Robin + Ashlea
Wedding Vow Renewal
Monday, 16 December, 2024 @ 17:00hrs
Rayavadee
214 Ao Nang, à¸à¸³à¹€à¸ ภเมืà¸à¸‡ Krabi 81000, Thailand
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'THE SECRET TO A GOOD MARRIAGE IS TO BE A LITTLE DEAF' - RUTH BADER GINSBERG
The Mackin-Burkes love a celebration.
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When we got married in 2010 we had a very small and beautiful ceremony in Thailand. We had always said we'd come back to London and have a party with all our friends and family. We never did. We zipped off two weeks later and moved our life to Los Angeles for the bright lights of Hollywood, which was always the best decision.
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We then said 'we will have a 7 year itch hitch' party - but again, we never did. We were deep in IVF after IVF, and so our focus was starting a family. Then we said 'let's have it at 10 years', we never did. Then covid, and then like - ermmm, a few nightmare years.
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But here we are - at 15 years. Lets do it.
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We are so lucky to have made beautiful new friends, and strengthened old lifelong friendships - so why not celebrate with you all again.
TIMELINE FOR THE CELEBRATION
17:00 - GUESTS GATHER AT THE COCONUT LAWN AT RAYAVADEE. COCKTAILS WILL BE SERVED
17:30 - CEREMONY BEGINS
18:00 - CEREMONY ENDS AND GUESTS MOVE TO KRUA PHRANANGS DECK FOR SUNSET COCKTAILS AND HORS D'OEUVRES
19:00 - GUESTS MOVE BEACHSIDE FOR SPECIAL DINNER
20:45 - MOVE TO THE GROTTO AND DANCING AND PARTY BEGINS
00:00 - BOATS BACK TO AO NANG AND PARTY ENDS
THINGS TO DO IN KRABI
PHI PHI ISLAND DISCOVERY
Enchanting Phi Phi Island's dramatic cliffs, emerald green waters and white sand beaches make it all you would expect from a world-renowned island destination and more. Phi Phi is made up of two separate islands, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. A nature lover's paradise, the islands' heady mix of lush green foliage, hidden caves and coral reefs teeming with fish offer unparalleled beauty in the Andaman.
Spend the day cruising the area. Swim, snorkel and relax on beautiful Bamboo Island with a picnic.
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PHANG NGA BAY ADVENTURE
Phang Nga Bay's otherworldly seascape was formed over thousands of years by the shifting of plates deep in the earth. Today the bay's limestone cliffs and islands, weathered by the elements, appear to melt into strange shapes that invite you to dream of a time long ago when locals believe that mythical creatures inhabited the area alongside legendary pirates and princesses.
Cruise the bay and explore a cave and mangrove forest by sea kayak. Pay an afternoon visit to stunning Hong Island, where you can swim, picnic and relax on the beach.
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HONG ISLAND
Located to the west of Railay Bay and beautiful Phang Nga Bay, Hong Island's dramatic beauty makes it a memorable destination and the perfect place to wile away the hours surrounded by soaring limestone cliffs, turquoise waters, sandy beaches and hidden coves.
At the centre of Hong Island is a large open cavern which can be entered and explored only when the tide is above a certain level. The result of thousands of years of erosion, this unique feature inspired the island's name as 'Hong' in Thai means 'room' or 'cavern'. Enjoy a picnic lunch, read, swim and explore the lagoon.
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KLONG THOM EMERALD POOL & HOT SPRING
Krabi's Klong Thom District takes its name from the picturesque stream which flows through the area's lowland wildlife forest. Famous for the healing water of its natural hot springs and its emerald-coloured pool surrounded by lush forest paths, Klong Thom is a lovely place to explore for those who enjoy communing with nature.
After a short boat trip from the Railay to the pier, you'll drive about 40 minutes to Klong Thom District where you can enjoy its beautiful natural scenery. Afterwards wind up the trip with a delicious Thai lunch at a local restaurant.
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ELEPHANT HOUSE SANCTUARY
Offers the chance to walk beside elephants in the forest, mud spa, elephant bathing and feeding them. Sometimes you can learn how to cook the herbal medicine for elephants. Visitor can observe the elephants from a distance for most of the time. This place offers the elephants a complete sanctuary and allows them to live in their natural habitat. They do not ride them, no activity show, no tricks or painting, they are a genuine elephant welfare center in Krabi.
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THAI COOKING CLASS
Thai cooking uses a wide range of exotic herbs and aromatic spices which boast healing properties that make Thai food not only delicious to eat but good for you as well. Did you know for example that chillies are rich in vitamin C and anti-oxidants and are thought to aid digestion while the creamy- yellow stalks of lemongrass relieve stress and tension and are also effective in fighting the common cold? Kaffir lime and its dark-green leaves add zest to a number of popular curries and are also used in traditional shampoos and in cleansing skin ointments while galangal, a rhizome used in soups and curries is added to drinks to soothe sore throats and cure stomach aches.
HOP AROUND​
Phi Phi, Thailand - 45 min boat. Relaxed island, no cars.
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Bangkok, Thailand - 45 min flight. Excellent city, so much culture.
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Hua Hin, Thailand - 45 min flight to Bangkok then 3.5 hour taxi. It’s where the locals go to vacation, the beaches aren’t great but the food and hotels are incredible.
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Koh Samui, Thailand - boat ride. Where the next White Lotus will be filmed. Beautiful beaches and great hotels.
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Racha Island, Thailand - boat transfer through Phuket. If you want nothing to do but relax then go here!
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Siem Reap, Cambodia - honestly try and make it here if you can. It’s worth it. Great street food, culture, relaxed but fun and great hotels.
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Sinhoukville, Cambodia - beautiful beaches, great food and relaxing
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Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam - Busy, so many motorbikes, a lot of smog, but if you are after history and super busy then go here.
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Hanoi, Vietnam - excellent ancient city, but will be cold at this time of year.
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Singapore - good stop before or after to get over the jet lag and get ready for the heat or…. Shopping and the night zoo.
HELP ME,
IT’S MY FIRST TIME IN THAILAND…
Fear not friends, you’re about to hit what will be your new fave place in the world.
The people are friendly, the weather is perfectly humid, the beaches are wonderfully crystal clear and the food - well, the food - wow!
But you might have some questions - so here are some little travel tips…
VISAS:
Thailand - Most people can get visas on demand for up to 90 days, but it really depends on your citizenship. Best to check with your countries embassy online.
Cambodia and Vietnam - You will likely need a visa, you can apply on their websites and it is all done digitally.
IMMUNISATIONS:
Depending on what you’ve had already you may need at least Typhoid (because of the water), perhaps one or two others. But check with your doctor. Each person is different based on what they’ve already had and what areas they are traveling to.
POWER ADAPTERS:
You will very likely need one or two. You can get these from Amazon. Your hairdryer is likely to be a different voltage so be careful if bringing that.
CASH:
Thailand works a lot with cash, so always have some THB on you. There are cash machines, and people take cards, but honestly - bring cash with you everywhere as Tuk Tuks, long tail boats, street vendors etc will only accept cash.
GET AROUND:
Taxis - be sure they start their meter when you get in otherwise they just charge you a bunch more.
Tuk Tuks - always haggle. The first price is never the real price. They take cash only.
Overnight buses - be careful with these because there have been a lot of robberies mid-journey.
Boats - always haggle. Like the Tuk Tuks - the first price is never the real one.
Airport transfers - go to a legit taxi station, don’t just take a random from the arrivals hall.
PHARMACIES:
There are many pharmacies that also give medical advice for less severe issues. They are everywhere. You will be fine.
Bring copies of your prescriptions if you are bringing medicine through customs. Or online verification of the order from your doctor.
In this section - also - don’t drink ice or water. Brush your teeth with bottled water.
HOSPITALS:
There is an international hospital in Phuket and Bangkok that are at International Standards.
Random, but dentists are in demand in Thailand - cheap dental work thats good quality. But do your research.
CONCIERGE:
Use your concierge for anything you need - recommendations for massage places, getting transport, cash withdrawals etc. They use above board companies and will be the best resource you have when you are there. They are all very very connected to making your trip the best possible experience.
BAGGAGE:
Try to travel with carry on. The internal airlines are not amazing with baggage and tracking, so you might just want to bring carry on and utilize the laundry services most hotels offer. It’s inexpensive and also will save you money on the baggage fees for airlines.
INTERNET:
Most hotels and restaurants etc will have an internet connection. Use wifi as much as you can. You can generally get it pretty much everywhere in Thailand - besides ultra remote spots.
**We will start a WhatsApp closer to the time so everyone can connect. And send each other pictures of Ron on the beach.
BIG FRIEND ENERGY
Figured that as people are coming from everywhere - LA, London, Australia etc, then you need some details about everyone so you can all ‘aquaint' ahead of time (I know you will all research, I mean - we are all human and there’s nothing wrong with stalking people before you meet them and knowing how they spent their summer holidays in 1997 etc). Is there? Maybe?
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Here is a list (in alphabetical order - y’know, for the politics of who is ahead of others), a list of who is coming (their instas so you can stalk, follow, judge etc), and a couple of little thoughts on everyone. Some harsher than others. Like Oli Banham -cause he deserves a roasting.
