Cambodian brides are compassionate, loyal, and graceful. A lot of foreign men go for Cambodian mail order brides because these ladies know how to combine modernity and traditions. But if you are serious about marrying one of them, you need to take a deep interest in their customs, especially those connected to weddings and marriage.
So, today, you will learn what Sien Doan Taa means, explore other customs, check the fertility and marriage rates in Cambodia, and find the steps to obtaining a K-1 visa, which is important for bringing your Cambodian mail order bride to the USA.
Best Sites to Meet Cambodian Brides

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Wedding Traditions in Cambodia
Cambodia is a country that impresses with its colorful traditions, especially when it comes to weddings. And moreover, this country is religious — more than 90% of the population follows Buddhism — so the wedding customs will be centered around spirituality. Now, let’s take a look at the most prominent wedding traditions in Cambodia:
- On the way to their wedding spot, the couple participates in Sien Doan Taa, a ritual of honoring ancestors. While on the road, the bride and the groom offer tea to the spirits of their ancestors to honor them and to invite them to the wedding.
- Cutting hair at the wedding? That’s probably a custom you have never heard about, but at Cambodian weddings, it’s popular. The hair cutting ceremony called Gaat Sah implies that a few strands of the bride and groom’s hair are cut off to say to the world that they have left their previous life and are now ready to step on this path together as a couple.
- We have mentioned that a lot of traditions in Cambodia are related to Buddhism, and here is one of such customs — Soat Mun. It’s a ritual of getting blessings from the monks who sprinkle flowered water and chant blessings to the groom and the bride. Surely, monks may not always be available, and this ritual can be performed by grandparents or priests.
- Sometimes, when entering marriage, we seek insights from already married couples. In Cambodia, this practice even turned into a nice wedding custom — Bongvul Pbopul. What does it look like? The bride and the groom sit in the center of a circle made of married couples who bless the newlyweds, while the officiant chants prayers. The purpose of this ritual is to pass on the wisdom and bless the bride and the groom with happiness.
Do Cambodian Women Like American Men, and What Is the Attitude to International Marriages in Cambodia?
Despite possible stereotypes, Cambodian women are open to foreigners, including Americans, and eagerly date and marry them, which can be proved by comments from Reddit: “Many like foreigners and even marry foreign men. Others prefer local Cambodian or Chinese men.”
“The Cambodian women perceive that there is usually nothing scary. Because the Khmer culture is always friendly to all nations without discrimination.”
“In my experience, almost every person I had been with was looking for a long-term relationship, with the end goal of marriage. In the Khmer language, the word like (ចូលចិត្ត) does not have a romantic connotation, so they use the word love (ស្រឡាញ់). Compare that to Western dating standpoints, I would never tell a girl I loved her after the first date. There’s not as much gradual emotional progression in Cambodian dating as in Western dating. I felt that it was either you love me or you don’t, and you’re playing with my feelings, no middle ground.”
As you can see from the answers, Cambodians approach dating and marriage seriously, which is a good sign to Americans who want to marry these Asian ladies. The women may have different motivations to marry foreigners, though: thus, some may seek real love, some seek equality and independence, which a marriage with a Westerner can offer, while others want to build a new life abroad. By the way, the last reason doesn’t necessarily mean your Cambodian mail order bride stays with you only for your passport — personalities are on the priority list for girls from Cambodia.
Stats about Cambodian Women for Marriage
Cambodian women for marriage are among the good candidates for a wife position for Western men, but there is no point in believing in such statements if there are no data to prove them! Yet, we do have the facts!
- Cambodian women tend to marry early, usually between 18 and 25 years old. Yet, we also need to talk about arranged marriages, which are quite often in Cambodia and can impact when local ladies marry.
- It’s stated that almost 90% of the population is married by 30 years of age, which proves that marriage culture is important in Cambodia.
- The fertility rate in Cambodia is also quite high: in 2025, it’s 2.35 births per woman, compared to 1.5 births per woman in European countries.
How to Handle the Legal Side of a Marriage with a Cambodia Mail Order Bride?
When you fall in love with a Cambodian woman, understanding the legal side of your future marriage is just as important as the romantic part. The process differs depending on whether you marry in the United States or Cambodia, which we will explain in the table below:
| Marrying a Cambodian Woman in the USA: Steps | Marrying a Cambodian Woman in Cambodia: Steps |
The steps to a K-1 visa for your Cambodia mail order bride are pretty simple: – File Form I-129F. – Wait for the approval and the application being forwarded to the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, where your lady will apply for a visa then by filling Form DS-160. – Attend the interview and get your visa. Medical examination and background check ups will also be on the list of your to-do tasks before you get the visa approval and can bring your Cambodian mail order bride to the USA. | When you marry your woman in Cambodia, you will need to follow other steps: – Obtain a certificate of no impediment to marriage. – Submit documents such as birth certificates, passports, police records, medical certificates, and your Cambodian partner’s identification to the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. – Fulfill marriage eligibility rules. – Register the Marriage at the Local Sangkat (District Office). |
Nuances to Consider When You Marry a Cambodian Woman
Legal steps are not the only nuance you will need to consider when you marry a Cambodian woman. Cambodian mail order brides have a different mentality, and when you are in a relationship with one of them, you will feel this difference:
- Your wife will likely maintain close ties with her parents and relatives because this culture is family-centered, which is unusual for the majority of Americans. You can’t distance your lady from her family, but instead, you need to learn to embrace this way of living. For example, you can visit her parents with her and just stay in touch online with them to show your support for her family values.
- Modesty is at the core of traditional Cambodians. Sometimes, this modesty turns into shyness and a limited display of love, even when you are alone. To handle it, just talk about it with your Cambodian mail order bride and let her know that she can let her guard off and feel free with you.
- Avoiding style of communication is another cultural nuance that may be considered irritating over time. Cambodians avoid conflicts by going into the silent mode. What can you do if your style of resolving is completely the opposite? Compromise: when your lady wants to go into silent mode to handle her emotions, she will have to warn you about it, not just disappear, and you will need to let her resolve the issues within yourself, giving her time.
Success Stories
Their biggest obstacle for Sokha and James was language and cultural differences. The woman sometimes didn’t understand James’ jokes, feeling guilty for this and thus went shy, and James sometimes felt she was being too reserved and even distant. Meanwhile, for James, it was hard to handle the traditional views of Sokha’s parents.
The decisiveness to be together helped the couple to overcome these obstacles: Sokha joined an Advanced English course and even hired a native speaker as a tutor, while James immersed himself more in the customs of Sokha’s family, like repairing motorcycles with his father-in-law. That wasn’t easy at first, but the vision of their future together motivated the couple.
Some of Michael’s friends questioned whether Dara was genuinely in love or just seeking a way to move abroad. Unfortunately, the guy has already had a bad experience dating a foreign woman, but still decided to give it a try once more. Dara, on the contrary, was motivated by having a caring and loyal husband by her side rather than the benefits of immigration and a green card: she even offered for Michael to live with her in Cambodia instead of moving to the USA.
The trust issues of Michael were understandable to Dara, but they hurt her at the same time. Their couple therapist advised them to try the full honesty practice — when you tell your partner about your smallest desires (like wanting to go to the toilet), because by revealing your smallest desires, you build the foundation for a stronger trust in a relationship. With time, Michael learned to trust and was happy to tell his friends about his marriage to Dara. (She, by the way, invited Michael’s friends to the wedding and made them participate in her family’s traditions to show them that family and relationships are more important to her than a green card).
Your Go-To Places to Organize a Wedding in Cambodia
- Anantara Angkor Resort. If you want to have the atmosphere of Cambodian culture at your wedding, this resort should be on your list. It’s located in Siem Reap, near the major temple complex. The resort offers multiple venues such as a garden courtyard, a pool-terrace, and is perfect for medium-sized weddings.
- Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort. This resort is located in the same region as the previous one, but its guest capacity reaches 500 guests! Ballroom, temple dinners, high-end luxury, and full wedding-planning service are the top features of this resort.
- Sokha Beach Resort. If you want a beach wedding, consider this resort. The Sokha Beach Resort supports a large number of guests at its grand ballroom and provides such services as professional wedding planners, transportation options, and a traditional Khmer ceremony.
- RiverTree Villa & Resort. For a more intimate and modest wedding, we recommend this hotel. It’s a nature-setting venue with a lush garden, riverside views, and a poolside that can host up to 160 guests.
Open the map to see all the places!
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, now you feel closer to Cambodian culture and understand what a wedding with your Cambodian mail order bride would look like. Surely, you may face difficulty accepting certain cultural peculiarities of these women, but knowledge and dedication can help you bridge the gap with your Cambodian wife.
And to learn about other wedding cultures worldwide, you can check other articles on aspenweddingguide.com!






