Beach Weddings and Honeymoons in Phuket: Legal vs Symbolic, Costs and Planning

Legal versus symbolic

A resort beach ceremony is typically symbolic, and one resort's own package states the wedding is not legally binding. To be legally married you register at the district office, and many couples do the registration separately and then hold the beach ceremony, or register back home. See the marriage guide for documents and the embassy step.

Reported costs

One luxury resort guide puts an intimate beach ceremony for 2 to 10 guests at US$3,000 to US$10,000, while a local guide cites simple events from about 20,000 to 30,000 baht and legal or translation help around 30,000 baht. Another expat source puts legal registration alone at 5,000 to 12,000 baht in total. High-end resort weddings run to tens of thousands of dollars and well beyond. Ranges overlap and depend on guests and venue.

Planning tips

• Ask what is truly in the package, such as flowers, photo hours, catering and rain backup, because hidden upsells are a common complaint according to one venue comparison.
• Low season can cut prices by 30 to 40 percent but risks rain.
• Resort garden or covered venues are the safest for rain.
• Allow months for photographers and florists.
• Allow extra time if paperwork must be done in Thailand.

Honeymoon and next

See the hotel pages for stays, the Similan and Phang Nga guides for day trips and the weather guide for season. For divorce or later legal questions see the legal help guide.