THE VENUE

Six Senses Kaplankaya is not just your ordinary luxury wedding super-venue (if there is such a thing). This dreamy destination private estate (and an entire world actually) brims with sheltered coves and sparkling beach villas, 5-star hotels, and awarded restaurants, wellness centers, and SPAs that can literally change your entire being (a molecular neuroscientist has created the holistic anti-aging center for cleansing the body and mind, where you can count on Bod Pod body density calculations -also used by NASA). Six Senses is also where the Monaco-based property developer Burak Öymen lives with his wife, ex-Victoria’s Secret model Tereza Maxová, as do many of their friends in the villas he’s built along the ridges. Here you may rub shoulders with illustrious guests (Author Nevbahar Koç is here hunting for hidden beaches in Öymen’s helicopter, for her next Assouline coffee-table book; Vogue supermodels Eva Herzigová and Karolína Kurková are close friends with the Tereza; Movie stars Bengali cinema’s star Nusrat Jahan married here with designer beau Nikhil Jain). Its scale? Shocking, to say the least, and the fact that two of the world’s ancient wonders (aka The ancient city of Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus) are right on their doorstep can make your head spin. Right from the start, we could easily tell that Piril & Tayga’s wedding at Six Senses Kayaplanka would not a gentle, low-key production;

THE CONCEPT

Creating a Festival of Love can come with so many interpretations and be quite the relative term. For Piril and Tayga, it was all about how their Six Senses Kaplankaya luxury affair would be felt, lived, and enjoyed in a multifold of experiences for their guests. The idea was to devise capsules of mini-events, surprises popping from every corner, distinctive design that would highlight the location, and meld cultural and big day-reminiscent nods; In other words, lace their special day with incredible floral moments, popping hues, and interactivity, topped with … bunting!

THE COLOR PALETTE & ACCENTS

Sweet, warm, playful, but sophisticated, our couple’s palette was a good mix of peachy pinks, corals, candy reds, and creams, rendering a modern but gloriously memorable scheme. Wooden furnishings, cane seating, and rattan accents added to the cozy, long weekender feel; Our twist on bunting came in bold red and peach tassels perfectly placed amidst floral installations and light strings hanging across the reception area. Strategically placed poles served to create an invisible circus tent that came alive at night when thousands of light bulbs came on.

THE FLORALS

From Piril & Tayga’s deconstructed arch to the conversation-friendly arrangements across the tables, and the installations overhead, we worked with stunning classics such as roses, carnations, Gerber daisies, astilbe, peonies, dahlias, and proteas, mixed with succulents, prickly pears, chrysanthemum bombs, Chinese lantern Physalis, dusty millers, chocolate lace flowers and Craspedia. Each of the two bridal tables was festooned with trellis installations, and coordinating arrangements were thoughtfully placed across the lawn next to the dessert and libation stations.

THE STATIONS

Food and libation are what can make or break a luxurious fete, and we made sure no single detail was left to chance. As our couple’s five-course dinner was an artfully curated menu crafted by the awarded Six Senses Kaplankaya chefs, we wanted to add something extra to the guests’ enjoyment. So, Cotton candy, popcorn, and ice-cream carts, beer and champagne bars, candy baskets, a grab-and-go cocktail bathtub, a splash canvas (in place of wishbook), a food and goody-bag market topped with flip-flops, pashminas, hats, beach bags, and beach towels, were all set to create a playground where everyone could feel welcome and super-pampered.

THE PARTY

If you’re planning a destination wedding in Bodrum, you should know that you are in for some serious partying, and Six Senses Kaplankaya was just perfect for our couple to enjoy the exclusive space needed for their wedding party. . Following our couple’s dinner and speeches, and after all the duo had addressed all formalities, it was time for our couple’s party into the late hours, a total vibe changer, and quite the high-energy moment. DJ’s replaced the live bands, and an energetic, all-night danceathon till the wee hours ensued, only to be interrupted by the occasional late-night snack. Ah, we can’t think of a better way to kick off a marriage, can you?