This Bakery Owner Bride Designed Her Own Cake for Her Thailand Garden Wedding
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Nam Parama Raiva and Grid Soonthornpusit first met at a garden party in 2014. So it made perfect sense that their wedding 10 years later would be a floral-filled celebration. The Thai couple first bonded over their boarding school youths in the U.K. and their shared love of design. “Our relationship officially began in April 2015, and here we are today,” says Nam.
Grid, who owns the interior design firm Grid Co, took the next step in their relationship and proposed while the pair were on a trip together to Vietnam in October 2023. On the second day of their vacation, Grid took Nam to a secluded beach and popped the question. “What made the moment even more special was that he had surprised me by arranging for my friend Ped, a photographer, to fly in from Bangkok,” shares Nam. “She had been secretly hiding behind a rock on the beach, capturing the entire proposal.” They all celebrated that evening over dinner on a cliff overlooking Vinh Hy Bay.
The couple decided to hold three different wedding events over the course of 2024. “Both my husband and I are Thai, so it’s customary to have a traditional Thai engagement ceremony, complete with the water blessing and the exchange of rings,” says Nam of their March gathering at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok. The pair also had guests join for a reception at the Four Seasons Bankok at Chao Phraya River in October. For their final party, the couple planned to bring their closest family and friends at their family friend’s property—the Sri Panwa Hotel in Phuket—for a November wedding where they would exchange vows and sign their marriage registration. “It was truly the perfect way to wrap up our celebrations,” shares the bride. “In fact, the first time I visited the hotel when I was 13, I remember telling my parents that if I ever got married, it would have to be here.”
The to-be-weds kicked off preparations once they hired The Wedding Bliss Thailand as their planning team. “Grid and I had quite a clear vision of what we wanted, so we started by creating a conceptual mood board while also engaging in numerous discussions and answering many questionnaires from the Wedding Bliss team,” says Nam. “We wanted our guests to feel like they were escaping to a cozy, intimate retreat for the weekend.” The getaway would begin with a rehearsal dinner on a cliff overlooking the ocean to evoke the feeling of the proposal in Amanoi. Meanwhile, the wedding day would be modeled after the garden party where they met years ago. “That celebration felt both intimate and natural, and we knew we wanted to capture that same relaxed, carefree mood for our special day,” says the bride.
Since Nam works for her family’s food and beverage business—and runs her own bakery, SNP CakeStudio—curating and personalizing all the elements of the wedding food experience was a priority for her. “We made sure our guests always had full bellies and plenty to drink,” she notes. “For dinner, the dinner plates were designed especially for the celebration. My mum was amazing and helped prepare goodie bags for all our guests’ rooms filled with a variety of snacks and, of course, Thai tom yum cup noodles for those late-night cravings.”
When it came to fashion, the bride wanted to wear styles that were “simple and minimal with clean silhouettes.” While she tried on a number of wedding dresses, Nam eventually decided to work with Thai designer Patarasiri to craft her vision for a ceremony look. “The dress was simple but playful, as the draping of the fabric allowed it to be worn indifferent ways, and the coastal breeze enhanced the flow of the fabric while walking,” she shares. She paired the gown with a pair of pear-shaped diamond drop earrings and Jimmy Choo shoes. For dinner and the after-party, Nam swapped her ensemble for a strapless Vivienne Westwood mini dress with a draped waist. “I fell in love with it immediately and decided on it right away,” she says. “I love the structured silhouette, which was a contrast to the dress I wore for walking down the aisle.” For a pop of color, the bride wore an emerald pendant on a diamond tennis necklace. “It was the perfect match,” she shares.
Grid chose two looks to wear on his wedding day, both designed by Tom Ford. He exchanged vows in a white shawl-lapel tuxedo that perfectly fit the lightness of the garden party, and changed into a black peaked-lapel tux for evening celebrations. Dior Derby shoes were the finishing touch for both ensembles.
On the wedding day, the tropical hotel garden was accented with arrangements of green and white blooms in preparations for the ceremony. “Being by the coast, the weather was, of course, unpredictable, and it started raining just as we were supposed to walk down the aisle,” shares Nam. “After the rain subsided, the coastal breeze and the droplets of rain left on the flowers along the aisle and at the altar made the scene somewhat dreamy with the light scent of the tropical air.” The bride was escorted down the aisle by her parents as her brother sang. The couple then exchanged vows and signed their marriage certificate. “It was truly wonderful and heartwarming,” they say. “We felt the warmth of having everyone there to celebrate and witness our special moments together.”
Sunset cocktail hour followed, where guests were able to try custom creations the newlyweds had collaborated on with the hotel. Then it was off to an outdoor, candlelit dinner, where a menu featuring dishes and recipes the bride’s mother would often cook while hosting was served. “During dinner between sets of live jazz music, a few of our family and friends gave speeches that had us laughing uncontrollably. Some even brought a few tears,” shares the bride. The couple then said a few words and led guests up to a patio where they personally served everyone homemade pavlovas and espresso martinis. Fireworks followed and festivities continued at an after-party—which did not end until 5 a.m.
The couple share how thankful they are to their vendors for crafting a magical experience—and their closest circle for joining them for the celebration. “The memories, laughters, smiles, conversations, and so many happy tears with our loved ones will forever be cherished,” they say.
Photo: Nawaphon1/45The pool by the cocktail area, moments after the rain had subsided.
