If you ever get offered the chance to attend a Thai wedding...take it! I was fortunate enough to be the guest at my friend’s Buddhist wedding in Chiang Mai. Which may not seem so odd but they are from the UK. When I first heard about it I was ready for a contrived tourist resort wedding on a beach, but found to my delight it was going to be a real traditional northern Thai wedding. It was held in a lush tropical private garden paradise, in a small village just out of Chiang Mai called Doi Saket.

Even more unforgettable was the monk's blessing that was performed before the actual wedding ceremony in a beautiful huge teak wooden temple, in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. The senior monk was an old monk, who gave off an aura of calm, happiness and wisdom. He did a ceremony where Marie and Mark's heads where tied together with string to bind their minds and lives together. Jit, the wedding co-ordinator, translated and explained most everything for us - her English was incredible! The monk's chanting was beautiful, spiritual and moving.

Later, the couple released birds and fishes for good luck. Then we all went together by vans to the actual wedding ceremony in Doi Saket, where the village elders joined in the festivities. Truly lovely people!

The ceremony seemed similar to the one in the temple, except everyone joins in, by offering advice and tying string around their wrists. Amazing to be included in a ceremony which you know has been done for centuries. The meal afterwards was a culinary delight - authentic Thai Cuisine, made as Thai people eat it, but with some dishes for those that can not eat spicy food. There were also dancers, musicians, fireworks and fire balloons.

It was the most perfect wedding I have ever been to. When my day comes, I know where I will have my wedding. Thailand!

thailandweddings.com

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I was recently in Chiang Mai for a friend's wedding and we, as a private group, organised a day tour and elephant ride. We decided not to visit the normal elephant camps but a more remote camp that is south of Chiang Mai. It was just the wedding party along for a day of fun. We experienced an elephant ride through the real jungle trails - not the fixed circuit like at other places I have heard of while in Chiang Mai.

Then we arrived at the river where we had a blast poling down the river on pieces of bamboo strapped together. Some of the party ended up in the river while having water fights but the water is warm.

We then did the mandatory tourist thing and visited the hill tribes that were a fair hike to get to and the local people seemed happy to see us - not just the small vendors selling their handicrafts! We wondered around the village and surrounding rice paddies and saw the real tribal life. I am sure they seem hundreds of westerners a week but somehow they where still friendly and seemed to enjoy watching and trying to communicate with us as much as we did them.

I am so glad I did it - to think I thought it was too touristy to do, and almost didn't!

All I know is the area was called "Jomtong" and is about 50km from Chiang mai

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