In our own countries we all reach a time in our lives that many off our friends are getting married around the same time, usually in our 20s and 30s. By the time we have reached 35 most of us have been to at least 3 weddings and will be familiar with the ceremonial traditions of our culture including the type of vows taken, the order of ceremony, the speeches, the decoration and the clothes worn. Even if our friends or family choose to carry out their wedding abroad, it is likely they will still keep the traditions of their own country as much as possible.
But what are weddings like in the rest of the world and in other cultures? This article looks at what a typical Turkish wedding is like.
Turkey is a prodimently Muslim country and historically Turkish families have looked to orchestrate arranged marriages for their sons and daughters. However as time has passed, families are becoming more relaxed about who their children can marry, as long as they share the same religion. Muslim Dating sites are particularly helpful in this case – young Turkish singles can meet someone of their own choice but be confident that they will share the Muslim culture. Dating sites like http://www.eharmony.co.uk carry out personality profiling matching singles based on their religious values as well as their hobbies, employment status and other interest, so it is much easier for Turkish singles to meet someone that their parents will be happy for them to start a relationship than it has been in the past.
Turkish wedding celebrations generally last 3 days. The day before her wedding, the bride will have a ceremony called Henna Night, in which her hands and feet are decorated with Henna in preparation for her wedding. At the same time a flag will be planted on the roof of the groom’s family home. To everyone around, the flag symbolises the start of the wedding celebration.
On the morning of the wedding the bride groom may choose to hold a “bridegroom shave” ceremony. Upon leaving her parents’ home, the bride is blessed by her family and given a red belt to wear. Turkish wedding dresses are traditionally long sleeved, and incorporate a headdress as well as a veil. The dresses are white and can be embellished just as western wedding dresses are.
Rituals such as following the bride with a mirror for light and luck in her life are followed. The ceremony is a blessing and celebration with many guests. At the reception, guest pin gifts of money and gold to the bride’s dress, and everyone celebrates with a party including a testih dance that is open only to single women available for marriage, however men and women must traditionally stay on separate sides of the room at the celebration.
A trip to Turkish villages may well offer you a lucky glimpse of a bridal party, and certainly if you arrive to see a flag on the rooftops you will know that a celebration is imminent.
