Weddings & Events in Turkey. Corporate party and wedding planning in Turkey

Practical tips for planning weddings and events in Turkey

1. If the warm sea is not a priority for your event, there is an opportunity to save 25-35% of the budget by organising your holiday during the low season, which lasts from May to October. During the "March-April" and "Late October-November" periods, the temperatures in the southern resorts of Turkey are comfortable, allowing you to celebrate a wedding or company party outdoors. At this time of the year, hotel prices are lower and there will be no problem booking rooms for all the guests. At the peak of the tourist season it will be much more difficult to book the hotel and restaurant of your choice for the event.

2. Inviting guests to an event abroad is best done well in advance, so that everyone has enough time to plan their travel. Ideally, invitations for a wedding or corporate event in Turkey should be sent out 6-8 months before the event. If the decision to hold the event is made much closer to the date, you must be prepared for the fact that some of the guests will not be able to attend due to holidays already planned in another country or other important reasons.

3. First of all, try to decide and agree on the style of your wedding or party, as this will determine the design of the invitations, the choice of venue, artists, decorations and dress code for your event.

4. Do not expect to reduce your expenses by buying last-minute tours. It is too unpredictable, both in terms of tickets on charter flights and the number of hotel rooms available. By booking early, you are more likely to save 10-20% on the cost of the tour.
Also, when organising a wedding on a limited budget, some newlyweds agree with their guests that they will fly to Turkey for the wedding at their own expense and the bride and groom will pay for all accommodation, food and entertainment.

Unique 3D dress show with projection in the style of your event Book the best show and artists in Turkey.

5. Create chat and telegram channels (separate for guests and contractors). This is convenient for publishing all important information: about the resort, hotel, transfers, upcoming programme and activities.

6. The easiest way to organise a wedding/corporate event is in a five star all-inclusive Turkish hotel. You have a predictable budget in advance and a wide choice of dishes. But the main advantage is that the entire infrastructure of the hotel is at your disposal: comfortable conference rooms and banquet halls; equipped pier and beach for a photo shoot or wedding ceremony; SPA salons; entertainment programmes (including evening concerts and children's animation). This saves a lot of time for transfers, catering and leisure activities for your guests.

7. There are organisational issues that Turkish contractors and event agencies cannot do without (e.g. renting sound equipment, lighting, LED screen). After all, it is too expensive and time-consuming to bring sound portals and all the stage equipment to Turkey through customs. It is much more convenient to order everything you need from a local rental company. However, it is important that this company has an appropriate person who speaks your language (or English) to draw up a quotation and contract.
If you have been recommended a trusted wedding or event agency in Turkey, this can help to resolve issues where knowledge of the Turkish language and local legislation is required. In any case, working with a professional is a must when planning a corporate party or wedding abroad.

8. When planning a wedding on the beach from May to September, it is better to choose a time when the heat has already subsided (at sunset) or to order an awning for the guests. It is also important to remind guests to change their shoes or to make sure they have comfortable walking shoes.

9. If you book a photo or video shoot, you must bear in mind that the drone pilot (without whom it is difficult to present a full video report of the event) must register his quadcopter if it weighs more than 500 grams. The same applies to any commercial flight. Drones are registered with the Turkish Aviation Authority (SAMA).

10. If your dream was an intimate wedding or a private party for 15-30 guests, a beautiful villa with a pool could be the ideal option. However, you must bear in mind that you cannot avoid organisational problems with off-site catering or the purchase of products for guest chefs. You will also need to hire several villas (ideally close together) to accommodate all the guests for at least 2 days. Usually the main (large) villa will be used for a wedding or corporate party and a smaller villa for living, but with the same level of comfort (sea view, pool, etc.) so that no one is offended that they have been accommodated in worse conditions than others.
To search for apartments you can use Airbnb, Tiger Villas or Booking.

Laser Harp and Opera Diva Show Book the original laser show with different styles of music for an event in Turkey.

11. If possible, try to keep all guests in the same hotel (on the same floor or in the same building). This will make coordination and charges easier.

12. If the budget of the event allows, it is better to bring artists to Turkey for the festive show programme. This is due to the fact that local artists do not always match the level or style of the holiday, and this can be difficult to understand from a distance. It is not for nothing that all five-star Turkish hotels invite non-local artists to perform. Also, Turkish contractors can change their plans at the last minute, leaving you with no alternative. In addition, local wedding agencies will resell any show programme at a higher price. If possible, when organising an event abroad, it is better to work with those artists in whom you have 100% confidence and who understand you.

13. A corporate or wedding party on a yacht can be a surprising and original option for your event. This form of celebration in the middle of the sea will certainly be one of the most vivid memories of all those present. However, it is necessary to understand all the complexities of the event on a yacht. Firstly, if the weather is bad and stormy, the celebration will have to be postponed to another day. But it is not certain that it will be the next day, as the yacht may already be booked by someone else, or the bad weather may continue for several days. Secondly, after spending more than an hour on the yacht, some guests may feel ill, with nausea and headaches. If, after considering all the risks of having a wedding or corporate party on a yacht, you decide to go ahead with this option, discuss with the captain the possibility of a calm route with minimal pitching. The benchmark for the cost of renting a yacht in Turkey can be from $600 for the whole day.

14. If your event in Turkey lasts for several days, the question arises as to what the guests will do in their free time after the event. Fortunately, Turkey is dotted with sights from the Hellenic, Persian, Roman, Byzantine and Arab cultures. It is better to think about the routes of sightseeing tours or active entertainment in advance and reserve transport for them.

15. However ideal the organisation of a long-distance event may be, when you arrive things may change or not be what you expected. Therefore, it is better to fly to Turkey a few days before the event in order to orient yourself on the spot. While you are there, you may come up with new ideas or realise that old ones need to be corrected.

16. For a foreign event, artists with a minimum number of riders are ideal, but at the same time they can surprise the guests of your holiday. For example, only 3 people from our team perform in 3 different shows, which will allow you to have a full show programme at minimal cost: LAFESTA music band, laser harp show and show of the 3D dress singer.

Stylish music band LAFESTA Fragments of performances at various company parties, celebrations and weddings.

The main venues for weddings and corporate parties in Turkey

Cappadocia

The most unusual location for an event in Turkey may be Göreme National Park in Cappadocia, which combines unique scenery, ancient settlements in the rocks and many cave churches. This area is so common in travel reviews and Instagram photos that it is included in the top 10 world attractions, along with the Pyramids of Giza, Niagara Falls and the Norwegian fjords.

The most obvious idea is to use this beauty for a wedding photo shoot in Cappadocia. Not only are there amazing cone-shaped rocks, but also cave churches with ancient frescoes. This open-air museum can also be used for exciting event quests and team building. Activities can take place in rocky valleys as well as in underground cities that are over 3,000 years old.

Another feature of Cappadocia is the wide range of hot air balloons that can be hired for a 45-90 minute flight over the picturesque landscape. The balloon basket can hold up to 32 people, making it ideal for small company parties. A hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia is also perhaps the most romantic option for a marriage proposal or a symbolic wedding ceremony with a photo session. We recommend booking a flight 2 months in advance and allowing several days for this event, as hot air balloons only take to the skies in favourable weather conditions. The cost of a one-hour flight usually ranges from $140 to $250 (per person), depending on the balloon, the operator and the number of people.

The choice of hotels in Cappadocia is too great to list. Here are just a few of the most memorable ones in our opinion, with such important features as a terrace overlooking the Valley of the Stone Columns and comfortable rooms carved into the rock, or similar authentic interiors. After all, it is for the sake of such impressions that people go to organise their wedding or corporate party in Cappadocia.

9 best hotels in Cappadocia (from cheapest to most expensive):
- Local Cave House has an outdoor pool with panoramic views of the Goreme Valley.
- Traveller's Cave - this hotel has a huge terrace on top of Mount Goreme.
- Kelebek Special Cave Hotel - a cave hotel with a traditional Turkish bath.
- Taskonaklar Hotel
- Yunak Evleri - a hotel that resembles a small ancient city in the rocks. If you hire it for a wedding or company party, your celebration will take place in its own cosy little world in the middle of Cappadocia.
- Sacred House has an original design that combines the style of a Gothic castle and a luxurious 19th century European villa.
- Argos Hotel - a beautiful hotel on the site of a former monastery with authentic rooms and stone-carved decor.
- The Museum Hotel Cappadocia is an excellent hotel that makes you feel like you are staying in a real museum as all the rooms are decorated with antiques.
- Gamirasu Cave Cappadocia is a hotel carved directly into the rock and has luxurious rooms furnished in caves.

Wedding in Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Another amazing location in Turkey is the snow-white terraces of Pamukkale, made up of a cascade of thermal baths. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is perfect for a wedding photo shoot. The complex is open from 6am to 7pm, so if you stay in one of the nearby hotels the day before, you can get to the site in the morning before the main crowds.
Near Pamukkale is the Archaeological Museum of Hierapolis, which includes one of the best Roman amphitheatres for 15,000 spectators, and the Cleopatra Thermal Baths, where the ruins and columns of an ancient temple have been preserved in the water. Admission to the pool is from 08:00 to 19:00 and costs $10. All these attractions make a strong case for organising a trip to Pamukkale for your wedding or corporate party guests on a day off.

Unfortunately, there are few comfortable hotels near this ancient spa (mostly mini-hotels that look like private apartments), but we have selected a few notable options:
- «Sahin Hotel»
- «Venus Suite Hotel»
- «Pamukkale Melrose Viewpoint Suites»
- «Hierapark Thermal»

Weddings and corporate parties in Bodrum

This town on the Aegean is perhaps the most convenient of all the Turkish resorts for wedding planning. Bodrum has excellent nightclubs, picturesque coves, 18th century windmills (between Gumbet and Bardakchi bays), the Knights Hospitaller's fortress (St Peter's Castle), an amphitheatre and a fine selection of hotels. All this range of attractions and comfortable infrastructure makes the task of planning private events as easy as possible.

11 of the best hotels in Bodrum, offering luxurious services and everything you need for wedding banquets and corporate parties (restaurants, catering, conference rooms, stage equipment, etc.):
- «Be Premium Bodrum»
- «Kaya Palazzo & Residences Bodrum»
- «Kempinski Barbaros Bay Bodrum»
- «Susona Bodrum, LXR Hotels & Resorts»
- «Caresse a Luxury Collection»
- «Rixos Premium Bodrum»
- «Xanadu Island Hotel»
- «Swissotel Bodrum Beach»
- «Bodrum EDITION»
- «Lujo Bodrum A`la Carte»
- «Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum»

Getting married in Marmaris and Fethiye

These cosy resorts at the confluence of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas look like something out of a tourist postcard: many picturesque islands, yacht bays, sandy headlands and the most pleasant climate on the Turkish coast, with moderate humidity that keeps you cool even on the hottest days.
Unique wedding photos can be taken near the 20-metre Sogut waterfall, on the sandy spit of Kiz Kumu, on the most beautiful beach in Turkey in Oludeniz Bay, on the beach with sand dunes in Patara, in the valley of the butterflies and on the Marmaris pier, which is full of yachts with snow-white sails.

Below are hotels that have their own beaches and vibrancy, creating comfortable conditions for a corporate party or a wedding party.
- Angels Marmaris Hotel
- D Maris Bay - a new hotel with a cascade of panoramic terraces, situated in a quiet bay surrounded by pine forests and mountains.
- Jiva Beach in Fethiye has a huge area (35,000 sqm) and has a natural lake with 5 pools.
- Club Tuana Hotel (17 km from Fethiye) - is located at the junction of the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea and has its own orange groves, park areas near the sea. This gives you a good choice of location when planning a multi-day corporate or wedding programme.
- Liberty Lykia (Oludeniz) with a huge private beach 750 metres long, 19 swimming pools and a golf course.

Wedding and private party in Antalya

This tourist centre of Turkey makes life as easy as possible for wedding and event agencies, as many contractors, artists, hotels and picturesque locations are concentrated in this region. Here are just a few of the sights that will help to decorate the festive leisure and photo session:
- The Old City of Antalya (Kaleiçi district) is a beautiful area in the old city centre. It is famous for its triumphal arch (Hadrian's Gate, 130 AD) and its authentic narrow streets lined with cosy Ottoman-style restaurants and mini-hotels.
- Antalya Aquarium is one of the largest aquarium complexes in the world, with luxurious decorations, 40 themed aquariums and the world's largest tunnel aquarium (131 metres).
- Antalya's waterfalls (Lower Duden, Upper Duden and Kursunlu).
- The ancient city of Aspendos, 35 km from Antalya, has a preserved Roman amphitheatre, the longest aqueduct in Turkey and a 13th century bridge.

The most comfortable Antalya hotels for a corporate event or wedding celebration:
- «Nirvana Cosmopolitan»
- «Ramada Plaza Antalya»
- «Fame Residence Lara»
- «Delphin Imperial Lara»
- «Swandor Hotels Resorts Topkapi Palace»
- «Titanic Beach Hotel»
- «Lara Barut Collection»
- «Titanic Mardan Palace»
- «IC Hotels Residence»

Wedding and corporate party planning in Kemer

Kemer is a small and cosy town surrounded by a pine forest and picturesque rocky beaches. Nearby are some of the best hotels on the Turkish coast, perfect for weddings and honeymoons.
- Doubletree By Hilton Kemer
- Nirvana Lagoon Villas Suites & Spa (Beldibi) has a 900-metre private beach, 3 piers and 14 swimming pools.
- Robinson Club (Cirali) - Orange County Resort was built in the style of colourful Amsterdam, with Flemish frescoes, windmills, canals and bridges.
- Pirate's Beach Club
- Rixos Sungate
- Rixos Premium Tekirova
- Nirvana Dolce Vita is an excellent resort hotel located on a secluded beach surrounded by pine forests and the Taurus Mountains.

Belek and Side private event organisation

Belek is considered the golf capital of Europe, as this small resort town has 15 golf courses, including hotel infrastructure (all courses are located in the best five-star hotels). Therefore, this location can be an ideal option if the concept of your corporate event is a golf tournament.
Next to Belek is the ancient port town of Side, famous for the marble columns of the ancient Greek temple of Apollo (they are especially stunning at sunset or with beautiful night lighting). But the main pearl of this region is located 15 km from Belek in the ancient city of Aspendos, which has one of the most beautiful ancient amphitheatres (Zenon's Theatre Palace) with a capacity of 15,000 spectators, a Roman aqueduct and a bridge.

10 best hotels in Belek and Side (from cheapest to most expensive):
- «Alva Donna Exclusive Hotel & Spa»
- «Xanadu Resort»
- «Kaya Palazzo»
- «Kempinski The Dome»
- «Cornelia De Luxe»
- «Selectum Luxury Resort»
- «Gloria Serenity»
- «Rixos Premium Belek»
- «Regnum Carya»
- «Maxx Royal Belek Golf Resort»
- «Adam & Eve»

Event and wedding party in Alanya

Alanya, which is part of the Turkish Riviera, attracts honeymooners and event organisers not only with its long beaches, shipyard, beautiful Seljuk fortress on a rock, but also with its excellent infrastructure. However, two of the main attractions are outside the town: the fantastic Dim Cave with underground dripstone galleries (12 km from Alanya) and the picturesque Sapadere Canyon with a walking path along waterfalls, rocky crevices and stone bridges (50 km from Alanya). All this allows you to choose a suitable location for a photo session of newlyweds or guests of your Turkish corporate party.

Below is a list of the most memorable and cosy hotels for event planning (from cheap to expensive):
- Villa Turka Hotel (centre of Alanya) - a romantic hotel in the style of a mini castle with a panoramic view of the fortress and the Mediterranean Sea.
- Sirius Deluxe (Avsallar village).
- Granada Luxury Beach-Ultra (Avsallar)
- Utopia World (Alanya) - has an amazing location on top of a cliff surrounded by a fortress wall.
- Azura Deluxe (Avsallar)
- Rubi Platinum Spa Resort & Suites

Corporate party and wedding planning in Istanbul

If you want your holiday to take place between Europe and Asia in the former capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, then Istanbul is the perfect choice. The advantage of such a large city (15 million inhabitants) over resorts is that there is the widest choice of all the suppliers you need for your holiday: stylists, decorators, equipment suppliers, show artists and event providers. The fact that everything you need is concentrated in one city, and that it is easier for foreign guests to get to Istanbul than anywhere else in Turkey, will save some of the event budget.

List of the best locations and hotels in Istanbul for a wedding or event party:
- «Ajia Hotel» s located 23 km from Istanbul, but is housed in a beautiful Ottoman-style mansion (1870) and has a large terrace with access to the shores of the Bosphorus.
- «Adile Sultan Sarayı» is one of the most prestigious places in Turkey to hold an event. It is the summer palace of Sultan Abdulaziz (built in 1861 on the shores of the Bosphorus) and has a summer garden, beautiful interiors and halls.
- «Dersaadet Hotel» is located in a XIX century Ottoman building on an old street in the heart of Istanbul. The hotel's terrace offers a panoramic view of the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus.
- «Sait Halim Pasa Yalisi» is a 19th-century mansion that has 11 rooms with various luxurious interiors and a furnished terrace.
- «Fairmont Quasar Hotel» has a beautiful infinity pool overlooking the Bosphorus.

- «Feriye Lokantası Palace» is one of the best venues for corporate events and weddings in Istanbul. The restaurant offers a beautiful view of the historical centre and the Bosphorus.
- «Pera Palace Hotel» - a hotel-museum built in 1892, combining neoclassical, oriental and art nouveau styles, with a magnificent view of the Golden Horn.
- «Seven Hills Palace» is a spa hotel located in the heart of the old city, within walking distance of the Grand Bazaar, the Blue Mosque and Constantine's Column.
- «Vera Yıldız Park» - a restaurant with one of the best views of the Bosphorus. It can accommodate up to 600 people for banquets.
- «JW Marriott Istanbul Bosphorus» is a beautiful hotel with a comfortable restaurant and a terrace on the top floor with a panoramic view of the Bosphorus and the Galata Tower.
- «Four Seasons Sultanahmet». This unusual hotel is housed in the building of an old Ottoman prison and has been restored in a light neoclassical style.
- «Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul» has one of the best multi-level terraces in Turkey with a swimming pool and rooftop restaurant.
- «Marmara Esma Sultan» - an elegantly restored 1875 mansion given by the Ottoman Sultan to his daughter as a wedding gift. This venue can accommodate up to 1000 guests.
- «CVK Park Bosphorus» is famous for its comfort as well as its rooftop terrace, which offers a panoramic view of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, Topkapi Palace, the Maiden Tower and the Asian side of Istanbul.
- «Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul», perhaps the most charming hotel in Istanbul, is located on the site of the XIX century Ottoman Palace.

List of documents required for a wedding in Turkey

If your wedding is not symbolic but official, the main requirements and a list of documents for registering a marriage in Turkey are described below.
- Official marriages can be conducted either at the consulate / embassy of your country or at the Marriage Offices of local municipalities;
- Personal attendance at the Marriage Office is required to apply for marriage and to complete all the necessary forms;
- There must be two witnesses at the ceremony who are not close relatives of the newlyweds;
- The newlyweds must have the following documents with them: a passport; a national passport; a birth certificate; a health certificate (depending on the region of Turkey) from a state medical institution in Turkey; 6 colour photographs. If one of the young people was previously married, you must have a certificate of divorce (at least 9 months must have passed since the divorce) or the death of a spouse. If one of the spouses is under the age of majority, parental permission for the marriage is required. In some cases (for non-Turkish nationals) a letter from the hotel confirming the dates of your stay is required.
- All documents must be translated into Turkish and copies notarised.

© Ihor Kuksenko www.lafestamusic.info

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