1. The Stages of the Turkish Wedding
- The Söz Kesme (official engagement): the two families gather around a Turkish coffee and lokum. The rings are exchanged with a red ribbon that an elder cuts - a symbol of the commitment. The bride receives gifts (jewelry, perfumes, gold).
- The Kına Gecesi (henna evening): THE most iconic Turkish tradition. Held the night before the wedding, it's a women's celebration (increasingly mixed) where the bride wears a red or burgundy dress (kına entari). A married and happy woman applies henna to the bride's hand and slips a gold coin inside, folded into the henna. The bride cries - symbolically - to express the sorrow of leaving her family. Traditional songs (kına türküleri) are performed in Turkish throughout the evening.
- The civil wedding: at the town hall, mandatory in France. Sometimes followed by an imam ceremony for observant Muslim families.
- The Düğün (wedding celebration): a large celebration in a hall. The couple makes their entrance to the sounds of the davul and the zurna (traditional instruments played outdoors). Then begins the tradition of the altın - guests pin banknotes and gold coins onto the couple's clothing as a sign of prosperity and affection.
2. The Gold Coin Tradition
The pinning of gold (altın takma) is one of the most anticipated moments of the düğün:
- Each guest stands up in turn and comes to pin banknotes (often 50€ or 100€ notes) or gold coins onto the bride's dress and the groom's suit.
- In Turkey, gold represents prosperity and the community's support for the new household.
- The total value of the gold and notes pinned can reach several thousand euros at large weddings.
- A host or family member often announces the name and gift of each family over the microphone.
3. The Outfits of the Turkish Wedding
- The Kına entari: a red or burgundy dress worn during the henna evening - heavily embroidered and adorned. Red symbolizes joy and life in Anatolia.
- The white wedding gown: for the düğün, classic and often very elaborate - Turkish brides love glamour and intricate detail.
- The groom's suit: a dark suit (black or midnight blue) with a tie or bow tie, and a boutonnière in the bride's colors.
4. The Music of the Turkish Wedding
- The Davul and the Zurna: a large drum and a traditional oboe - played outdoors when the couple arrives, they announce the celebration with a joyful, unmistakable clamor.
- Arabesk: melancholic Turkish popular music - Ibrahim Tatlises, Orhan Gencebay. Much loved by older generations.
- Modern Turkish pop: Tarkan, Mustafa Sandal, Sezen Aksu - to get guests of all ages dancing.
- A mixed DJ set: for the end of the evening, alternating Turkish pop, afrobeat and French music.
5. The Cuisine of the Turkish Wedding
- The Meze: a variety of starters served at the table - haydari (thick mint yogurt), acılı ezme (spicy tomato-pepper sauce), cacık (cucumber in yogurt), dolma (stuffed vine leaves), börek (cheese or spinach pastry).
- The grilled meats: adana kebap (skewers of spiced minced meat), şiş kebap (lamb skewers), köfte (marinated meatballs) - served with buttered rice and pide bread.
- The Pilav: buttered rice or bulgur - an essential side to any festive Turkish meal.
- Turkish baklava: made with Gaziantep pistachios - ultra-thin filo pastry, clarified butter and crushed pistachios in syrup. Very different from Maghrebi baklava.
- The Lokum: Turkish delight in several flavors (rose, pistachio, mint, bergamot) - served at the engagement and the wedding.
- The Sütlaç: Turkish rice pudding, served in small pots and lightly browned on top.
6. Estimated Budget for a French-Turkish Wedding
- Henna evening (kına gecesi): 500€ – 2,000€
- Reception venue: 2,000€ – 7,000€
- Halal Turkish caterer: 50€ – 90€ per person (10,000€ – 18,000€ for 200 guests)
- DJ / music + davul-zurna: 1,000€ – 3,000€
- Outfits (kına entari + wedding gown): 1,500€ – 5,000€
- Photographer / videographer: 1,200€ – 3,000€
- Decor: 1,500€ – 4,000€
- Pastries (baklava, lokum): 500€ – 1,500€
Estimated total budget: 18,000€ – 43,000€ for 150 to 200 guests.
7. Finding Your Vendors on NUPLY
- Turkish and halal caterers: authentic meze, grilled meats, pistachio baklava and lokum
- DJs specializing in Turkish music and hosts for the düğün
- Photographers: accustomed to the kına gecesi, the pinning of gold coins and the davul entrances
Use the NUPLY AI matching to find, in just a few clicks, the vendors available in your city.
In Summary
The French-Turkish wedding is a warm, colorful and generous celebration. From the henna evening in red to the gold coins pinned on the dress, from the pistachio baklava to the sounds of the davul, every moment bears the mark of a thousand-year-old culture. With NUPLY, plan your Turkish wedding in France with the very best vendors. Tebrikler (Congratulations)!
Further reading: French-Lebanese wedding in France · Mixed wedding: an organization guide · Multicultural wedding: combining two traditions