The task of finding the place to have our wedding was left to my mom and sisters, who were living in Thailand, while I was on the other side of the globe in Canada. One day, a few months after we decided the wedding date, I get an email out of the blue, from a name I haven’t thought about in fifteen years. It turns out that my close friend from 8th grade runs this beautiful one-of-a-kind resort in Chiang Mai.

Kaomai Lanna bills itself as a boutique nature resort. Their vast garden is lush with trees and other greeneries. Converted tobacco barns turn into comfy guest rooms and there’s a huge area under a very large rain tree that can be used for events. When we thought about having an outdoor wedding, we didn’t have a place in mind, but when I saw the photos, Kaomai Lanna was right on the mark. And the food was amazing.

And the fact that the owner and manager is a friend of mine just set our wedding in motion: everything that went into the wedding was done by someone we know, were friends with, or was a family member – the flowers, the rings, the cake, the outfits, and even the officiant. Huiluk Chen, the resort owner and manager, and along with all her staff, were instrumental in putting our wedding together. We can’t thank them enough.

These photos don’t really do justice to the place, but you could kind of get a sense of the resort. The ceremony and reception was held under the big tree and the after party was in a large veranda by the swimming pool. They put up the oversize mosquito net just so we can party all night.