If you are planning to tie the knot in Thailand with your Thai partner, a big congrats from us; it isn’t every day you get married and with that in mind, here is our ultimate wedding checklist to ensure nothing is overlooked.
- Required documentation – As a foreigner, you need an Affidavit of Freedom to Marry from your embassy, which must be translated into Thai and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your Thai partner must produce their ID card and tabien bahn (house registration).
- Wedding reception venue – The best wedding venue in Bangkok has all the amenities you need for a great reception and they can be found with an online search. Of course, you should sit down and discuss the event with your Thai partner’s family, as they would wish for a traditional wedding party.
- Guest list – You need to sit down with your partner and decide who you are going to invite to the wedding reception
- Honeymoon – There are so many fantastic honeymoon venues in Thailand; Phuket, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Krabi and Pattaya, to name but a few. Book a honeymoon suite at a 5-star resort and enjoy the ultimate in luxury. Book early to avoid disappointment, as 5-star honeymoon suites are in high demand
- Wedding rings – Matching wedding bands would be perfect and a custom jeweller can work his magic to create a pair of 24k gold wedding bands. Click here for more design ideas for wedding rings in 2025.
- Sin sot – It is tradition in Thailand for the groom to pay a dowry to the bride’s family; discuss this with your bride-to-be and an agreement can be reached. In most cases, the dowry is returned to help the couple start a new life together.
- Visas – The last thing you need is for your visa to expire while you are on your honeymoon; make sure you check, especially if you have a visa on arrival. Once you are officially married, you can apply for a marriage visa, which is valid for one year and can be renewed inside the country. The penalties for overstaying your visa can be severe, so don’t forget to check the expiry date and renew before that date arrives.
- Wedding attire – Many Western men go the whole 9 yards and wear traditional Thai costume for their wedding; there are lots of custom tailors in Thailand and whatever your chosen style, a bespoke tailor can create the perfect outfit.
We hope that this checklist helps you to arrange the perfect wedding and with top wedding venues in Bangkok, you are sure to find a quality hotel that specialises in wedding receptions. If your immediate family is flying in for the wedding, you can book suites at the same hotel where you will have the reception, which is ideal.
