How much does a Khmer wedding cost?

[flying chicken]

Thanks MM, will PM if there are any complications later.

p.s. I've been told by an immigration office over the phone prior sending our applications that they dont recognise Khmer marriage but it helps to prove our relationship is genuine. Meaning photos of a full on Cambodia wedding.

[MoodyMac]

Thanks MM, will PM if there are any complications later.

p.s. I've been told by an immigration office over the phone prior sending our applications that they dont recognise Khmer marriage but it helps to prove our relationship is genuine. Meaning photos of a full on Cambodia wedding.

I wonder why.

[LaudJohn]

It is pretty immaterial how much the wedding costs.

The fact is that once you are married you will bleed money until you die.

I went down the route of Church Marriage in OZ.

Wedding reception in Sihanoukville.

Way easier from the paperwork perspective,
Way quicker - 30 mins ceremony rather than 2 days
Way cheaper

I love my wife very much, I just wish I could afford her......

[fat sam]

I totally agree with Laudjohn ,only diff married in uk and party in prey veng .

[pdteah]

Thanks again for all the useful information. Makes wading through the minefield of legalities a little more bearable.

So I think first thing we'll do is try and go down the traditional route and get married here. That would be the perfect scenario, but the new law about having to earn $2500 per month is a bit of a stone hammer. Even in England as a full time teacher I did not earn that, by quite a long way. Hmmmm.
If the worst comes to the worst I think we'll have to go to England to get married. Now, does that mean that after the wedding, our marriage will be recognised in Cambodia? Meaning, we get the official Cambodian paperwork and then we can have a proper Khmer wedding as planned? The ceremony in England would be more for acquiring the license, at which point we can do everything as planned here...

Is that a correct assumption?

[MoodyMac]

From what I am aware, Cambodia will not recognise overseas marriage licenses unless you fork out about $1000 to register the marriage here.

[Starving Pelican]

It is pretty immaterial how much the wedding costs.

The fact is that once you are married you will bleed money until you die.

I went down the route of Church Marriage in OZ.

Wedding reception in Sihanoukville.

Way easier from the paperwork perspective,
Way quicker - 30 mins ceremony rather than 2 days
Way cheaper

I love my wife very much, I just wish I could afford her......

I remember that night. I still have the pictures from it!

[OrangeDragon]

From what I am aware, Cambodia will not recognise overseas marriage licenses unless you fork out about $1000 to register the marriage here.

why exactly do you need them to recognize it?
isn't it usually just to appease the family/facilitate immigration to your home country? so as long as the home country is cool with it, and the family is cool with it, you're set.

[shitegeist]

So I think first thing we'll do is try and go down the traditional route and get married here. That would be the perfect scenario, but the new law about having to earn $2500 per month is a bit of a stone hammer. Even in England as a full time teacher I did not earn that, by quite a long way. Hmmmm.

If you've been here for a while and can document it, you may find that the $2500 thing does not apply to you.

[MoodyMac]

From what I am aware, Cambodia will not recognise overseas marriage licenses unless you fork out about $1000 to register the marriage here.

why exactly do you need them to recognize it?

I"m still trying to figure that out. I won't register our marriage here until I do.

[raendi]

If the worst comes to the worst I think we'll have to go to England to get married. Now, does that mean that after the wedding, our marriage will be recognised in Cambodia?

From topic "Latest on Marriage over 50???":

The point was that the Cambodian government agencies accepted myself and my wife's marriage as legitimate........

If this happens for you one year or more ago i believe it. But nowadays you don't do anything with your foreign marriage document in Cambodia. The government just don't accept it.

Latest on Marriage over 50???: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=24133&start=30

[OrangeDragon]

From what I am aware, Cambodia will not recognise overseas marriage licenses unless you fork out about $1000 to register the marriage here.

why exactly do you need them to recognize it?

I"m still trying to figure that out. I won't register our marriage here until I do.

[karmatourer]

Congrats on the wedding and choice of honeymoon location.Kiwis are the nicest folks on earth and Abel Tasman NP is great.

What does it cost?

Your dignity.

I lost my dignity amidst all the ridiculous costume changes, but found it again in my old jeans which I put on for the final dance with a little protestation from my father in law.

I must have spent $3500 for a country side wedding. So venue was free. Some meat provided from farm. Rest on catering for 300, marquee tents and seating etc, beer, band that played a lunch time set and a night time set, fruit, ceremonial actors and musicians, photographer, etc. Then a little extra on framing for photos, and the wedding book. The in laws probably spent a little money on fixing up the house, and making a new toilet, store room etc, but as far as I'm concerned that was money well spent.

The dowry asked for originally was $3500, but I spent extra on the engagement ceremony and rings, as well as the band, photos and other bits and pieces, as well as a gift of $500 to the family after the wedding when it became apparent they had not made a profit on the wedding.

Total cost including engagement ceremony and rings and final gift. $5000

I skipped doing the paper work in Cambodia, and used the cash I saved from that to fly my fiance to New Zealand to meet my friends and family, and had a small registered Church wedding there. Then we borrowed a car and drove around visiting various friends,sheep, dogs and horses for our honey moon. An old employer gave us a nights accomodation at a lodge in the Abel Tasman National Park. My wifes first visit to the sea.

All in all, it was money well spent. We both got to experience each other cultures and have a good start (with two weddings) to our married lives.

Jacob spent 14 years working to get Rachel, so my in laws were very reasonable in comparison. It only took me a year of working to get Mrs MoodyMac.

[MoodyMac]

Congrats on the wedding and choice of honeymoon location.Kiwis are the nicest folks on earth and Abel Tasman NP is great.

Yeah, we are nice folk, but we do take it as a common courtesy to put your seat up during in flight meals.

[krisduncs]

dohhh!