Cost of tying the knot nearly doubles as wedding season opens

ISTANBUL

Thousands of couples in Türkiye will tie the knot this summer at a time when wedding costs have almost doubled from a year ago.

Some 600,000 weddings take place a year, according to the data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).

But getting married is a pricy venture for couples and their families, with prices of furniture, home appliances, rents and wedding parties rising fast.

A wedding event typically costs around 90,000 to 100,000 Turkish Liras. For larger gatherings of around 250 guests with food and drinks served, costs can escalate to 200,000 liras.

Including other expenses, such as bridal gown, groom’s suit and photographer, the average cost of a wedding ceremony amounts to approximately 450,000 Turkish Liras.

More weddings will take place after the Eid al-Adha holiday, according to people from the industry.

Wedding halls are already fully booked, they said, adding that two or three weddings will be hosted at those venues each day.

“This year some 600,000 couples will get married, and 500,000 of them are expected to plan their weddings,” said Emek Kırbıyık, the CEO of düğün.com.

The cost of organizing a wedding has almost doubled from a year ago, Kırbıyık said, noting that white-collar people are now struggling to meet those costs, prompting wedding venues to offer more affordable deals.

Couples will need to spend at least 100,000 liras on white goods, 45,000 liras on glassware and another 150,000 liras on furniture.

Another traditional item for Turkish weddings is jewelry guests offer to newlyweds.

Demand for jewelry has been on the rise since late May as the wedding season started, said Mustafa Karabıyık, the head of the Istanbul Jewelers’ Association (İKO).

However, customers’ preferences have changed due to high prices, Karabıyık said, noting that they are buying less expensive items.