Muslim Weddings

Turkish brides here?

Are there any Turkish women on this board? I am Catholic and my fiance is Turkish (Muslim but not religious). We are going to get married by a Justice of the Peace but I would like to include some Turkish traditions. His family is all in Turkey and he would have to translate everything for me to talk with them, but I'd like to suprise him with something if possible, and i know I cant believe everything I read on Google :)

Re: Turkish brides here?

  • edited December 2011
    Hi! I'm also marrying a Turkish man next year. We haven't started planning much yet but I would also like to say a second set of vows in Turkish. I have been studying Turkish a little and practiced some on a trip to Turkey but I'm probably going to have his best friend help me. I'll post back on here when I get them figured out!
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  • edited December 2011
    Hello! Well I'm a Turkish bride to be and I can help you.
    There are so many and complicated traditions in Turkey, because they depend on the area that you are coming from. (Ex. They even change from village to village, or if it is in South Aegean area or in Inner Anatholia)
    So, best to keep it simple and generalizable:)

    1. Before the wedding, groom's family goes to bride's family's house, with a bunch of gifts. Bride makes Turkish coffee for the guests, but adds salt other than sugar in the groom's coffee. Some say it's a patience test for a husband to be:) Groom's family, will ask the bride's family to let their daughter marry their son. If bride's family says "yes", the gifts are being given. These gifts are called "engagement pack". It may include a bottle of parfume, make up sets, slippers(funny:)), morning coat, nightie, some lokum, a bottle of lemon cologne, and a pair of little gifts also for the bride's mom and dad.

    2. After a while, bride's family goes to groom's family and gives an engagement pack for the groom this time. The pack should have an extra: a quality watch.

    3. Then comes the engagement! You are surprised right? Well, a proposal is just a proposal in Turkey. It's not an engagement. You can do this ring ceremony either in your family's house or in a restaurant. Note: In engagement ceremony, oldest person in your family will put your rings on both you and the groom. Rings are worn on your right hand until you wed.

    4. Henna night. Bride wears a traditional henna night costume, and sits in the middle. Other girls dance and sing a traditional song around the bride, while holding candles. Groom's mother tries to open bride's fist, by putting a little gold piece in it. As the bride opens her hand, henna is being put in it. Or like some brides, you can make it drawn decoratively like Indians do. Then everyone have fun until daylight.

    5. Wedding ceremony is done in a secular way. But some people prefer Imam's Nikah before it. Imam's Nikah is not a ceremony. It is done in a private room.

    6. At wedding night, which is called "gerdek", that means "first night", as you try to enter your house, you should both run because your husband will be punched at his back by his close friends until you get inside and close the door:)))

    Hope these will help a little:)))

  • edited December 2011
    Turkish weddings are beatiful and I highly respect that they keep the tradtions alive. I am lebanese and so his my husband and we thrive on being western even in Lebanon. Don't get me wrong being lebanese is a beatiful thing I just really enjoy turkish weddings MASALLAH  
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