Tammie & Alan | Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Wedding

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Wedding Thailand

Tammie & Alan’s spectacular Western wedding & Chinese Tea Ceremony at the legendary Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok Thailand

For over 147 years, explorers have traced the course of the Chao Phraya River, finding respite at the iconic Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok. This luxury five-star hotel, nestled in one of the globe’s most vibrant cities, boasts renown for its elegance, service, and exceptional quality. Situated as a serene sanctuary along the riverbanks, the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok stands as an extraordinary establishment, merely 3.5 km from Chinatown and the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), where captivating river panoramas unfold.

The illustrious Alain Roux’s Le Normandie, a two-Michelin-star restaurant, offers refined French gastronomy, while The China House presents authentic Cantonese fare in a chic ambiance. Kinu by Takagi restaurant delivers a traditional Japanese banquet experience. For an international luncheon buffet and fresh seafood extravaganza, Lord Jim’s is the destination.

Cha0 Phraya River

Positioned flawlessly along the Chao Phraya River, the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has extended its hospitality to luminaries for nearly 150 years. Today, its opulence, magnificence, exceptional dining, and impeccable service continue to allure the upper echelons in abundance.

The banks of the Chao Phraya River host a multitude of Bangkok’s premier hotels, much of which can be attributed to the prestige emanating from the Mandarin Oriental. From the hotel’s riverfront terrace, one can easily lose track of time, entranced by the passage of rice barges, tug boats, ferries, and longtails weaving across the water, vivid prayer ribbons dancing in the wind. A brief journey upriver leads to the Grand Palace and Wat Po Temple, combined with a private long-tail boat expedition through the historic Thonburi klongs (canals).

The Oriental Hotel, with 12 rooms, was established during the era of The Kingdom of Siam. Now in its fifteenth decade, it stands as the grandest dame in the Kingdom of Thailand, offering almost 400 rooms and suites, Michelin-starred dining, and an award-winning spa. Drawing in a diverse array of guests, from Thai royalty bedecked in dazzling jewels to statesmen, literary luminaries like Noel Coward, Joseph Conrad, and Somerset Maugham, and even Hollywood icons such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando (recent stars include Stanley Tucci, Michelle Yeoh, and Russell Crowe).

History of The Oriental Hotel Bangkok

During the era when Siam opened its doors to foreign trade following the Bowring Treaty, the ships’ crews found themselves in need of accommodation on Bangkok’s shores. In response, Captain Dyers, an American, and J.E. Barnes established the Oriental Hotel. Unfortunately, this establishment was lost to a fire in 1865.

Later on, Danish captains formed a partnership to create a new hotel. By the 1870s, the Oriental Hotel’s board designated the opening of the River Wing in 1876 as its official inception.

In 1881, a Danish businessman named Hans Niels Andersen, aged 29, purchased the premises. Andersen, a respected figure in the Western community of Siam, recognized the demand for a reputable hotel offering comfortable lodging, a bar, and a Western menu catering to travelers and businessmen.

The Oriental Hotel Siam

Inspired by Prince Prisdang Jumsai, Hans Niels Andersen joined forces with Peter Andersen and Frederick Kinch to construct a luxurious hotel. Designed by Cardu & Rossi, an Italian architectural team based locally, the Oriental Hotel became Siam’s first luxury hotel. Its doors opened on May 19, 1887, featuring 40 rooms and unprecedented amenities for the time: a second floor (uncommon when single-story structures prevailed), carpeted hallways, designated smoking and ladies’ rooms, a billiards room, and a bar accommodating up to 50 patrons. To ensure impeccable service and dining experiences, the hotel enticed a chef and butler from the French Consulate to join their team.

The hotel’s inaugural notable event was a grand banquet on May 24, 1888, commemorating Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. King Chulalongkorn, after a personal assessment of the hotel’s facilities in December 1890, approved it to host visiting royalty. The hotel’s initial royal visitors were the entourage of Crown Prince Nicholas of Russia, who would later become Tsar Nicholas, in April 1891.

In 1910, Marie Maire assumed ownership and embarked on a renovation project. Although she sold the property in 1932, it was subsequently leased to the Japanese Army during World War II and used as an officer’s club. After the war, Allied prisoners mistakenly considering the hotel Japanese-owned occupied and damaged it.

Jim Thompson Bangkok

Post-war, a partnership of six individuals contributed funds to purchase the dilapidated hotel for $250 each. The group included Germaine Krull, Prince Bhanu, General Chai Prateepasen, Pote Sarasin, and Americans John Webster and Jim Thompson, the latter two being former members of the Office of Strategic Services. Krull, although not experienced in the hotel industry, became the manager in 1947. Under her leadership, the hotel regained its position as Thailand’s premier establishment. The Bamboo Bar was established by Krull as a response to competing local venues.

The Garden Wing, a ten-story addition featuring Bangkok’s first elevator, was constructed in 1958. It also housed the Le Normandie Restaurant. In 1967, with concerns about communism in Thailand, Krull sold her stake to Italthai, a rising mercantile conglomerate.

By this point, the Italthai group was on its way to becoming a major player in the Thai economy, with around 60 companies spanning various sectors.