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Thailand wedding photo gallery แต่งงานครั้งเดียว อย่าปล่อยให้มือสมัครเล่น ใช้คุณเป็นเครื่องทดลอง In former times, it was unknown for Buddhist monks to be present at any stage of the marriage ceremony itself. As monks were required to attend to the dead during funerals, their presence at a marriage (which was associated with fertility, and intended to produce children) was considered a bad omen. A couple would seek a blessing from their local temple before or after being married, and might consult a monk for astrological advice in setting an auspicious date for the wedding. The non-Buddhist portions of the wedding would take place away from the temple, and would often take place on a separate day. Sut-prat-ta-na Studio professional photgraphy Studio |
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In modern times, these prohibitions have
been significantly relaxed. It is not uncommon for a visit to a temple
to be made on the same day as the non-Buddhist portions of a wedding,
or even for the wedding to take place within the temple. While a division
is still commonly observed between the "religious" and "secular"
portions of a wedding service, it may be as simple as the monks present
for the Buddhist ceremony departing to take lunch once their role
is complete. |
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During the Buddhist component of the wedding
service, the couple first bow before the image of the Buddha. They
then recite certain basic Buddhist prayers or chants (typically including
taking the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts), and light incense
and candles before the image. The parents of the couple may then be
called upon to 'connect' them, by placing upon the heads of the bride
and groom twin loops of string or thread that link the couple together.
The couple may then make offerings of food, flowers, and medicine
to the monks present. Cash gifts (usually placed in an envelope) may
also be presented to the temple at this time. |
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The monks may then unwind a small length
of thread that is held between the hands of the assembled monks. They
begin a series of recitations of Pali scriptures intended to bring
merit and blessings to the new couple. The string terminates with
the lead monk, who may connect it to a container of water that will
be 'sanctified' for the ceremony. Merit is said to travel through
the string and be conveyed to the water; a similar arrangement is
used to transfer merit to the dead at a funeral, further evidence
of the weakening of the taboo on mixing funerary imagery and trappings
with marriage ceremonies. Blessed water may be mixed with wax drippings
from a candle lit before the Buddha image and other ungents and herbs
to create a 'paste' that is then applied to the foreheads of the bride
and groom to create a small 'dot', similar to the marking sometimes
made with red ochre on Hindu devotees. The bride's mark is created
with the butt end of the candle rather than the monk's thumb, in keeping
with the Vinaya prohibition against touching women. |
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The highest-ranking monk present may elect to say a few words to the couple, offering advice or encouragement. The couple may then make offerings of food to the monks, at which point the Buddhist portion of the ceremony is concluded. Not mentioned here already is the Thai Dowry system, known as the 'Sin Sodt'. Traditionally, the groom will be expected to pay a sum of money to the family, supposedly to compensate them and to demonstrate you are financially capable of taking care of their daughter. Sometimes, this will be returned to the bride and groom after the wedding has taken place. Unfortunately, some families may abuse the Sin Sodt when a westerner is involved and may demand unreasonably high sums of money. The unwitting westerner might pay such a sum and later realise his mistake when he gains a better understanding of Thai culture. In other cases, the Thai family might not ask for any dowry to be paid, in an effort to build bridges and understanding across cultures (as many western men will express their distaste at paying a dowry). With cross cultural marriages involving westerners, a great deal of misunderstanding can arise. The issue of the Sin Sodt will often lead to the breakdown of a relationship as he may feel that he has been taken advantage of, when in fact he hasn't. Article From Wikipedia |
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Thai marriage ceremonies are generally divided into two sections: a Buddhist component, which includes the recitation of prayers and the offering of food and other gifts to monks and images of the Buddha, and a non-Buddhist component rooted in folk traditions, which centers on the couple's family.
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