Turkish brides wear cash sewn on veils
April 26, 2012Can anybody explain this photograph recently taken by Daniele Pellegrini?
The caption reads, “A bride wears bank notes on her veil as part of an Islamic wedding in central Turkey,” but I suspect a creative reader could come up with a better caption than that.
A separate website offers some background that sheds some light on Turkish weddings:
…Weddings in Turkey are a lavish affair with celebrations that may last for several days before and after the actual marriage ceremony. The traditional gifts for the bride and groom are money and gold. There are no European or American style wedding lists. Prior to the wedding, the respective families buy furniture and household goods for the young couple. Guests do not give the newlyweds towels, toasters or pots. Instead, they shower the bride, literally, with banknotes and coins. Every jeweler in Turkey sells coins for the occasion. Red is the color of good luck and fortune; therefore, the gold coins, which serve as wedding gifts, come with a tiny red silk bow and a pin attached. On the evening of the marriage ceremony, bride and groom make their formal entrance…
