Romantic Beach Wedding in Turkey

Ali & Paul

Located on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, the popular port city of Fethiye, known for its natural harbour and sparkling blue waters was the destination Ali and Paul choose for their beach wedding in Turkey. With the help of wedding planners My Wedding in Turkey by EGG Organisation the couple planned a relaxed “wedding holiday” for 65 of their friends and family.

We wanted warmth and sunshine, a relaxed atmosphere, good food and drink and value for money. Turkey ticked all of our boxes…

The wedding was held at the gorgeous 5 star seafront Yacht Classic Hotel. The ceremony took place on the hotel’s private beach followed by a reception overlooking the marina. We are delighted to share the couples wedding story and images which were beautifully captured be Murat Sarica of Numbeos Photography.

Why a Beach Wedding in Turkey …

We both love Turkey and knew that this would be our wedding destination. We wanted warmth and sunshine, a relaxed atmosphere, good food and drink and value for money. A beach wedding in Turkey ticked all of our boxes as well as being one of our favourite holiday destinations and places to be!

We chose the Yacht Classic Hotel due to the ideal location overlooking the marina and it is not too far from the airport. We also loved the hotel’s style and the service/menu/cost that was offered to us by the hotel. It had a great feel and look, and is a beautiful place for a wedding with no need for many decorations etc.

Wedding Vision…

We wanted a relaxed occasion which didn’t last all day. We wanted an evening of fun and laughter with a ceremony that wasn’t too formal.

Planning…

We used Egg Ltd, who we were recommended to by the hotel. Egg Ltd organised everything for us so all we had to do was make some decisions!

We would recommend Egg Ltd to anyone who wants a stress free wedding. It was so much easier to pay someone else to source/book all the wedding suppliers and make any last minute changes. Totally worth the cost!

The suppliers were all sourced by the wedding planner and were all pretty good. The belly dancer was excellent!

Advantages of having a Wedding Abroad…

It’s an excuse for all guests to have a holiday! The wedding celebrations last more than one day and we got to spend time with many of our closest friends and family away from home for more than one day.

The Biggest Challenges…

I don’t think there were any extra challenges that we wouldn’t have at home except the legal paperwork. The form we had to complete was not easy but only due to the formatting! We also had to apply for a full birth certificate which included our parent’s names. We also had to have our affidavit notarised which was an extra cost and a bit of a pain but nothing major.

The only real disadvantage was the cost of flights and accommodation for our guests and that some older less mobile members of our family were unable to attend.

I wish I had of…

There’s nothing I wish I had known before planning our wedding abroad luckily, as I’d done a lot of research prior to booking, including a pre-booking trip to Turkey to view venues and ask questions (a good excuse for a trip away!).

In hindsight I wish I had discussed my photography more with the photographer prior to the day as I didn’t get a chance to do this properly. Also, I wish I had thought more about the order of the day, timings and ensuring guests had a drink to toast for the speeches! We lost a lot of time due to certain aspects of the day which was a shame.

Extra Activities for Guest…

We both arrange a stag/hen party whilst in Turkey (quad-biking/drinks for the men and lunch for the ladies), as well as pre-wedding drinks the night before the wedding, and a visit to the local waterpark a few days after the wedding. Most guests were staying in the same hotel as us so we were able to spend lots of time with them at dinner, around the pool, on the beach and in the evenings at the bar.

Wedding Ceremony…

Our ceremony took place on a small beach belonging to the Yacht Classic hotel. It commenced at 5pm and started with the Turkish legal part. Following this our Celebrant talked about Paul and I, and about how we met and our strengths as a couple. A close family member then read a poem she’d written herself. We then read our vows which I’d written myself. We incorporated a Turkish traditional red ribbon cutting which our bridesmaids helped with. We finished with exchanging the rings and some final words. We didn’t want a religious element. We wanted it to be informal and light-hearted.

Wedding Reception…

The reception was held in the garden area of the hotel at first, followed by on the hotels’ terrace area over-looking the yachts on the marina. We visited the venue a year prior to the wedding and then a few days before to finalise things. We would certainly recommend this wedding venue as it is smart and beautiful, with professional service and great quality food. It really would impress any guest! Location, food/drink and service were important to us.

On the Day…

11-2.30pm – Bridal party to salon for hair/make-up

2-3pm – All guests and wedding party arrived at venue between

5pm-5.30pm – Ceremony  followed by;

Drinks reception/photos
Speeches
Starter/belly dancer
Main course
Disco/cake cutting/first dance/dessert

11.30pm – Disco finished

3am – Bar closed

Details and Unique Ideas…

I (the bride) made a speech which is not so traditional but really wanted to say some personal thank yous and some words about my husband. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it. It was nice for my husband too.

The Belly Dancer really got everyone into the party mood. I would definitely recommend some sort of fun entertainment like that – and it was traditional Turkish entertainment.

Favourite Part of the Day…

Bride – It was lovely to spend time with my bridesmaids and my mum at the beauty salon being pampered. I really loved walking down the aisle and reading my vows/exchanging rings. Standout moments – Belly dancer, first dance, dancing with my friends and family. Walking down the aisle and saying my vows was probably my most standout moment though.

Groom – Seeing the venue on the wedding day prior to the ceremony, and watching people arrive and seeing their reactions to the venue. Being able to see the last minute preparation being completed. Standout moment  – Watching our children and Ali walking down the aisle!

Wedding Attire…

Bride: Ivory wedding dress from wed2b, fresh flowers from salon for my hair, silver sandals from Quiz, Pandora bracelet and Swarovski crystal stud earrings.

Groom: Jeff Banks Navy Slim fit trousers, Kenneth Cole slim fit white shirt, navy and white polka dot braces from Amazon, Navy canvas shoes from Dune.

Transporting Wedding Attire…

Wedding dress: Travel box which I took as my hand luggage in the cabin (wasn’t very sturdy so wouldn’t buy this again).

Groom: In suitcase

Advice for Planning a Wedding Abroad…

Do lots of research about the legal process/general costs/ease of travel for guests before deciding to get married abroad in case of any surprises.

The Perfect Partners

Wedding planner: My Wedding in Turkey by EGG Organisation // Wedding Photographer: Murat Sarica, Numbeos Photography // Wedding Videographer: Kadir Yargic // Ceremony and Reception Venue: Yacht Classic Hotel, Fethiye, Turkey  // Bridal Dress: Wed2b.com // Brides Shoes: Quia // Grooms Attire: Jeff Banks // Bridesmaids Dress: Lipsy // Hair & Make-Up: Goldfinger salon, Ovacik, Near Olu Deniz Turkey // Ceremony Musicians: Own Music // Wedding Band – DJ: Fa-Re Music // Flowers: Flamingo Florists // Stationery: Zazzle.com // Jayne Caldwell Bridal Alteration Specialist – wedding dress alterations