2009

We decided to get married on your yacht in turkey because we liked the fact it was a bit different and our own private venue. Initially I was a bit worried about booking over the internet but after speaking to Carole on the phone felt alot less apprehensive as she answered every question with complete knowledge. I was worried slightly as we had 50 guest with 8 kids however there was a kids table with a chaperone specifically for them which was fantastic as the adults were able to enjoy their meal. The boat was decorated in our chosen colours of silver and white and looked absolutely stunning. The ceremony was short and very relaxed which was exactly what we wanted. I was worried about the quality of the food as it was a bbq reception obviously cooked on the boat but it was fabulous and we all went back for more!! The wedding was planned with military precision and I would advise anyone to give Carole your basic requirements and then just let her do the rest not to worry she'll sort any problem or query you have. We kept the venue of our wedding (a yacht) from our guests and Carole helped us keep it a surprise for them. The only complaint I would have about our wedding was that it went to fast and I would like to do it all again. Every one of our guests said that it was one of the best if not the best wedding they’d ever been to. We went for the full package and there is no way we could have afforded the same wedding in the UK. We also hired the belly dancer which was worth every penny as it got everyone up dancing and provided lots of laughs. The photos are beautiful and the DVD fantastic Karen and Chris lewis 18TH JUNE

We had an amazing day. From the very beginning of booking the wedding Carole was very organised and helped us with every aspect of the wedding. The boat looked beautiful on the day and all our guests commented on what a lovely wedding it was. It really was everything we ever wanted and more. The perfect wedding in the perfect location. Thanks, Claire and Dan 25th May

Dear Carole, Anne & Sarah I just wanted to email you to pass on our thanks for the wedding on the 28th September. We were really impressed with everything. The boat looked wonderful, the cake was amazing and the food went down a treat. All our guests commented on the setting and how impressive it all was and how much they enjoyed the whole event. The photographs are wonderful as is the video for which we are most grateful. The only thing we wish is that it could have lasted longer - in our minds it was over in a flash and we'd quite happily do it all again tomorrow. Thank you for all your hard work - especially to Anne for driving us all the way to Antalya and back! Rather you than us!! The wedding was truly amazing and I'm thoroughly depressed to be back in the UK, at work, where it's 3 degrees outside. Life is so unfair sometimes. Take care of yourselves and enjoy the time off that you have. Best wishes Caroline and Ritchie Cleasby(!) 28th September

We booked the wedding day package a year ago, my daughter and future son in law wanted a particular date for the wedding so they were delighted that the date was available. They paid a 20% deposit and the wedding was booked. After we had booked the wedding day package, Carole kept in touch with us and answered all emailed questions within 24 hours, which we thought was great. We chose a beach location rather than a yacht because some of our party suffered from seasickness. The wedding day extras we paid for locally were for flowers, buttonholes, hair and make-up, microlite plane petal drop, and obviously we brought with us from the UK the wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses, rings etc. Plus of course, you and your guests have the cost of your holiday flights and accommodation on top but as we all treated the wedding as part of our annual holiday, it worked out really well for all of us. We booked a holiday at a hotel in Oludeniz using a UK travel agent. There are many hotels to choose from to suit your budget. My daughter and son in law booked a holiday for 2 weeks with the majority of other guests booking for one week, the wedding was held during the second week. Upon arrival at her hotel in Olu Deniz, my daughter was contacted by Carole and arrangements were made for the couple to travel to Antalya to complete the paperwork and the medical (NO blood tests are needed for British Couples) they needed the following- a certificate of non impediment which they obtained from the local registry office 3 months before the wedding, full birth certificates, full British passports and 6 passport size photos each. They travelled to Antalya in an air con car with driver completed the paperwork/medical, had lunch included, then they were driven to meet Carole in Fethiye and they chose the colours for the table/chair decorations and also chose the flowers and cake. They gave Carole a copy of their chosen wedding music, which they had brought from the UK. They were given a Turkish mobile phone to use to contact Carole should there be any problems/questions. By the time I arrived at the hotel (coming for the second week) everything had been arranged. At 12.30 on the day of the wedding, we (Bride, Bridesmaids, Grooms Mum and me) were picked up from our hotel and taken to a gorgeous beauty salon in Hisaronu a few miles away from Olu Deniz. The salon was very modern and cool with great air-con and the staff were lovely. A British lady named Sharon ran it and she made us feel very at ease, a lot of giggles went on that afternoon. She had a book of hairstyles that she had done for previous brides and bridesmaids so you could choose any style you wanted. There were also four lovely Turkish staff working on us, doing hair, make-up, nails and toes etc, we felt really pampered. Because my daughter was going to wear a veil and didn’t want to return from the salon to the hotel wearing it, when we were all ready, Sharon came back to the hotel with us, she waited patiently while we helped the bride to get dressed then she put my daughters veil on for her. By this time, we had just half an hour left before the wedding, which was booked for 5.30pm. ( I looked out on the balcony of our room and could see that the other guests had all gone to the awaiting coach which was booked for 5pm) I called my husband and told him that our ‘little girl’ was ready…she looked stunning and I felt quite tearful…so did her dad :-) We all left the room and we saw that the hotel maids were all sitting on the wall outside our room cheering and clapping, this carried on as we walked through the hotel grounds with the guests all clapping and cheering and the waiters whistling and waving, it really was special. The hotel photographer took a few photos of us in the garden and leaving the hotel. The day was very sunny without a cloud and my daughter and her dad got into the wedding car with the rest of us in a car in front. There was a lot of ‘horn honking’ and cheering as the wedding car made its journey to the lagoon. When we arrived at the entrance to the lagoon location, we were greeted by Carole, who pinned on our buttonholes and gave the bouquets to the bride and bridesmaids. Then the first of the two ‘aisle music tracks’ started the first of which was for the grooms mum and me to start walking, followed later by the bridesmaids. I walked down the red carpet, through the trees and saw all the guests sitting by the lagoon on white chairs tied with blue ribbon, I went through an arch of flowers and took my place on a chair in front of the decorated wedding gazebo. I turned around and saw the bridesmaids coming down the aisle looking so very beautiful. Then to the sound of Ennio Morricone’s ‘Gabriels Oboe’ my daughter glided down the aisle with her Dad, there was not a dry eye in sight, she looked like an angel and it was almost ‘surreal’ She was greeted at the arch of flowers by her husband to be; who looked totally astounded at her appearance (She is very much a jeans and tee shirt girl normally with hardly any make up) then the couple went to the wedding gazebo in order for the wedding ceremony to commence. The backdrop of the lagoon and Mountains was so beautiful. The Couple chose traditional Turkish vows, which are very moving. They had two witnesses and a Turkish official conducted the ceremony in Turkish and English. After the wedding ceremony had finished, we all posed for photographs and when it came to the group photo, we heard the sound of the ‘petal drop plane’ approaching. The first petal drop missed us, which caused great hilarity, the plane did another ‘sortie’ if that’s what it is called, and the second petal drop was more successful. The setting sun and the colours of the sky and the lagoon had to be seen to be believed, it went from bright blues, gold’s and oranges to pink and purple, simply stunning. After the photos (The whole event was also being recorded on video) We were all led to the grounds of the restaurant overlooking the lagoon a few yards back from the wedding gazebo, where decorated tables awaited us. We had some wine then made the speeches using a microphone, the speeches being very funny and very emotional too. I found it difficult to remove the lump from my throat. Then came the champagne toasts, we then got up to help ourselves to the most delicious food, consisting of kebabs, baked potatoes with cheese, chips, salads, meat, pasta, vegetables, bread rolls and butter, etc. It was really nice and so fresh. After we had finished the meals at our tables, it was time for the cutting of the cake, which again was delicious. The wine served with the meals and all evening was superb. Now it was time for the bride and grooms first dance as husband and wife, they took to the floor to the sound of Oasis’s ‘slide away’ Then came more dancing with everyone on the dance floor (patio of the restaurant) then more celebrations and dancing on into the evening. The DJ playing anything requested. I watched my daughter and son-in law looking so very happy, I watched people wiping away tears from their eyes, I watched my grandson playing in the sand with other children of the party and I felt utterly content, I couldn’t have wished for anything else for my daughters wedding. It will remain etched in my memory always. Finally at about 11.30 the coach came to collect us and return us back to our hotel, although the bride and groom and some of the younger members got off the coach at ‘the strip’ and continued to celebrate with much applause from holiday makers, waiters, bar staff etc, At one of the bars, the bridesmaids sang a karaoke song for the newly weds. Would I recommend getting married in Turkey?…with bells on! Everybody is saying that it was the best wedding ever and I would second that. If you like a lot of formality with pomp and ceremony then perhaps a beach wedding would not suit you, but if, like my daughter and son in law, you want something relaxed and different in a beautiful location surrounded by family and friends, then I highly recommend it. The photographer gave the bride and groom a wedding album containing photos plus the photo disc with 354 high quality photos plus a very high quality video of the wedding…this was included in the wedding day package, an absolute bargain I would say…. any question please or if you would like to see the wedding photographs please feel free to email me – lynnehayes@hotmail.co.uk