Çırağan Palace Makes The Most Magical Setting For A Turkish Wedding
From the city to the seaside, magical moments made real with weddings to be inspired by…
Natasha Khan met Renaldo Samlal at medical school in 2012. They were both studying to be doctors at The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). Even though their class size was small, and they had numerous mutual aquaintances, the pair really got to know each other when they were randomly placed together on an elective in Philadelphia in 2016. “We quickly became friends. After landing, on our first day in Philadelphia, we went sight-seeing and really enjoyed one another’s company. Once back in Dublin, it took Renaldo a few months to work up the courage to ask me out on a date but when he finally did it was to see the horror movie Get Out,” recalls Natasha.
The couple were together for six years before Renaldo popped the question. Their school would play backdrop for his wonderfully romantic proposal, although his plans were nearly foiled when he popped the question. Natasha explains laughingly: “We now live in London so I found it suspicious when Renaldo booked us tickets to go to Dublin for the weekend to visit my best friend who still lives there.
I was even more suspicious when he suggested we go to tour our old alma mater, RCSI. He had gotten in contact with student support and asked them to help arrange a room for the proposal which they did. Unfortunately, we had a late night the Saturday before and were slightly later than what we had told the university. I do recall Renaldo’s face dropping when he saw a large group touring the university that day, having been told it would be empty. He was then pacing from room to room trying to re-calculate his plan of attack. While this was happening, we stopped by our Class of 2017 graduation photo and tried to spot ourselves amongst the other 260 students. Simultaneously we found ourselves and realised we were standing right next to each other. We shared a sentimental moment before Renaldo dropped down on one knee and pulled out the ring. It was perfect for us and makes for a great dinner table story now.”
The pair took 10 months to plan their wedding and chose Turkey as their destination of choice. Although Dubai has been home to Natasha for 30 years, with family and friends flying in from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, and Pakistan, they felt that the location worked best geographically. “We love the blend of East and West that Istanbul is so well known for. My mother and sister scouted 15 different venues, eventually choosing the Kempinski hotel – a former Ottoman palace built in 1863 – also known as the Çırağan Palace. The property is located on the Bosporus with beautiful views. Both Renaldo and I love history so we appreciated the stunning architecture and grandeur of this particular venue. For the welcome party, we chose the rooftop at Soho House. Our wedding nikah (religious ceremony) was at Çamlıca Mosque,” says Natasha.
Natasha’s mother and sisters helped plan the celebration which kicked off with the welcome party on the Soho house rooftop with the theme being ‘Amazonian Disco’. “We incorporated lots of greenery, palm trees and disco balls, set among loungers overlooking the pool,” she tells us.
“For the main event at Çırağan Palace, we chose tones of navy blue and beige with white flowers. We also incorporated Turkish ceramics which were intricate in design, and vibrant colours like blue and turquoise with Islamic motifs, like floral patterns, Arabesques and geometric designs. Our seating plan table names were inspired by the cities we had travelled together to,” divulges the recent-bride.
Natasha’s wardrobe for her wedding was just as global as her guest list. “My dress for the nikah and wedding reception was by the House of Kamiar Rokni, a fashion designer in Lahore, Pakistan. I was so lucky to have found Kamiar. From start to finish he and his team did a great job with both outfits. It started off with a few pieces and fabrics I had seen and liked after which Kamiar sketched two custom-made dresses. He kept me up to date with pictures and videos during the whole process, which started in December 2023. I finally went to try them on in July 2024.
December 2023. I finally went to try them on in July 2024. My lengha [skirt] and choli [top] were embellished with threadwork and mukaish which is an ancient embroidery craft using metallic wires. The whole thing sparkled and was better than I could have even pictured in my head,” remembers Natasha. The bride wore heirloom jewellery that was given to her by her mother and aunts which was the perfect finish to her bridal looks.
Natasha’s advice to engaged couples? “Don’t be afraid to be yourself at your event regardless of how many people are watching you. Guests can sense if the couple are having fun and will feed off your good vibes and energy.”
Photography by Derya Engin
From Harpers Bazaar Arabia’s Bride Autumn/Winter 2024 Issue