Many foreign property buyers decide to purchase a villa in Turkey, because they are married to a Turkish person.
Turkish wedding traditions are one of the most important cultural traditions in Turkey. Although wedding traditions vary in almost every region of Turkey, generally folk songs and dances of the couple’s regions are performed at weddings. In addition, the couples at the wedding dance to the accompaniment of the song. After the wedding is done, the cake is cut, the jewellery ceremony is held, and after various entertainments, the wedding is ended. While Turkish weddings are usually held in wedding halls in cities, they are usually held in open areas in villages.
Wedding Phase
In addition to having many traditions in weddings in Turkey, there are also traditions from before. For example, salty Turkish coffee is given to the man when he asks for a girl. Before the wedding, the bride’s brothers or father tie a red ribbon around the bride’s waist. While the bride is being removed from her father’s house, the bride’s relatives ask for money from the groom or his father. Before the wedding, the groom shaves his beard, and the bride gets a special hair design called the bridal head before the wedding.
Before the wedding, the groom goes to the bride’s house with his family to collect the bride and takes the bride to the wedding place with a car. In some cultures, the bride is taken from her home with a Horse. This tradition is not very common in cities.
Wedding Traditions by Region:
Thrace Wedding Customs
Thrace is a very rich region in terms of wedding customs. Even these traditions may differ from province to province.
Edirne wedding customs
According to tradition, in Edirne weddings, after the bride arrives at the groom’s house, they are taken out and a girl and a boy are placed on their laps. This is because the couple wants to have a boy and a girl.
Black Sea Wedding Customs
Black Sea is one of the regions with many different wedding traditions according to the provinces. Washing the groom in the creek is the most well-known wedding tradition in Tokat. According to this tradition, the groom is taken from his house by his friends accompanied by drums on the wedding day and is taken to the riverside and thrown into the water with his clothes. Afterwards the groom, who is taken out of the water, is washed with boiling water, then dressed in his groom’s suit and prepared for the wedding.
Speaking of Black Sea wedding customs, it would be impossible not to mention the traditions of Trabzon. Common traditions in the city include shopping for weddings on Mondays and Thursdays. There are traditions such as shaving with entertainment. When the bride is being taken, money or wheat is scattered on her head for blessings.
Aegean Region
The most common wedding traditions in the provinces of the Aegean region are as follows: According to Afyon wedding customs, only water is offered to the man’s side when asking for a girl. If the families approve at the request ceremony, the male side is invited to tea on the nearest Friday. On the engagement day, the groom’s mother wants the bride once again in front of everyone.
Aydın wedding customs are a little more difficult than the traditions of other regions. Because there is a definite tradition of “not giving a girl to a man without a house” for marriage in Aydın. In addition, when the groom comes home after the wedding, he greets the bride by sprinkling money, wheat, sugar and rice, which symbolizes fertility.
The Mediterranean region
The wedding customs of the Mediterranean region are somewhat competitive. Especially in Adana and Mersin, their common customs are such as to force the bride and groom. According to tradition, the groom going to the henna night is asked to be stopped on the way and hit the eggs laid on a high tree branch. If he can’t hit, the bride’s side gives a penalty. On the other hand, before the dowry is taken to the groom’s house, the groom’s side snatches a pillow from the dowry. The young people of the girl’s side are also chasing him. The first to grab the pillow and take it to the groom gets a tip.
Eastern Anatolia
Eastern Anatolia is one of the regions where Turkish wedding traditions continue to be practiced most widely. Especially Erzurum and its surroundings are rich in Turkish wedding traditions. According to the wedding customs of the people of Erzurum, the young man’s ear is drawn by his friends. The groom-to-be has to give food to his friends.
When the bride enters the groom’s house, money and nuts are thrown from her head. In the henna, the bride’s aunt and mother-in-law are bickering. A “barren night” is held on the men’s side.
South-eastern Anatolia
Southeast provinces are also very rich in terms of wedding traditions. Contrary to traditional Şanlıurfa wedding traditions, the jewellery ceremony is held at the end of the wedding.
Well-known traditions around Diyarbakır: The bride breaks a full jug at the door of the groom’s house. It is hoped that their marriage will flow like water for a lifetime. Also, when entering, a skin is laid under the bride’s feet so that she will be as tame as a sheep.