A Traditional Thai Wedding

Saturday, 20 November 2004

Last night, P'Pau took us shopping at Big C (a huge department store, like a WalMart or Target, here). I bought scarves and shoes to match my dress for Paint (pronounced "Pin") and Porn's (pronounced "Pon") wedding. They are two teachers at our school. I couldn't decide what exactly would match my dress, so I bought three pairs of cute shoes and 4 scarves. Plus, I bought a flower to match my dress earlier in the day. So, I was all accessorized out.....everything was pink, pink, and pink! (Yes, I know I'm a fashion freak, but for $5 pairs of shoes and $2-5 scarves, I figured, if it doesn't work out, I can always give it away......or keep it for another occasion!). Oh, I also bought pink nailpolish, for less than 25 cents. So, I woke up at 5 am this morning, got dressed and ready with my pink strapless a-line dress with a pink flower, pink scarf, pink flower heels, pink flower in the hair, and pink nailpolish on the fingernails and toes. Can you say I love pink? Either that, I looked like a big blob of pepto bismol.

We met everyone on the other campus at 6:30 am to caravan over to Ratchaburi, a province about an hour away, for the traditional Thai ceremony at Porn's family's house. Most staff members and some church members were in attendance. We followed Paint, the groom, over, as he led the caravan in a bright turquoise low-rider Honda, decorated with a huge pink bow on the hood. Kind of an odd choice for a wedding car, I thought, but then I remembered I was in Thailand. Colors and styles always seem to surprise me here. When we got to the house, we still could not see the bride yet. There was a table of food offerings, fancy bread in the shape of fish and crustaceans, raw meat, bowls of bananas and oranges, all decorated with red flags. About thirty of us each took a plate of something to carry, then we assembled in a line to carry and chant (sounded like "Oh-we-oh-we-oh, woooooo!") over to the other house, where the bride and her family were waiting.

As we gave the plate of food to the bride and her family, they gave each of us an envelope in return, with money inside (20 baht, 50 cents, the price of a dinner). There was gift giving, as part of Chinese tradition, where relatives gave the couple money, and they, in return, gave gifts of towels to each relative. Paint and Porn were in traditional Thai dress, and bowed each time they received a gift. They gave some of the plates of meat and fruit to Ajarn Ong-Ard and Ajarn Kansinee, who acted as Paint's parents for the ceremony. Then, there was a ritual of laying down leaves around a bowl in layers, and then placing money in layers on top of that, all gifts for the bride and groom. Paint put a gold necklace and bracelet on Porn. Then, some more respectful bowing, and then we were served lunch.

After lunch, we headed back to Nakhon Pathom (where I went back to sleep, washed clothes, mopped the house and bathroom). I jumped in the shower at 5 till 3 pm, knowing that the Christian (Paint and Porn converted to Christianity here) wedding ceremony (at our church on the other campus) was scheduled at 3:30pm. I had been in the shower for no more than 2 minutes, when I hear Tik and Christy shouting "Tanya!" Christy runs up the stairs and yells that the wedding is at 3 pm, and we have 2 minutes to get ready! I jump out of the shower (that I have just jumped into!), get dressed, find all my pink accessories, and head out the door, drenched like a pink poodle, to find Matt and other teachers waiting. We rush over to the church (two blocks away), only to find out that yes, the wedding IS at 3:30pm! ...Wet hair, and rushed for nothing!

It was a beautiful wedding, similar to one in America, with Porn in a white wedding gown, daisies in her hair, and a long white veil....and it was nice to see our principal and manager, who are such sweet, family people, walk Paint down the aisle (I have heard that his parents live in Southern Thailand and are Buddhist so did not attend the wedding.) I took lots of pictures.....Lots of school people took part in the wedding, all the attendants, flower girls, etc. were people associated with school or the church community. It's so great to know that I am at school that has such a close-knit community. There was the throwing of the bouquet, and the most adorable thing, was that they had decorated her bicycle with flowers and cans. Paint packed Porn on the bicycle, ane rode off across the driveway of the school to the other campus for the reception. It was so cute!

The reception was right in our front yard, in the field adjacent to the English Program building and our house. We ate about 10 courses of food, I ran home twice (about 10 steps away) to change into pants and put on bug spray as I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, and then night ended with the not so traditional, but very common way to end an evening here in Thailand - singing karaoke (although there was no way I was getting on that stage to sing!) We all got little favors, took tons of pictures with staff members, the wedding couple, and then said our goodnights.....The day felt so long, but it was only 8:30 pm!