Pakaula used to be one of the guy I was working with at the mission. We were often cutting some wood in the forest together and building some wooden games for the kids. Somehow we were pretty closed to each other. To be honnest, he was actually a lazy guy who was used to running after girls in the village.
In Karen tradition, when a guy is caught sleeping with a girl he must marry her in the next days. Well, basically, that's what happened to Pakaula :) So, he got married with a 15 year old girl and he was himself 17 year old.
This wedding was carried out in the Karen/buddhist tradition. The groom and the bride sits besides each other being linked with a flower chain. The witnesses stay besides the future husband and wife for the whole ceremony. All the acquaintances are invited to have a dinner and some drinks. During the dinner, the ceremony really starts and every close friend come to tie the wrist of the groom and bride with some rice strings. Then the ceremony chief says something and they brake their link (I had the honour to come and make the knot between their wrist). This wrist tying "operation" is repeated several times. After a while, when it seems enough, guests show their glass filled with rice alcohol and drink it straight. The husband kiss his future wife. And they are then declared husband and wife !
 

The groom and the bride.

Making strings knots between the wrist of the future husband & wife.