Kirsten and Joel’s Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Wedding

Kirsten and Joel first met at a Halloween party in London, where a pumpkin met a hazmat suit. “I was dressed as a pumpkin, though everyone insisted I looked more like a tomato!” Kirsten laughs. The two hit it off, but Kirsten wasn’t keen on dating someone younger. “I confided in my friend that I liked Joel but asked him not to mention it… of course, that secret didn’t stay a secret for long.”

Their paths crossed again at a bar, where Joel’s quirky humour sparked a connection. “The guys were dipping their fingers into each other’s drinks and asking if the drink was theirs,” Kirsten remembers. “Joel thought it would be hilarious to try it on me, which I was disgusted by, but by the end of the night I was joining in on the childish behaviour.”

With Joel’s UK visa expiring in six months, they took a trip to Morocco, extending his stay in the UK. They travelled across Europe before Kirsten moved to Australia on a working holiday visa. Nine years later, while on holiday in Vanuatu, Joel proposed during a sunset dinner on Aore Island. “Joel got down on one knee and asked me to marry him,” Kirsten says. “He did leave the engagement ring on the plane… luckily with our passports, and he realised just before customs!”

Kirsten and Joel envisioned a relaxed, “beachy chic” wedding, and they found the perfect venue at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui in Thailand. “For us, we wanted it to be as relaxed as possible,” says Kirsten. The beachside location offered a laid-back vibe, and the hotel provided everything they needed for a seamless celebration.

Guests had a range of accommodation options nearby, allowing everyone to walk to the wedding. The ceremony started at 4:30 pm, with a shaded area to help guests beat the heat during Koh Samui’s largest heatwave in years. “The hotel arranged battery-operated fans for the guests, which was amazing,” Kirsten recalls.

Guests were greeted with cold cocktails and ice towels as they arrived. Kirsten walked down an aisle adorned with flowers to a beautiful arch by the beach. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed canapés, cocktails, and beers while Kirsten and Joel slipped away for photos.

The reception took place nearby, with eight tables named after countries they had travelled to together. In a thoughtful touch, the couple chose to sit together alone, rather than having a traditional head table.

“It meant we had our time together, as I know that can be a regret people have—not seeing their significant other at their own wedding,” says Kirsten. The Reception and the Fun Details For the décor, they kept things simple with fairy lights strung overhead. The dinner was a Thai buffet, featuring a mix of dishes they loved and ones suggested by the hotel.

“We told the hotel we’d be happy with whatever they suggested as long as they added four of our favourite dishes,” Kirsten explains. “They did an amazing job! There was so much food—everyone ate so much, and it was so good!” Later in the evening, after plenty of dancing, bacon sandwiches made a surprise appearance at 10:30 pm, which guests were more than happy to devour.

This romantic wedding was photographed by Pui from Koh Samui Photography. 

This romantic wedding was photographed by Pui from Koh Samui Photography.