Where should you have a destination wedding in Thailand?
Picture the ceremony first: sand at sunset, a river ballroom, or a villa lawn that belongs only to your family. A destination wedding in Thailand comes down to those three settings. Choose a beach resort on Koh Samui or Phuket, a river hotel in Bangkok, or a private villa estate. Krabi adds limestone cliffs, Chiang Mai adds mountains and temples, and Hua Hin is an easy drive from Bangkok.
Koh Samui. Beach ceremonies on private bays, best from February to April. Several resorts host weddings on the sand.
Phuket. The widest choice of beach resorts and villas, with many direct flights for guests. Best from December to March.
Krabi. Dramatic cliffs and quiet beaches, often reached by boat. Made for a smaller, more remote celebration.
Bangkok. Grand ballrooms on the Chao Phraya River for large receptions, and a city full of hotels for guests.
Chiang Mai. Cool evenings from November to January, temples and garden venues in the north.
Hua Hin. A royal beach town, a short trip from Bangkok, good for guests who arrive and leave through the capital.
Which are the best destination wedding venues in Thailand?
The best wedding venues in Thailand pair a beautiful setting with a team that runs weddings every week. These are the venues we recommend, with capacities from the resorts' own pages. For couples who want the whole place to themselves, we add a private villa estate.
Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. Our pick for a large beach wedding: its largest event space, Main Beach, covers 720 sq m and holds 200 guests, the resort says. Every villa has a private infinity pool, which suits the wedding party.
Banyan Tree Samui. Beach and hillside weddings in a private bay at Lamai, for up to 120 guests, the resort says.
Six Senses Samui. Intimate Thai and Western weddings for up to 30 guests, in the library, on the beach or at the spa beach.
Trisara, Phuket. Weddings on a 1,000 sq m teak deck or in its private residential villas, for up to 120 guests, according to the resort.
Amanpuri, Phuket. Aman hosts weddings here, including Thai Buddhist ceremonies and an aisle across the pool. Its Pool Terrace holds up to 280 guests.
Banyan Tree Phuket. Beachfront weddings at its RAVA Beach Club on Bang Tao Beach.
The Surin Phuket. Weddings for 20 to 100 guests, including sunset ceremonies on Pansea Beach, according to the resort.
Sri Panwa, Phuket. The resort hosts weddings, including on its TU rooftop, and its ballroom takes up to 400 guests, it says.
Rayavadee, Krabi. Our pick for drama: weddings below the limestone cliffs of the Phranang Peninsula. The resort sells wedding celebrations and confirms capacity on request.
Capella Bangkok. Its Ballroom is 747 sq m and takes 120 to 728 guests, depending on the layout, and all its event venues face the river.
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. The Royal Ballroom takes up to 800 guests at a cocktail reception, the hotel's fact sheet says, and it can be divided into three for smaller parties. The Authors' Lounge also hosts weddings.
The Sukhothai Bangkok. Its courtyard garden holds 80 guests for a ceremony, and its ballroom takes up to 300, the hotel says.
Anantara Chiang Mai. Weddings with indoor and outdoor riverside spaces, for a celebration in the north.
A private villa estate. For full privacy, we arrange a large villa estate by the sea for the family, with space for the ceremony and dinner. We describe it to you privately, with photos, and never publish its name.
How much does a destination wedding in Thailand cost?
Cost comes down to five things. They are the guest count, the venue and any buy-out, the season, the flowers and staging, and how much guest travel you cover. We do not publish package prices. We quote on request, with every item listed, and our planning fee is built into that price.
Guest count. This drives almost everything, from the venue to dinner and transport.
Season and day. The high season and weekends cost more. A Thursday or a shoulder month brings better value, and the setting is just as beautiful.
Design. Flowers, lighting, staging and entertainment can be simple or spectacular. Our event styling and flowers team designs it with you.
Can foreigners legally marry in Thailand?
Yes. A legal marriage in Thailand is registered at a district office, the Amphur. Foreign partners usually need a statement from their embassy that they are free to marry. The US Embassy in Bangkok explains that this document and its Thai translation must be legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The steps. First, get the embassy statement and have it translated into Thai. Next, have the translation legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then register at the district office. The Department of Consular Affairs lists no fee for registering at the office, and ฿200 if the registrar comes to your venue. The district office sets its own requirements, so contact it first.
The alternative. Marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Thailand. It is simpler, and the ceremony in Thailand can look just the same.
Same-sex marriage. Thailand's Marriage Equality Act came into force on 23 January 2025, according to the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand. Same-sex couples can register their marriage on the same terms. See our LGBTQ+ travel guide.
Thai ceremony traditions. You can add a Thai element, such as a morning blessing by monks or a water-pouring ceremony with the families. Resorts like Amanpuri host Thai Buddhist ceremonies.
Recognition at home. Check with your own government how a Thai marriage certificate is recognised. A translated and legalised certificate is usually needed.
How does a wedding week in Thailand work?
A destination wedding is really a wedding week. Guests arrive over several days, and each day needs a plan. Think arrivals, a welcome dinner, a day out, the rehearsal, the ceremony and an after-party. We run the whole week as one programme, with one team and one invoice. One planner covers any guest count, with Thai staff at every venue.
Example plan, a Samui wedding week for 80: guests land on Thursday and meet at a welcome dinner on the beach. Friday is a boat day for the wedding party. The ceremony is on Saturday at sunset, with the after-party at the resort.
Arrivals. Each guest is met by a private meet-and-assist service we book for you, then driven to the hotel. Bangkok's two airports are standard; other airports need enough notice.
Guest rooms. We hold a block of rooms at the venue and nearby hotels, and give guests one contact for every question about flights, visas and transfers.
A villa for the family. A private villa near the venue gives the families space to gather and prepare. See our villa rental service.
A yacht day. A day on the water for the wedding party: a swim off the stern, lunch on deck, back by about 7 pm. Boats carrying more than 12 passengers count as passenger vessels under Thai law, so larger groups take a bigger boat or two. See our yacht charter page.
A temple morning. A guided visit for guests who want to see Thai culture, with modest dress: shoulders and knees covered.
The rehearsal dinner and after-party. A private dinner the night before, then a late party after the reception, at the resort or a licensed club we book for you.
Our wedding week checklist lists every step.
When is the best time of year for a wedding in Thailand?
For a beach wedding, choose the dry season of your coast. Phuket and Krabi are driest from December to March, and Koh Samui from February to April, according to Thai Meteorological Department normals. Bangkok and Chiang Mai are most comfortable from November to January.
Avoid alcohol-ban days. Shops and many restaurants do not sell alcohol on five Buddhist holy days, including Makha Bucha on 21 February and Khao Phansa on 19 July 2027. Hotels and licensed entertainment venues are exempt, but we check the date before you set it.
Book early. The best venues fill first for the dry season and for Christmas and New Year. Lock the venue, then the guest rooms, then the rest of the week.
Plan your wedding with Tanner
Tell Tanner your date, your guest count and the kind of wedding you imagine. We get back to you right away with a venue shortlist. Then we arrange guest travel, villas, yachts and the after-party, and run the whole week. For the honeymoon after, see our honeymoon guide, or browse all our occasions.
