Myanmar Wedding
Myanmar Traditional Wedding Ceremony
When a boy and a girl come of age and, love one another and will want to marry and live happy ever after, a wedding ceremony will be performed for them where their parents, relatives, honourable guests and friends are invited, so that they will be recognized as a newly married couple. This wedding ceremony we present, celebrated according to Myanmar Traditions and computable to the modern age.
As marrying is a once in a life time occasion, Myanmar women regard the wedding ceremony very seriously, and you can be sure the bride will be having cold feet, butterflies in her stomach and perspiration on her forehead as she faces this very special day of her entire life. On this day of matrimony, it's a custom for the bride's family: parents, brothers and sisters, to dress her up in the finest of attire and bedeck her with the best jewelleries they can afford.
With her hip-length jacket….long-length silk or satin “ htain-me-thein”, the bride looks somewhat like a princess of the Royal Court in the olden days of the Myanmar kings. And the bridegroom surely looks elegant an handsome in this traditional Myanmar men's attire which consists of a head-dress called “ gaung baung”, a long sleeve stiff collared shirt, a double length men's silk longyi called a “ taung shay longyi”, a traditional men's jacket and a velvet slipper.
It's a very encouraging and practical custom for the friends and relatives who attend the nuptial ceremony to shower the couple with gifts such as household items and personal affects that will help the marrying couple get on their feet with their life-long journey. To watch parents of the bride and bridegroom heartily welcoming their guests with smiles and handshakes, and observe the wedlock couple give away thank-you card will you warm-up to these delightful traditional customs. The wedding hall is filling up with the invited guests….and as it was the custom in the days of our king to entertain guests with the traditional glass mosaic embedded gold-gilded Myanmar Orchestra. Nowadays, due to time changes, guests are entertained with modern musical instruments. Guests are arriving in full swing; time for the wedding couple to appear is drawing near. You can be sure the bride and groom hearts are beating much faster.The Master of Ceremony, the person who will consecrate the marriage is now announcing the beginning of the ceremony. Then later, after having recited a special written stanza on the bridal families and shower poetic praises on the bride and groom and then end-up with blessings for the couple to have life-long union and prosperity…at that time the most experienced singer from the band will begin to sing the classical auspicious song, praising the occasion and the participants, a song that befits the occasion.
The flower-girl dips her hand into the silver bowl she’s holding and gently scatter the flowers with the nuptial couple following behind, thread on these flowers, which are meant as good omen, for their life-long union as husband and wife. This is the moment everyone has been waiting for. Now everyone’s attention is drawn towards the couple who are walking down the carpeted lane of the hall this is the auspicious moment! The bride and groom has entered the ceremonial hall, attended by their best men and bridesmaids followed by their parents. Upon reaching the stage and before seating themselves, they turn towards the guests and with hands clasped together; pay their respects with their heads bowed. The garlanding of the auspicious couple is one of the auspicious customs in Myanmar weddings. In ancient days, it was the custom for the bride and groom to garland each other, but nowadays a couple with a long martial standing and of only one marriage, bestows the garlands on the couple, including the wedding rings!
After the wedding rituals are completed…. the guests are treated to refreshments offered by the couple. The married couple warmly greets and thanks the guests who have attended their wedding. The guests in return, bestow on the couple their best wishes, for prosperity and a long and happy married life! After the wedding ceremony, when the married couple arrives home, they pay their respects to parents of both side, according to traditional Buddhists customs, and in turn are blessed by their parents. The “ gei-bo” negotiating begins once the couple tries to enter their bride chamber which by then is blocked by rows of friends and relatives, holding gold chains asking for “ gei-bo” which is pocket-money. A lot of boisterous bargaining and negotiating follows until both sides agree to a negotiated amount. After passing through this last obstacle, the married couple will carry on with their life in building a long lasting and happy marriage for themselves.
Nowadays, the Traditional Weddings usually take place at the Hotels in big cities like Yangon and Mandalay. The hotels have wedding packages for the brides and the grooms. All the family members, friends, associates, colleagues and neighbours are invited to the wedding.
Wedding Ceremony by Offering Food & Alms to The Sangha
On auspicious occasions, offertory is dedicated to Lord Buddha and the assemblage of celestials. The offertory usually contains three or five hands of bananas, one coconut and Eugenia sprigs. The auspicious wedding ceremony by offering food and alms to the Sanghas is also no exemption.
In fact, the bride and groom work hand in hand untiringly to prepare food and other alms for the Sanghas, setting adorable tradition in itself.
Elders from both sides offer sumptuous food and snacks to the Sanghas.
The bride and groom offer food, robe and other alms with the firm belief that it is the harbinger of auspicious and happy life for the future.
It is also unforgettable for the couple to prepare and stuff a silver bowl with cash and confetti for the ceremony.
The Sanghas grace the new home by reciting Parittas to ensure good luck and happiness.
The Sanghas deliver sermons to the gathering, blessing the newly-weds and sharing their meritorious deeds.
To commemorate the successful wedding ceremony, cash and confetti are strewed among the attendees. The guests happily pick up the cash to keep as amulet, which will ward-off the bad and bring in good fortune.
It is a joyous and auspicious occasion for the newly-weds to begin their family life eternally in accord with Myanmar tradition. And it has become the solemn duty of the newly-weds to enrich human society as a wedded couple. Theysurely will enrich Myanmar way of life and we do hope so.
Court Marriage Ceremony
There are also court marriages usually performed by judges ranging from township to Supreme Court Justices, depending on the wish and accessibility the partners. Wherever the wedding is performed, the couple wants to show and receive acceptance from society that they are eligible and duly married before respectable personages. Here we are presenting the court marriage of a youthful, vibrant and beauteous couple. Not so large a number of guests have already gathered, as the ceremony is to commence soon.
Court marriage requires judge as well as witnesses. The wedding ceremony we are presenting now has the good fortune of having the presiding judge and the witnessing law officer, both of whom are accompanied by their wives. Firstly the bride signed her signature to two copies of the marriage documents and the groom-followed suit. After the witnesses signed, the judge gave his blessing and best wishes and signed in the document and the court register. Thus, the couple became husband and wife legally. With the successful conclusion of the ceremony, the invited guests are having refreshments offered by the newly wed couple. Henceforth, the new couple is going to raise a.happy.family.
Dinner Receptions
Some Myanmar have adapted the western ideas of the Dinner Receptions too. The couple usually get married at the court and in the evening, they throw a dinner party at the pool side of the hotels in big cities like Yangon and Mandalay.
This way of the wedding includes the parents of both the party and some wear traditional dresses but some with gowns. It is a more lightly way to have fun together with the couple.
Invited guests come to the dinner to wish the bride and the groom to have a happy long life.
Traditional Thai Wedding
There are many different aspects to a traditional Thai wedding, but not all of these traditions are maintained today. Consequently, there can be many variations in the basic ceremony which can be as elaborate or as simple as the wedding couple (and their families) want to make it. Traditions vary in different parts of Thailand so for instance a Thai wedding in the south of Thailand (for example, Phuket) can be very different to a wedding in the north of Thailand (such as Chiang Mai). For marriages in some rural areas and Thai villages ‘upcountry’, there is more chance that many of the old customs, such as ‘preparing the bridal bed’ (see below), will be incorporated in the wedding ceremony. The Thai wedding ceremony is essentially non-religious despite the fact that monks may be present. No vows are made but there is a large amount of symbolism to ensure good luck for the newly-weds.
Choosing the Date
To ensure a happy and prosperous marriage, the couple should marry at an auspicious time and date. This isn’t taken lightly and astrologers may be consulted to see if the stars are compatible.
Wedding Invitations
Some parts of the wedding day, such as the blessing by monks in the morning, will only be attended by relatives and close friends of the bride and groom. Wedding invitations list the times that each of the most important ceremonies start. The timing of the Buddhist ceremony is set to ensure good luck and will commence at an auspicious time such as 09.09 (9 is a lucky number in Thailand). Thai people aren’t generally renowned for their punctuality, but they will pay particular attention to wedding times to ensure good luck for the couple being married. When it comes to the evening feast or wedding reception, invitations are more casual and a verbal invite can suffice.
Engagement Ceremony
Not surprisingly, the engagement ceremony must take place before the wedding although for practicality and to save money, some couples may hold it on the same day as the wedding (see khan maak procession below).
Paying Homage to the Bride’s Ancestors
This is a Buddhist ceremony that usually takes place the night before the wedding. It’s quite a simple ceremony and the couple wear everyday clothes, but the principle is that the couple are honouring the bride’s ancestors.
Making Merit
Making merit is important to Buddhists and it is particularly important on special occasions such as weddings. Inviting monks to the ceremony ensures merit because donations will be made to the monks. Another way that couples can make merit is by granting an animal its freedom. This is typically done by releasing a bird from a cage, or releasing a fish or turtle back into the water.
For Thai Buddhists, it is widely believed that donating a merit gift (i.e.money) to the local wat (temple) will ensure a lifetime of love for the marriage. If the groom makes a generous donation to the local wat in the name of the bride’s parents, it shows great respect for both the bride and her family.
Buddhist Blessing and Merit Making
You don’t have to be Buddhist to partake in the ceremony and, in fact, many Western couples also elect to have a Buddhist wedding ceremony when they marry in Thailand. It is important to note that although monks may be present during part of the wedding day, a Thai wedding is essentially a non-religious affair and will usually take place in a private home belonging to a relation of either the bride or groom as opposed to a wat or temple. If monks are invited to attend the ceremony it will be to bless the couple and enable them to make merit. Performing a Buddhist ceremony does not in itself grant legal status on the marriage. For that to happen, the marriage needs to be registered at the Amphur Office.
The wedding day morning will normally begin early (approximately 6-7a.m.) with monks arriving to visit the couple who are to be married. The monks will chant and say prayers whilst a lit candle is placed in a bowl of water. This lustral water is then used later to bless the couple. A bowl of white paste may also be blessed which will be used later to anoint the foreheads of the bride and groom.
The wedding couple and their relatives offer food to the monks before leaving the room to allow the monks to eat. Nobody else is permitted to eat until the monks have finished their meal. After their meal, the monks will begin their chants again and the senior monk will bless the couple, and everybody present, with holy water. The monks then return to the temple. In some instances, the couple may go to the temple rather than have the monks visit them, but donations and food will still be offered to the monks. If monks are present (there can be 3, 5, 7 or 9 monks), trays are usually placed in front of them to receive the envelopes containing the donations. Depending on how the wedding day has been arranged, the khan maak and doors ceremony often follows next.
Khan Maak Procession
Traditionally in Thai culture, the family of the groom discuss with the family of the bride how much dowry (‘sinsod’) should be paid. Once this is agreed, the engagement can take place which involves an offering of gold and gifts for the bride and her family. The groom and his family form a procession to take the ‘khan maak man’ (‘items for engagement’) on special trays to the family of the bride. In olden times it used to be that the procession would leave from the groom’s house and walk to to the bride’s house, but modern life has changed things slightly. Nowadays, the khan maak procession often takes place on the same day as the wedding itself and starts just around the corner from where the bride is staying. The procession is a lot of fun and is accompanied by musicians playing traditional long drums as the entourage dances its way to the bride’s house. When the groom’s family reach the bride’s home the way may be blocked by symbolic doors or gates.
Doors Ceremony/Gate Ceremony
This ceremony is what the Thais call ‘sanuk’ with plenty of laughter and frivolity most of which comes at the expense of the groom as he is teased and gently ribbed by the bride’s family. The bride remains inside the house when the khan maak procession arrives. To make sure that the groom is worthy and financially able to take care of his bride, he must be able to open the symbolic doors or gates. The number of doors or gates can vary from region to region, but typically there is a gold and silver gate represented by a gold or silver belt or ribbon which is held by two female members of the bride’s family. The silver gate is known in Thai as ‘pratoo ngoen’ and the gold gate as ‘pratoo tong’. To open the gate the groom must be able to provide a ‘key’. This key comes in the form of an envelope with money inside. The groom may be given a hard time as the gate guardians joke and tell him the money isn’t enough to gain access. As he reaches each gate the amount asked for will be more and there is lots of cheering as each gate is successfully opened. Depending on circumstances it can either be the groom or his father that hands over the money envelopes to the gate guardians.
Once the gates have been successfully negotiated, the groom’s family will present gifts to the bride’s family which traditionally include banana and sugar plants. In years gone by, the plants would be nurtured at the bride’s house and when the couple had their first child the plants would be there to provide nutrition for the baby. As well as the plants, the khan maak procession will bring food which will be laid out for the ancestors who have passed away. This demonstrates that the dead ancestors have not been forgotten and that they are part of the joyous occasion. Gifts will also be handed to the bride and her family (usually gold chains or necklaces) and the dowry (‘sinsod’) will be presented for inspection.
Sai Monkhon
The next part of the wedding ceremony is usually conducted by a senior elder who may be a member of the bride’s family or a respected member of the community. During the wedding ceremony, the couple wear traditional Thai clothing and kneel in front of the senior elder, with the groom on the right. The couple ‘wai’ as specially prepared white thread, ‘sai monkhon’, is looped and used to link together the bride’s and the groom’s heads. It is symbolic that the thread forms two circles which whilst linked, also remain independent. This indicates that the couple’s destinies are linked, but individual identity is retained. The circle is also symbolic because of its continuity and the fact that merit can be carried around in the circle.The senior elder then pours sacred water over the hands of the couple. Bowls of flowers are placed underneath the hands to catch the water. The guests then bless the couple by also pouring water over the hands of the couple in the ‘rod nam sang’ ceremony.
Shell Ceremony – ‘Rod Nam Sang’
The bride and groom wear garlands round their neck and kneel and wai whilst the elder says a few words and anoints them on the forehead. A conch shell (known in Thai as ‘sang’) is filled with holy water and is used by each guest to gently pour over the hands of the newly-weds (‘rod nam’ means to soak with water). Each guest places a gift, usually an envelope of money, in a basket. The amount given is supposed to depend on social status. In return the guest may receive a small memento of the wedding day before the group photos are then taken.
White Thread Ceremony – ‘Phiti Bai Sri Su Kwan’
The newly-weds sit next to each other whilst an old and wise man says auspicious things and blesses the wedding. White threads are linked to the wrists and soaked with holy water. The thread is then torn on the side until it breaks and whoever has the longest piece is supposed to be the one whose love is deepest.
Sai Sin
Lots of relatives, friends and well-wishers will tie pieces of white string, ‘sai sin’, around the wrist of each couple to wish them good luck. These string bracelets are meant to be kept on for at least 3 days to benefit from the good luck bestowed.
Evening Party
The wedding reception or party often starts around 6.pm. with the bride and bridegroom greeting guests as they arrive. There may be a book to sign wishing the couple good luck and the guests will present a gift (normally money in an envelope) to the newly-weds and may have their photo taken with the couple. Around 7.pm. guests will sit down to eat and approximately 45 minutes or an hour later, the Master of Ceremonies (MC) will stand. The MC can be a good friend of either the bride or the groom or he could be somebody hired especially for the event. The MC calls the newly-weds to the floor and the parents of the groom will present the couple with a wedding flower. At Thai weddings there is often a guest of honour and they will be called next to make a short speech to wish the couple well. The guest of honour can be a relative of the bride or groom or they may be somebody who is well respected in the local community. The speech will be short and sweet followed by a toast to the newly-weds. The MC takes over again and may tell a few jokes or humorous stories before interviewing the bride and groom.
The bride and groom cut the wedding cake and show respect by serving their parents, senior relatives and the guest of honour. The couple will then mingle with guests for photos. At this point, friends of the groom are often keen to raise a toast to him which he should reciprocate. Fortunately, it is acceptable for the groom to sip his drink when being toasted and he doesn’t have to down it in one go! The party will have much drinking and dancing and as Thais like to have ‘sanuk’ the event is usually a great social occasion. The party may finish officially around 11p.m but it isn’t unusual for party-goers to continue the celebrations at a nearby karaoke bar. The bride and groom will probably be exhausted at this stage after such a long day and such an early start, but they may have one more surprise awaiting for them before they can go to sleep.
Preparing the Bridal Bed
This old-fashioned ritual does still take place in some places, particularly rural areas. Don’t be alarmed if you are led to the honeymoon suite to find an old couple sitting on your bed waiting to greet you! The idea is that an old couple are evidence of a long and successful marriage. Their knowledge and good luck is then imparted to the newly-weds in a number of different ways. They may say how lucky the bed feels hinting that the newly married couple will have children. Bags of rice and coins may be placed on the bed along with a number of other items all acting as symbols of prosperity and fertility. Tradition states that the newly-weds share their bed with these objects for the next 3 nights. You may be relieved to hear that the old couple don’t also stay in the bed for 3 nights!
