Looking for Turkish themed wedding accessories? Want to know about popular wedding favours in Turkey? Read on for more information…
Although most weddings in Turkey use Western styles, there are no rules about Turkish wedding accessories. In the United States and Great Britain, brides look for “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” to accessorize with, but this is not done in Turkey. Still, some accessories are almost mandatory for Turkish brides and this includes the bridal bouquet.
Turkish Wedding Bouqets
The climate of Turkey is warm and flowers are available in abundance throughout the year. Florists have standard designs for bridal bouquets or they will be happy to design a bouquet to meet any bride’s requirements. Although it is customary in Western countries for brides to throw their bouquets to single women at the wedding, Turkish brides have a different and more practical way for determining the next to wed. All the single women write their names on the bottom of the bride’s shoes. The woman whose name has rubbed off the most at the end of the reception will be the next to wed. This avoids the undignified tussle (and occasional injury) that often results from the competition to grab the bridal bouquet.
No Wedding Garters!
In Muslim Turkey, brides do not wear the garters popular with American and British brides. It would considered immodest for a Muslim woman to allow her new husband to remove her garter in public and a single Muslim woman would not permit a strange man to touch her, let alone slide a garter onto her leg. While the custom of the groom removing the bride’s garter and tossing it to single men is fairly common in America, it is unheard of in Turkey and bridal garters are not a Turkish wedding accessory.
Anatolian Bridal Sash
Some accessories vary by region and in Anatolia all brides wear a red bridal sash with their gown for luck. Some Muslim brides cover their hair and necks in public and they can choose from a variety of bridal caps, scarves and veils to match their bridal gowns. The majority of Turkish wedding accessories are much the same as those chosen by Western brides and include tiaras, necklaces, earrings, veils and hats. Since rings are not exchanged at traditional weddings in Turkey, ring pillows are unnecessary.
Turkish Wedding Favours
One other common Turkish wedding accessory is an evil eye brooch or charm worn by both bride and groom. This symbol is believed to ward off evil and while it may not be prominently displayed, most Turkish couples will wear or carry an evil eye charm. These are also frequently included with favors for wedding guests. Generally, Turkish wedding accessories are not much different than wedding accessories in other areas of the world.
