A breathtaking event in the magical heart of Bangkok — the wedding of Nam and Grid. It was not just a celebration, but a true epitome of Thai beauty and sophistication. A sumptuous dessert table dazzled guests, and the bride's multiple outfits perfectly complemented her elegance. At the banquet, vows of love and fidelity were recited under a luxurious outdoor marquee, while the air was filled with the cheerfulness and sincerity of the couple's closest loved ones. Read on to find out more from the bride about the organisation of her special event.
Tell us a little about yourselves. How did you meet? What do you do for a living? What are your hobbies?
We first crossed paths in November 2014 at a garden party hosted by a mutual friend, and our relationship blossomed from there, officially starting in April 2015. My family has a background in the food and beverage industry, which has inspired me to continue in the same path with my own projects. Currently, I run a casual cozy neighborhood eatery called ‘Nais Table’. We serve menus that feature recipes passed down from my mum. I also operate a cake studio known as ‘SNP CAKE STUDIO’: cafted cakes for special occasions. Our latest venture is also another bakery brand called ‘Butter by Cake Studio’: homemade and nostalgic desserts that we enjoyed when we were little. The first product that we launched for this brand was actually the ‘blueberry cheese pie’, the exact same recipe as the one we had at our Thai Engagement & Wedding Ceremony. As for my husband, Grid, is the founder of Grid & Co. Company Limited, an Interior Design firm.
What was the concept behind your wedding and how did you find your inspiration?
I mostly find references and inspiration online, Pinterest, different Instagram accounts: The Wed of course being one of the most important source for my inspiration. I’ve been saving images online for references over time, some of which aren’t necessarily related to weddings, but holds the moods and visuals that I like and compile them to make mood boards. Grid and I didn't have a clear vision when we began planning our ceremony, but one thing we were both firm about was ensuring that our family and friends could enjoy the day and feel at ease throughout. Our aim was to create a cozy and laid-back atmosphere. One of the first things I thought about was the cake. While cakes aren't traditionally part of Thai engagement and wedding ceremonies, but, I wanted to implement it on our day. I wanted to create something special for everyone to really enjoy, rather than having cakes and desserts merely as decorations. That's why I decided to go with my husband's favourite dessert: the Blueberry Cheese Pie, which turned out to be 1 meter long in diameter.
For the main ceremony area, the flowers were arranged by the Mandarin Oriental team. My husband preferred a more natural and organic look, so we opted for green tones with pops of white and delicate flowers. The florist also suggested incorporating White Farland Orchids to complement the traditional Thai ceremony, and we were thrilled with the final result. To distinguish the after-party area from the main ceremony, we arranged a separate tent in the garden. We worked with Mimosaposy to create a contrasting mood. The tent featured dark red hues for flowers and table settings, highlighting our cake and desserts, as well as providing space for our guests to dance.
Where was your wedding? Why did you choose this venue?
Our Thai Engagement & Wedding Ceremony took place in 'The Author's Lounge' at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. We chose this venue because my parents also had their wedding reception in the Ballroom at the same hotel back in 1983, which made it particularly significant for us. Additionally, at the age of 7 I had the honour of being a ring bearer at my cousin's wedding, which also took place at the Author's Lounge. So this venue holds an exceptionally special meaning for me.
How long did it take to plan your wedding? Did you encounter any challenges during the planning process?
We began discussing the details of the day about five to six months in advance. However, being somewhat of an indecisive person, I found myself making many decision quite last minute. We didnt encounter many problems, but I think my wedding planner, Keng might say that Grid and I‘s biggest challenge is sticking to the timeline. The biggest the credit really goes to my super wedding planner who understood our vision and handled all the arrangements for us so effortlessly. A lot of decisions were made just a month prior to the big day, despite the tight timeline, everything fell into place beautifully.
How many guests did you have? And what was the seating arrangement at the wedding like?
We had around 250 guests, of family, relatives and close friends. We didnt have a fixed seating arrangement.
Tell us about your outfits. How many different styles have you tried?
I tried on over 40 styles of dresses from multiple brands but at the back of my mind, I’ve always had my heart set on wearing an Oscar de la Renta wedding dress. However, as I didn't quite plan ahead of time, I didn’t have the opportunity to try on the dress before deciding on it. In fact, it was my wedding planner, Keng, and my maid of honour, Kem Issara, who said ‘yes to the dress for me’. Keng saw a picture of the dress and said that this was the one. I then sent the image to Kem, who coincidentally had tried on that dress 2 months prior, as she was also getting married. She told me that this was the dress I had to wear. I also wore a white Traditional Thai Dress (made from Thai Silk made in the North of Thailand) for my morning ceremony before changing to the Oscar de la Renta dress for the exchange of rings. For the after-party dress, I wore a creation from Kem Issara Studio.
Did you have any special performances or entertainment?
My brother sang ‘Make You Feel My Love’ as we came down the stairs before the exchange of rings.
What was the most memorable moment from your wedding day?
One of the most cherished moments of the day was hearing my brother sing as we walked down the stairs. Seeing our parents waiting to bless us before the rings exchange, it was a truly an emotional experience for both Grid and I.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Kem Issara's creations for my bridesmaids’ dresses were truly exceptional. We had previously discussed my request for the bridesmaids to be able to wear the dresses again, beyond just this occasion. Hence, we opted for different colour variations and styles for each of them, while incorporating Kem Issara's signature pleated texture to unify them. Additionally, she crafted my stunning after-party dress to go with my bridesmaids’ as well.
What advice would you give to couples who are currently planning their wedding?
If I could have advised myself – choose what feels right, don’t overthink it, and try to spare some time to plan because time flies by! Try not to stress, as on the day all the little things you were worrying about wouldn’t even matter and just, roll with whatever happens on the day.
Can you share your engagement story?
Before Covid, Grid and I use to visit Vietnam at least once a year, each time exploring different cities. So Vietnam holds a special place in our hearts. Last August, Grid surprised me with a trip to Amanoi in the province of Ninh Thuan, Vietnam, which was absolutely beautiful and secluded. On the second day, he took me to a quiet beach, where it was just the two of us. He then told me to look out at the sea. Confused, I turned around to ask him why, only to see our friend P’Ped, who is also a photographer, jumped out from behind a shrub and quickly duck back behind. In that moment, I knew what was about to happen and to have our friend capture the moment for us was very special.
Were there national/religious traditions at your wedding and how did you implement them?
The ceremony we just had was a traditional Thai Ceremony with some added non-traditional sequences at the end. A typical Thai engagement and wedding ceremony usually starts early in the morning. Our day started with the "Khan Maak Procession," where the groom leads a parade of his family and groomsmen to the bride's ‘location’ essentially, to ask for her hand in marriage. The groom and groomsmen must pass through 'doors', in my case, strings of flowers, where they face games and challenges created by the bridesmaids and bride's relatives before reaching the bride. For example, some challenges Grid had to do were golf putting and a cake taste test to see if he could identify which cake was from my store. Meanwhile, I had to wait in another room. This was followed by the ‘Tea Ceremony’, the ‘Exchange of Rings’, and the 'Water Blessing Ceremony'. However, Grid and I also wanted to include the cake cutting after all the traditional ceremonies, which then continued into the after-party.
Bride: @namraiva
Wedding Planner: @kengnaruemityarn
Bridesmaids’ Dresses & Bride's After-Party Dress: @kemissara_studio
Photography: @tachpasit & @nawaphon_present & @peduckk
MUA: @andisoon
Hair: @robirt_99
Bride's Dresses: @oscardelarenta & @solandgravite
Stylist: @kemissara
Cakes & Desserts: @snpcakestudio & @nais_table
Decorations & Concept : @mimimayah & @mimosaposy
