Getting married in Istanbul...

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

I don't know about Iran, but American consulates are in Istanbul and Izmir or the embassy in Ankara. As far as scenic, Ankara is not that nor is it very affordable and it is pretty darn cold if you are getting married in the Winter. Have you checked on the Internet yet for packages? Go with the packages, do yourself a favor with all the planning!

Do you think in my situation it's cost effective to get a package?

My fiance and I are basically just eloping. We don't have the money for the rings and a dress yet, let alone a wedding party. We're just going there to take care of the official civil ceremony, spend some time in a cheap hotel along with 2 of his relatives, go to the beach while we wait on the paperwork and that's it. Later, when we have the money we'll get the rings and I'll get a simple but formal dress (that I could wear more than once) for a reception with his family in Iran. Then we'll have a reception for my family in a year when we arrive in the states. There's not much point in buying a package that includes a big reception when it will only be 4 of us and the hotel staff.

[miamiwife 0]

Okay, so--the point of checking the Internet is because there are packages for every budget including elopment packages! The point is you are paying to have someone do the paperwork for you, unless you are planning on attempting to master Turkish red tape yourself. It is one thing to just go to Las Vegas and get married in your car in a drive thru, but usually if you are getting married in another country somebody needs to know where to go to get the paperwork done so the wedding is legitimate. Since you and your fiance are not from the country where you are getting married then it would probably be helpful to find someone who can get your paperwork stamped a million times like the Turks like it, translated, and notarized. The wedding doesn't have to be a traditional American wedding in Turkey! You are going to be in front of a civil officiant, say I marry so and so, sign a paper and you are done. You don't need to wear a Vera Wang dress and you don't need an expensive ring, or a ring at all. You don't say vows, you don't exchange rings, you are just doing paperwork.

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

I looked at these wedding planner sites but they seemed expensive. Maybe it's cheaper to just go to their office on arrival. I'm waiting for two of them to email me back to see if they can handle just the paperwork and interpreter alone. I emailed one last week but they still haven't responded so I emailed a different one. Hopefully they will get back to me. Otherwise, I might look up marriage lawyers to see if they could do the paperwork. Once it's over and done with I'll report back on the costs, difficulties or ease of it all.