can be done in less than an hour if you are willing to pay extra. Afterwards, all these documents need to be submitted to the Thai Consular Office for Authentication.

Thereafter, when the marriage is to be registered, there are several documents that are required by the relevant government office. These include copies of passports, visas and the Letter of Affirmation. Also, make sure to take two witnesses!

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.

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Western Wedding
Beach Wedding, Image Credit: ANANTARA MAI KHAO PHUKET VILLAS

Thailand, an exotic land that holds many wonders for all different types of travellers, be it the adventurous or the romantic. If you’re one of the latter and wish to make your love story legal in Thailand, there are more than a couple of beach destinations choose from. We have picked out the crème de la crème of these, so read on to find out.

Koh Samui- This beautiful island, the second largest in Thailand, has for many years been a top choice when it comes to choosing a beach wedding venue in Thailand, and with its many pristine beaches and the lush mountainous rainforest, it’s no wonder why. Koh Samui has also been ranked among the most romantic destinations in the world.

Phuket- Home of some of Thailand’s best beaches from Mai Khao to Freedom Beach, and Banana Beach, Phuket is the very definition of what a tropical island should be. Being the largest island in Thailand, Phuket acts as a gateway to many of the southern islands such as the Similan Islands and the Phi Phi Islands. Being the largest also means there’s plenty of room for all, so you can find many quiet and secluded beaches like Bang Tao and Surin. And the reason why Phuket wins over Samui is that there are many airlines offering domestic flights from the mainland as well as from direct international flights. And if you want your beach wedding to be one of absolute extravagance and luxury, wedding venues such as those by Anantara Hotels, Resort & Spa; come with many facilities as well as special beach wedding offers, so you will be saving a little too.

Hua Hin- Though it doesn’t have many gorgeous beaches as much as Samui and Phuket, Hua Hin is definitely one of the top contenders for beach destinations in Thailand. Its strongest point lies in being the closest to the capital by 3 hours. Thus your guests can conveniently travel to and fro from Bangkok. Hua Hin is also home to many beautiful buildings such as the stunning train station, which can be the backdrop for your wedding pre-shoot.

Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.

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Amazing Wedding Venues in Thailand
Amazing Wedding Venues in Thailand, Image Credit: Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

Thailand is rapidly emerging as one of the top wedding destinations with many wedding planners in the country who are more than eager to help you plan your perfect day. Some of the top luxury wedding venues in Thailand are Phuket, Ko Samui, Krabi and Hua Hin. With many popular hotels in Thailand such as Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas offering wedding packages, you can be assured that all the tiny details towards planning your big day will be cleverly planned and carried out!

Koh Samui has been rated at one of the most romantic locations on Thailand and would be a great first option for a wedding. Its beautiful white sandy beaches and mesmerizing landscapes are the perfect combination to make your big day more perfect! Koh Samui is also a great destination for your honeymoon. Chaweng Beach, Bophut and Lamai Beach in particular are known to be quite popular for beach weddings.

Phuket is your one of a kind destination in Thailand, as it’s the biggest island and is popular for its beach activities, mesmerizing sceneries, shimmering azure waters and the pure charm of the city, makes it an ideal choice for a wedding and the honeymoon! However, if you wish to spend your honeymoon on a smaller, more secluded island such as Phi Phi Islands or Similan Islands, then travelling from Phuket is the easiest option, especially after getting hitched. Some of the famous beaches which couples opt for are Bang Tao, Surin, Naithon, Layan and Laem Singh Beach.

If you’re looking for a less popular but equally breath-taking province, then choose Krabi, which is complete with natural picturesque wonders, including limestone cliffs and secluded tiny islands which are ideal for picnics and privacy. Popular Krabi beaches include Nopparat Thara, Phra Nang, Ao Nang and Railey Beach.

If you’re looking to get married closer to Bangkok, then Hua Hin is your destination. The beach city is also well known for having a rich royal history and immersing yourself in its culture and history is a great way to spend your days following the big day!

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.

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The curious and ardent traveller will realise, rather rapidly, that dominant differences exist among cultures, especially in the manner in which marriage rituals are practiced. While many rituals are derived from the historical and cultural context of the community, it is always an intriguing experience to discover the reasons and justifications behind each ritual, no matter how interesting, unique or bizarre it may be. While exploring and discovering the natural beauty and cultural heritage of former Siam, tourists can also learn about the traditional Lanna weddings that take place in the country. A further option is to opt for a truly iconic destination wedding and tie the knot while following traditions and customs of a Lanna wedding.

A Chiang Mai Wedding can be organised by a couple visiting Thailand by choosing a Thai wedding planner who will provide you with an array of options. Such packages offer couples the advantage of convenience and no hassle. Alternatively, resorts such as Anantara Chiang Mai Resort also offer a variety of wedding packages and couples can select a package based on their budget and preference.

The dawn of a traditional Lanna wedding is marked by making morning offerings in the form of food and flowers to Buddhist monks. This is followed by the monks imparting their blessings on the marriage. A traditional practice of making merit is also followed whereby couples release birds and fish that were formerly in captivity.

The wedding itself will be complete with northern Thai music, an authentic feast after the ceremony as well as performances of ethnic dances. A traditional wedding will also feature traditional Thai jewellery, worn by the bride and the setting off of KomLoi which are fire balloons that are believed to expel bad luck.

Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
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Everyone has heard of Phuket, probably Thailand’s most popular tourist destination, but few have heard of Krabi. Located on the country’s western coast and fronting the warm waters of the Andaman Sea, the Krabi Province is renowned for its beaches and a myriad of attractions. Less crowded than Phuket, while still offering a great experience, Krabi is the ideal vacation spot for couples. The province has many interesting attractions that couples will enjoy visiting, as well as many fun activities to do together.

When it comes to sightseeing, ‘must visit’ attractions include the province’s hugely popular hot springs. The hot springs are situated in the Khao Phra Bang Khram Nature Reserve, and taking a quick dip in them is bound to be an experience to remember. One can also visit a few of the night markets found around the province. These places sell a variety of goods and souvenirs, all at inexpensive rates, provided one bargains a little. Other popular attractions to visit include the Phi Phi Islands, Ko Lanta, Ao Nang and Railey Beach.

Krabi also offers a long list of things to do for both the adventurous and not-very-adventurous couples. Those looking for a pleasant time can try snorkelling or scuba diving to explore the rich marine life present in the waters off Krabi. They can also go canoeing or kayaking, hike along gorgeous forest trails or go on an elephant safari. Those who want to do something a bit more exciting can try rock climbing or cliff diving. Couples can also go for spa treatments together, which can help them feel well rested and relaxed. Such treatments can help foster feelings of peace and tranquillity that can bring couples closer. Couples can also get married by the sea in a traditional Thai ceremony, while those already married can choose to renew their wows.

A few Krabi resorts, such as the Anantara Si Kao Thailand offer many of the above facilities. In fact, at this particular Trang Resort couples can even wed underwater. The ceremony is performed in the lively, indescribably beautiful waters of the Andaman. For couples looking for a great hotel to spend their vacation, this presents an ideal choice.

Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and hopes to visit them all someday.

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Thailand is not only well known for its amazing shopping experience, its exotic surroundings and breathtaking cultural connections, it is also widely recognised as a location for health care which attracts over a million tourists a year seeking health care. Medical tourism is projected to earn the country more than 50 billion Baht a year and is a major source of foreign income to the country.

From cosmetic treatment, cardiac treatment, orthopedic treatment to organ transplants there is a long list of treatment offered in Thailand. Along with spas and therapeutic centers, the hospitals here are well geared to offer a wide variety of treatment. Apart from the comfort and well developed facilities, Thailand is also known as an affordable venue for these treatments.

Equipped with four well established international private hospitals, Koh Samui in Thailand is well geared to offer the best medical care in Thailand. The beautiful surroundings of this gorgeous village like atmosphere are sure to heal the body and mind much faster after medical treatment of any kind. Apart from these fringe medical treatments, there are several beauty treatments. Most of these establishments have an around the clock emergency center and offer a good range of procedures to the western world at a fraction of the cost.

While you are receiving treatment at local hospitals and enjoying the balmy breeze that has a heeling touch to it, stay at a Samui Resort that is perfect to spend a few lazy days. Anantara Bophut Koh Samui is a gorgeous Samui Hotel that offers the best of hospitality in the area. The beauty of Koh Samui is best enjoyed while staying at an authentic resort such as Anantara. The well-appointed rooms of this resort lets you sit back and celebrate the good times and good health while they pamper you with the best known hospitality in the world.

Moreover whether you travel to Thailand for the gift of good health, beauty or enjoyment this vibrant country will not let you down. Surrounded by natural beauty and fascinating man made wonders, you will never have a moment of boredom.

 

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

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