With the increasing costs of wedding venues, a new project has been implemented for couples getting married. Weddings in a format dubbed as half weddings can now be scheduled for two hours, depending on preference. Article by: Sena Gürbıyık

As wedding season approaches, costs are rising. Many individuals now prefer to have a simple marriage ceremony, prompting the creation of a new wedding model to ease the burden on soon-to-be-wed couples. This practice, which is half the cost of traditional weddings, allows couples to have a short wedding ceremony after their civil marriage.

ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES

In Turkey, nearly 600 thousand couples get married each year. The operators of wedding venues believe that this method is more economical for both themselves and the couples. Adem Sönmez, the President of the Istanbul Wedding Venue Management Chamber, stated, “We have introduced a mini version of the two-hour wedding format, from 13.00 to 17.00 on Saturdays and Sundays.” Wedding venue owner Hakan Karakurt mentioned that this practice will bring a 50% profit margin for couples. Karakurt said, “We hope to benefit our industry by possibly having two programs on Saturdays and Sundays during the day.” A 69% INCREASE In 2024, the cost of getting married has increased by 69%. Moreover, expenses for pre-wedding events, honeymoon, and gifts were not included in this percentage. The Istanbul Meeting and Wedding Venue Operators Craftsmen’s Association is requesting a reduction in the VAT rate from 20% to 10% to lower prices.