Hakan and Merve’s Wedding

Saturday night I suited up for friend Hakan’s wedding to Merve. I met Hakan through my first flatmate in Mersin, Ali. Hakan’s family run a flour sales business.

The wedding was held in the south-facing (shown in the above photo) ballroom on the 46th level of the Taksim International Hotel. The views of Mersin’s city centre at night along with the harbour, Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydani) and the ship lights in the bay provided a great backdrop.

The night was fun with good food (several courses), friends (Hakan’s and Ali’s classmates), Turkish dancing, a five piece band playing Turkish folk songs and a wonderful newly wed husband and wife.

Towards the end of the night, people lined up to congratulate the newly wedded husband and wife, with gifts of gold and money. I placed a 20,000,000-lira note in Hakan’s shirt pocket.

After the wedding, 3 or 4 cars followed the married couple back to their new flat. As is the tradition, each car’s hazard lights were flashing but Hakan discouraged horn beeping as the time was past midnight. Outside the flat we waited for Hakan and Merve to finish changing their clothes and whatever else they were doing. We then went to Cici Kunefe for kunefe!

All the best to Hakan and Merve in their wedded life!

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