If you want to avoid spending 4 or 5 days in Bangkok visiting embassies and filling out paperwork, you can always opt to have a low-key registry office wedding in your home country (which makes everything legal and binding) and have a wedding blessing or ceremony in Thailand. If that isn't an option, then you will need to ensure you follow the correct legal procedures once you are in Thailand. We stress throughout this website that in Thailand, a religious ceremony by itself does not mean you are legally married. Any marriage in Thailand must be performed according to Thai law and in addition, paperwork and legal formalities have to be completed to ensure the wedding is recognized in your home country. Although it might sound unromantic, in Thailand you are only legally married once the wedding has been registered at the District Office (Amphur). It's possible for couples to organize everything themselves although many opt to use the services of a specialized wedding planner. Whichever option you use, being aware of the legal procedure should help to make everything less stressful.