We are going to a wedding in Phnom Penh next month and I am beside myself with excitement (there's a good idiom for you Samouth!)

We went to the market to get one outfit made and we are going to hire another, so I've been told. I'm going to look just like a Khmer woman with red hair lol.

We will be staying with the family so it should be rather exciting

Any tips or advice about wedding etiquette or some links to websites etc would be amazing. I don't want to make a fool of myself.

You will eat wedding food. One table for 10 people so you have to wait for the food until enough people in the table. You will share the food with them and most of the food is 10 pieces so you can pick only one for yourself, but if it is soup or rice it's ok. Before you start eating you should invite the oldest to start first. Enjoy it

rozzieoz wrote:We are going to a wedding in Phnom Penh next month and I am beside myself with excitement (there's a good idiom for you Samouth!)

We went to the market to get one outfit made and we are going to hire another, so I've been told. I'm going to look just like a Khmer woman with red hair lol.

We will be staying with the family so it should be rather exciting

Any tips or advice about wedding etiquette or some links to websites etc would be amazing. I don't want to make a fool of myself.

Guests attending the reception are expected to give cash as a gift, and the cash amount should exceed the total value of the meal provided - $20 should be more than adequate. You may be given an envelope into which you place your cash. The mother-in-law receives the envelopes at the door of the wedding tent and writes down how much you gave, while the mother looks on keenly (I don't remember whether it's the brides' or the grooms' MIL). Western gift-giving would cause confusion.

Normally you arrive for the meal at a time to suit yourself (unless you are attending with someone, of course), and will be ushered to the next available seat - meaning it's quite likely you'll be seated with people you don't know - and the meal is then served as the table fills. Don't imagine you're going to have too much conversation, the music will be far too loud. In fact, I seriously suggest you take some industrial ear-plugs.

It's not uncommon for street kids to sneak through the crowd collecting drink cans and scavenging leftovers from your plate.

Towards the end of the meal, the bride and groom will do a traditional walk up the aisle formed by friends and family.

Have a great time, it's a great cultural experience.

You should have said you're washing your hair that day. Or any other excuse. You'll know for next time someone thinks they can impress their neighbours by having a token barang at their wedding. They'll be expecting you to weigh in with a bigger than average gift on account of being the trophy barang. Regular (ie. multiple times a year) trophy/token barang are often among the stingiest guests since they're forking out for someone they barely know every bloody week.

hope you have a good time, ive failed to attend any weddings as of yet due to bad timing, been to plenty of birthday parties though, they are an amazing experience, enjoy!

The above replies are pretty spot on, expect lots of drinking, dancing and ridiculously loud music!

I've been to more wedding parties in Cambodia than I can remember...only ever been once to the entire ceremonial proceedings though as my missus was one of the bridesmaids, and I was curious to experience it, what a long few days, never again!

We probably eat more than the average Khmer guest so I don't mind paying a bit more for my meal

Enjoy the first 1, pretty soon you will realize that they are all exactly the same. Same food, same music, same arrangements.

Sometimes the flavour of beer changes.

And for all my fellow gents who've done the right thing by their better half those damn nappies and stupid swords are uncomfortable.

I love weddings... as barangs we're celebrities quite often with many people coming over to say hello and, most importantly, pour us drinks. the food is ok... mostly the same fare but sometimes they surprise you. if something comes out looking a bit like eel haggis or a weird brain, don't eat it. trust me. still no clue what it was... but everyone was very insistent that it was famous and expensive as i spit it into my napkin and gagged a bit. i'd say put in a nice small meal first just in case you're not keen on what's served... and it comes out at a pretty slow pace in the khmer way of always having something to munch on while drinking is the main goal. personally i go for the soup and the big flat fish.

you'll not have time for any of that at your own khmer wedding, should you have one. and by the time you do all you'll want is sleep and everyone to fuck off.

oh, and province weddings can be the best of them all... better food (home cooked by friends/relatives usually frequently of some catering factory) and a lot more entertaining guests not putting on quite as big of airs as the phnom penh wedding guests tend to do.