A Wedding in Ordu: Friendship, Culture, and Unforgettable Memories

A Memorable Wedding Experience in Ordu, Turkey

One of the most unforgettable experiences during my time in Turkey was attending the wedding of a close friend in the beautiful coastal city of Ordu. We became friends during our master’s studies at Near East University in North Cyprus, and though life had taken us to different cities since then, we stayed in touch. So when he invited us to his wedding with a Turkish girl, I felt both excited and curious. It wasn’t just about celebrating a friend’s big day — it was also a chance to witness a Turkish village wedding up close, something I had never experienced before.

I shared the plan with my two friends, Zuhaib and Sajjad, an Iranian friend. All three of us decided to go together. Ordu is almost 1000 kilometers from Istanbul, so we had to think about the travel carefully. We compared flight and bus prices, and surprisingly, there wasn’t much difference. Since time was important and we wanted to avoid the long and tiring journey by road, we booked an early morning flight.

We left from Levent and reached Sabiha Gökçen Airport in the early hours. The excitement was high. After a smooth flight, we started descending into Ordu around noon. The landing itself was breathtaking — on one side of the plane, there were lush green mountains, and on the other, the deep blue waters of the Black Sea. For a moment, it looked like the airplane was landing into the sea! That scene alone was worth the trip.

After landing, we took a taxi to the venue where our friend was staying. We waited for him there, and soon he arrived and took us to the nikah ceremony. The nikah was held in a simple but respectful environment, and once the official part was done, we went straight to their family house in a nearby village.

What surprised me the most was how much the village reminded me of my own home in Pakistan. The people were warm and friendly, and most of them were involved in agriculture. They had wide fields full of hazelnut trees and even kept cows. It felt like a blend of familiarity and newness. It was a beautiful feeling to find something so common between our cultures, despite being in a different part of the world.

That evening, since our friend was busy with preparations for the big ceremony the next day, we had dinner at a nearby restaurant. The food was simple but delicious. We then went to stay at a guest house arranged for us in the city.

The next morning, after a hearty Turkish breakfast, we traveled to their village house for the main wedding ceremony. What happened there was beyond anything I had imagined. One by one, the guests started arriving — but they didn’t just walk in silently. Each guest was welcomed with drummers playing traditional Turkish wedding beats. It created such an energetic and festive mood right from the start. It was very different from our weddings, where usually everyone comes together at once. Here, people kept arriving throughout the day, and the atmosphere kept getting more joyful.

The food was another highlight. From morning until evening, they served a meat soup with white rice, and though it was simple, the taste was incredible. I liked it so much I ended up eating it twice!

Later in the afternoon, the groom and bride arrived after visiting the beauty salon. They were welcomed warmly by the family and guests. A small traditional concert started — first, the bride and groom danced together, followed by guests joining in with their unique cultural dance moves. It was such a heartwarming and lively scene.

Our return flight was scheduled for that same evening, which turned out to be a mistake. The mood was so enjoyable that we didn’t want to leave. People were dancing, laughing, and celebrating with full energy. We realized it would have been better to book a flight the next morning so we could enjoy till the end without rushing.

But despite that small regret, it was an amazing trip, full of culture, tradition, friendship, and joy. This experience gave me a new perspective on Turkish village life and reminded me how much we all share in common as humans — especially when it comes to love, family, and celebration.