Tell us a little about yourselves!
We are Buket and Semih and have been together since high school. We adore cinema and music. We are fans of David Lynch (dreamy, kitsch, romantic), Quentin Tarantino (wildly red and vibrant atmosphere), and John Cassavetes (raw reality with expressive body language). Concerning our music taste, we share a deep love for art rock, acid jazz, funk, synth pop, new wave and early Byzantine church music; we know it's a lot!
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
The venue OD Urla, nestled among olive trees, was absolutely perfect for our intimate gathering in every imaginable way. Its backdrop from an antique past, infrangible silence and pleasant climate provided the ideal atmosphere. And to add the cherry on top, it boasted one of Turkey's most exquisite dining establishments (which truly exceeded expectations!).
How many guests did you have?
It was an intimate wedding with 18 guests only, with friends who joined us from around the world.
What was your budget?
20k USD.
Tell us about your outfits.
The very first thing we did was buy my wedding dress. I just thought of one person, and it was Vivienne Westwood. She imbues her creations with historicity, personal know-how, and intuition with a subtle balance between bewitching charm and intriguing mystery. I am deeply connected to Vivienne Westwood’s works and greatly respect her vision. After trying nearly all of her bridal collections, I went with the one I had liked from the very beginning: Cora Cocotte. All the rest was to complete the look that teeters between Punk, Baroque, and Romantique. I had a messy up-do with metallic accentuation on my makeup and a red, cherry and blackish bouquet.
As for the groom, the biggest inspiration was Tony Montana, so the vibe was to be a remix of Mafia and Cowboy style. For that, we chose a more bespoke approach for Semih. To add a romantic touch, we chose his colour palette with a lemony cream Italian fabric for the suit and rose silk shirt; the rest was extremely casino and western style with smoky cowboy boots and dark calla lily, and hair was shiny, sleeked back.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
There is so much to say. First and foremost, we wanted it to be spontaneous and effortless because we were so few and wanted to enjoy every moment however it came. So, without being drowned in the details, we aimed for our wedding to give the guests “our vibe” from the colour palette to the feeling of objects. Instead of an all white daydreaming wedding, we chose what reflects the best our aesthetic gaze: raw, brutal, sweet-dark romantic and gothic. Throughout our planning, we wanted our wedding to embody a dazzling and multifaceted persona as a crossover that defies easy categorization.
An art-focused approach is what works for us. With every choice, we wanted our considerations to reflect and pay tribute to our undying love and a soft spot for cinema and music, from the most miniature objects to colour palettes, fabrics and all. We perceived our wedding as a two-day “art total” experience. So we offered our guests a two-day stay in the same place where we celebrated our wedding and had our ceremony. We wanted to indulge in the nature Urla gave us.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Many. Music, first and foremost. Our playlist was diverse, fun, and surprising, but sometimes it was not surprising at all. We are demanding listeners, and we never want to limit our choices. The Lady in Red, Blue Velvet, and The Flower of Carnage were our three dance songs; however, we did not hesitate to add some dark tones. Rammstein crowned our wedding cake ceremony and had a just perfect fit while we were cutting our strawberry cake with a Japanese katana. The music was symbiosis with all the moments. Drawing inspiration from our most beloved things, we wanted to distil and weave music into each moment.
Food was also one of the most essential elements. We were lucky to collaborate with OD Urla, whose culinary philosophy is to highlight the soul of regional products, get the most of Urla's nature and compose them as a dish by offering an art-like culinary experience. Besides, I (Buket) wanted to offer some kind of Turkish romantic touch with rose-flavoured Turkish delights, which I brought from my home-town and scattered in different spots.
Finally, it was the photography and videography. I (Buket) am deeply interested in image ontology and latent visual narratives. For me, it was crucial to work with professionals who would share a similar sensibility with me to the surroundings. We were so happy that our photographer Jo Photo and videographer Bulat Khamidullin fully embraced these unique characteristics. What we were searching for was not a wedding photographer in a strict sense but someone with a beautiful camera, who would accompany us during the day and capture our exciting moments. We were so lucky to collaborate with such artists who documented our most special day with perspectives of all kinds, with cuts and shots reflecting an unstoppable visual veracity but never without putting aside the love in the air.
Any tips for couples getting married?
We believe the answers are always within, especially when you are planning your most “special day”.
PS : Always remember: impossible is just a word, but off-budget is a thing!
Photographer: Jo Photo @jophotoweddings | Videographer: Bulat Khamidullin @bulatagramm | Ceremony + Reception Location: OD Urla @odurla | Entertainment, Flora, Styling + Planning: Jovie Events @jovieevents | Makeup: Burcu Taş @burkhu | Hair: Mustafa Akgül @mustafa_akguul | Catering + Beverages: OD Urla @odurla | Cake: Pasta Kodu @pastakodu | Stationery: Ay Paper Studio @aypaperstudio | Bride's Dress, Gloves + Earrings: Vivienne Westwood @viviennewestwood | Veil: Vakko Wedding @vakko | Groom's Suit, Shirt + Shoes: Custom Royal Wiseman Bespoke by Musa Çakmak, Istanbul | Engagement Rings: Nasilia Jewelry @nasiliajewelry | Wedding Rings: Louise Conrad @louisenotvuitton | Bride's Shoes: Prada @prada | Earrings: Leigh Miller Jewelry @leighmillerjewelry | Bag: Made by Bride's Mother | Brides Fragrance: Roses on Ice Kilian @kilianparis | Grooms Fragrance: Santal 33 Le Labo @lelabofragrances
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