Cost of wedding venues doubles from 2022

ISTANBUL

With prices rapidly increasing in every sector in the country, wedding venue booking prices have also almost doubled compared to last year, adding to the troubles of couples planning to get married.

As Ramadan is coming to an end, the wedding season is approaching. Prices in venues for countryside-themed weddings, wedding halls and hotels have increased by almost 100 percent since 2022.

While couples who want to have a wedding involving a cocktail must spend at least 30,000 Turkish Liras in wedding halls and a minimum of 70,000 liras in countryside wedding venues, the cost of a 200-person dinner wedding is around 80,000 to 140,000 liras and some 3900 liras (180 euros) per person in luxury hotels.

Business owners cite cost increases as the reason for the price increase.

Wedding hall operator Ruhan Gündüz claimed that although the prices of the products they get from suppliers have increased by 300 percent, they only had a 50 percent increase in their booking prices, which started to impact their business quality.

Gündüz stated the biggest problems of all venue owners are the costs of electricity and rent, and as they increase their prices to keep up with their expenses, people are starting to gravitate towards simple marriage ceremonies in city halls.

“The cost of an all-expense catered wedding is not less than 400-500 thousand liras, and there is a 20 percent price difference between summer and winter weddings. Wedding seasons started to change from summer to winter,” he said.

Elif Kuş, sales manager of a luxury hotel in Beyoğlu, said that their prices went up by 100 percent and that even though couples still prefer hotels for wedding celebrations, they reduce the number of people invited.

Ahmet Şahin, the operator of a countryside wedding venue in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district, said that this season’s couples had already booked their venues in the previous year not to be affected by the increased prices.