As the costs of wedding venues increase, a new project has been introduced for couples getting married. Weddings in a format known as a “half wedding” can now be held for just two hours, depending on preference. Article by: Sena Gürbıyık

As the wedding season approaches, costs are on the rise. Many people now prefer to have a simple civil marriage ceremony, leading to the development of a new wedding model to ease the burden on new couples. This practice, which is half the cost of regular weddings, allows couples to have a short wedding ceremony after getting married.

ECONOMIC VIEWPOINTS

In Turkey, nearly 600 thousand couples get married each year. Wedding venue operators believe that this method is more economical for both themselves and the couples involved. Adem Sönmez, the President of the Istanbul Wedding Hall Operators’ Association, stated, “We have introduced a mini version of weddings in a two-hour format on Saturdays from 13.00 to 17.00 and also on Sundays from 13.00 to 17.00.” Wedding venue manager Hakan Karakurt mentioned that this initiative could bring couples a 50% profit. He said, “While hosting one event on Saturdays and Sundays during the day, perhaps hosting two events could benefit our sector.” A 69% INCREASE The cost of getting married has increased by 69% by 2024. Moreover, costs for henna night, engagement, honeymoon, and dowry were not included in this percentage. The Istanbul Meeting and Wedding Hall Operators’ Tradesmen’s Association is requesting that VAT rates be reduced from 20% to 10% to lower prices.