Indians 'Thai' the Knot

... Thai style

An Indian “I do”

Two things that Indians stereotypically love are (a) huge, lavish weddings and (b) bargains. No country celebrates nuptials like the Indians. And no place provides the bargains for hosting them for Indians like... Thailand.

 

It is impossible for any invitee to a proper Indian wedding not to come away feeling punch-drunk from the multi-day explosion of colors, glitter, dancing, food and drink. It is a ceremony that out-ceremonies all the others, anywhere. And such extravaganzas don’t come cheap. The average middle class wedding in India costs US$34,000 and involves hundreds of guests. The top tier Indian families can easily spend US$1 million+ on events that host thousands. Social reciprocity and one-upsmanship are factors that have caused costs to skyrocket across India as the country has modernized over the past few decades.

 

Fortunately, help has been at hand from a neighboring country (if you ignore the massive Bay of Bengal that separates them). Thailand is Asia’s undisputed leader when it comes to theme-related tourism. Weddings have joined beaches, temples, food, medical treatments - and sadly, sex – as reasons why thousands upon thousands of foreigners head for Thailand’s shores every year. For Indian wedding planners, the country provides a compelling combo of significantly lower (30-60%) costs, beautiful and exotic locations, and the bragging rights that accompany a foreign wedding ceremony. The Thai government’s tourism board reports that the average spend per Indian wedding is approximately $340,000 for 200 to 500 guests. The average duration of each wedding is three to five nights, with as many as 600 hotel rooms booked. That’s no small affair, but it is a fraction of what such splash-outs can cost at home.

 

Thai people have long held ambivalent feelings about Indians, even though much of Thai culture and religion trace their roots back to India. However, when it comes to working together to create over-the-top weddings at under-budget prices, the two countries have been a match made in heaven.

 

Bloomberg article on Indian weddings in Thailand