The cost for a home wedding depends on how many guests are invited. On average, $1000 US should be fine for meals and drinks.

There's all sorts of things that comes with a wedding dress and western style suit. Your girlfriend will know. Also, if you want to wear the traditional Lao costume for the "soo kuan" ceremony, then that will cost you some money as well.

Gold decoration on the brides hair is a must. It's not necessary to buy them, most couples borrow the gold, just for the occasion.

Your true personality shows in a Lao wedding. Don't be too serious, and eyes should be open for the cameras because you're the star of the moment. She looks like attending a funeral, than getting married. Her husband seems to be enjoying the occasion a bit more.

Yes, if the groom also dress up like a Laotian prince, it's picture perfect. After the formal ceremony is over, then the groom can get changed into a suit for meals and dancing.

Keo and I are having a home wedding and hall reception. We are planning on 200 guests (zero from my side of the family, too expensive to fly, and no one to watch my mother's furry children - her 2 little dogs) at the reception.

The night before the wedding I will be staying at her brother's home, which happens to be right next door. So we will have to walk around the block for the Haih Khun Maak.

@ Old Man: I am going to look like a Lao prince only from the waist up to the neck. Hahaha. Keo doesn't want me to wear the pants. She tells me that someone will be coming in the morning to get me ready. Oh boy, that sounds like fun.

She says we have to make a nice bed for the pictures. She has shown me how to hold her arm while people tie Phook Ken on her wrist. We are going to hire a person to record the whole ceremony on video, and her brother Noy is going to take still shots.

Keo was telling me that when you invite 100 guests 200 show up, 200 and you get 400. I really hope that isn't the case. Anyway, the hall is going to cost 1 to 2 K, I'm sure.

Not counting airfare or the sin sod, I am betting the whole event is going to run around 3 to 5 K, but hey, how many times do you get to marry the woman of your dreams? And in a fairytale wedding (Lao version) to boot?

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Hopefully, you'll post some of the better photos here.