Turkey offers significantly better value than Greece for destination weddings, with comparable quality costing 30-50% less in Antalya than in Santorini or Mykonos. Greece wins on instant name recognition and iconic imagery, but Turkey delivers superior customisation, larger venue options, better value catering and alcohol, and more accessible pricing for couples who want Mediterranean beauty without Mediterranean Europe pricing.
The Greece versus Turkey question comes up constantly in destination wedding planning. Both countries offer what couples imagine when they picture Mediterranean weddings: blue water, white buildings, ancient ruins, exceptional food, and the kind of golden light that transforms wedding photos into art.
But beneath these surface similarities lie meaningful differences that affect budget, experience, and what your wedding actually looks like. Ramarossi has helped couples navigate this decision for years, and our guidance is straightforward: Greece is wonderful, but Turkey delivers more for most couples’ budgets.
This isn’t about one destination being objectively better – it’s about understanding what each offers so you can make the choice that serves your specific priorities.
How Do Wedding Costs Compare Between Greece and Turkey?
Venue Costs
Greek island venue pricing reflects global demand for iconic settings. Santorini venues with caldera views command €8,000 to €25,000 for venue hire alone – before catering, décor, or any other services. Mykonos pricing runs similarly high. Even mainland Greek venues in desirable locations charge premium rates that reflect European pricing structures.
Turkish venue pricing operates differently. Comparable quality venues in Antalya, Turkey – Mediterranean views, beautiful architecture, excellent facilities – typically cost 40-60% less than Greek equivalents. A venue that would cost €15,000 in Santorini might cost €6,000-€8,000 in Antalya.
This gap isn’t about quality differences; it’s about market dynamics. Greek islands have become globally famous wedding destinations, and pricing reflects that demand. Turkey offers equivalent beauty without the premium that fame commands.
Catering and Alcohol Costs
Greek wedding catering typically runs €80-€150 per person for quality service, with premium options exceeding €200 per person. Alcohol adds significantly to costs, with Greek wine and spirits priced at European levels.
Turkish catering delivers comparable or superior quality at €40-€80 per person. The cost difference reflects local economics rather than quality compromises – fresh Mediterranean ingredients, skilled preparation, generous portions. Alcohol pricing particularly favors Turkey, where local wines and spirits cost far less than European equivalents.
For a 100-guest wedding, catering and alcohol differences alone can represent €5,000-€10,000 in savings choosing Turkey over Greece.
Overall Budget Comparison
A comprehensive comparison illustrates the gap. A 75-guest wedding with quality venue, professional photography and videography, custom décor, full catering, and open bar might cost €45,000-€65,000 in Santorini or Mykonos. The same wedding in Antalya, Turkey through Ramarossi costs €25,000-€35,000.
This isn’t a comparison of luxury versus budget options – it’s the same quality level at dramatically different price points. Couples choosing Turkey don’t sacrifice experience; they simply pay less for equivalent outcomes.
What About the Famous Greek Island Aesthetic?
Greece’s advantage is undeniable: Santorini’s white-and-blue imagery is globally iconic. When people picture Mediterranean weddings, they often picture Santorini specifically. That recognition carries value for couples who want instantly recognizable backdrops.
But iconic comes with crowds. Santorini during wedding season is packed with tourists, many specifically photographing the same views you want for your wedding. That famous sunset? Hundreds of people gather nightly to watch it. Those white-domed churches? Constantly surrounded by tour groups. The imagery is beautiful, but the reality includes navigating mass tourism.
Antalya, Turkey offers Mediterranean beauty without the same saturation. Stunning coastlines, historic architecture, dramatic cliffs, and turquoise water exist without the crowds that define Greek island hotspots. Your wedding photos capture genuine Mediterranean atmosphere rather than carefully cropped images avoiding tourist crowds.
The aesthetic question ultimately depends on priorities. If specifically Santorini imagery matters more than anything else, Greece is the only answer. If Mediterranean beauty matters but the specific location doesn’t require global fame, Turkey delivers equivalent visual impact.
How Does Venue Availability Compare?
Greek island venues face severe capacity constraints. Santorini has limited land area, limited venues, and unlimited demand. Popular venues book eighteen to twenty-four months in advance. Couples with flexible dates find options; couples wanting specific peak-season weekends often find nothing available.
The capacity constraints also affect what’s possible on any given day. Some Santorini venues host multiple weddings daily during peak season, creating tight timing windows and potential overlap with other celebrations. The assembly-line efficiency that maximizes venue revenue doesn’t always serve couples seeking exclusive experiences.
Antalya, Turkey offers broader selection and better availability. The region has more venues, more variety, and less pressure on any single location. Popular dates still require advance booking, but the twelve-month timeline that works in Turkey might be insufficient in Santorini.
Venue size also differs. Greek island venues often accommodate smaller guest counts – 50 to 80 guests maximum at many locations. Couples planning larger celebrations face limited options. Turkish venues more commonly accommodate 100-200+ guests without compromising intimacy or aesthetics.
Is the Food Quality Comparable?
Greek cuisine is justly celebrated. Fresh seafood, quality olive oil, excellent vegetables, and distinctive preparations create memorable dining. Greek wedding catering at quality levels delivers genuinely excellent food.
Turkish cuisine is equally accomplished but less internationally famous. Mediterranean foundations – seafood, olive oil, fresh produce – combine with influences from Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Balkans to create distinctive and delicious results. Turkish wedding catering often surprises guests who arrive with modest expectations and leave impressed.
The honest assessment: both countries offer exceptional food at quality catering levels. Greece has better international recognition; Turkey delivers equivalent quality at lower prices. Couples who prioritise food won’t be disappointed by either destination when working with quality caterers.
For specific dietary requirements – halal, vegetarian, vegan – Turkey often offers easier accommodation. The Muslim-majority population means halal preparation is standard rather than special-request. Vegetarian Turkish cuisine is extensive and delicious rather than an afterthought.
How Does Weather Compare?
Both destinations offer excellent wedding weather during peak season. Mediterranean climate means hot, dry summers and minimal rain risk from May through October.
Greek islands can experience strong winds, particularly the meltemi winds that affect the Aegean during summer months. Santorini and Mykonos both face wind considerations that can affect outdoor ceremonies, table settings, and general comfort. Experienced Greek wedding planners work around these conditions, but they’re a factor couples should understand.
Antalya, Turkey sits on the more sheltered Mediterranean coast rather than the wind-prone Aegean. Wind is less of a factor in planning, and outdoor celebrations proceed with higher reliability. The region’s position creates more consistently calm conditions.
Temperature and sunshine are comparable between destinations. Both offer the reliable Mediterranean conditions that make outdoor celebrations predictable and pleasant.
Weather in Antalya
What About Guest Travel and Accessibility?
Getting to Greek Islands
Reaching Santorini or Mykonos requires either flights to small island airports with limited connections, or flights to Athens followed by domestic flights or ferry journeys. The logistics add complexity and cost to guest travel.
From the UK, limited direct flights to Greek islands exist during summer season. From North America, connections through Athens or European hubs are standard. The journey to Greek islands often involves more steps than reaching mainland Mediterranean destinations.
Island ferry connections – while scenic – add journey time and complexity. Guests managing luggage, timing connections, and navigating unfamiliar transportation systems face more friction than straightforward airport-to-hotel travel.
Getting to Antalya, Turkey
Antalya has a major international airport with direct flights from most European cities and convenient connections from North America through Istanbul. The airport is modern, efficient, and well-connected.
From the UK, numerous direct flights serve Antalya, with flight times around four hours. From North America, Istanbul connections are smooth and add minimal journey time. The single-airport simplicity contrasts favorably with multi-stage Greek island journeys.
Guest travel logistics are simpler when everyone flies into one well-served airport rather than navigating island connections. This simplicity translates to less guest stress and higher attendance rates.
How Do Legal Requirements Compare?
Neither Greece nor Turkey makes legal marriage straightforward for foreign couples. Both involve bureaucratic processes that most destination wedding couples choose to avoid.
The practical solution in both destinations is completing legal marriage in your home country – a simple registry office ceremony – and treating the destination celebration as your ceremonial and social wedding. This approach works identically in Greece and Turkey.
Couples who specifically want legal marriage at their destination face paperwork challenges in both countries. Greece requires various documents, translations, and sometimes residency periods. Turkey has similar requirements. Neither is impossible, but neither is simple.
Religious ceremonies operate independently of legal requirements. Christian ceremonies, Jewish ceremonies, Muslim ceremonies, Hindu ceremonies – all can happen at destination with appropriate officiants, regardless of legal marriage location.
Which Destination Suits Different Couple Priorities?
Choose Greece If
You specifically want Santorini or Mykonos imagery that defines Greek island weddings. Budget is secondary to achieving that specific aesthetic. Your guest count is smaller (under 60) and fits Greek island venue limitations. You’re booking eighteen or more months ahead and have date flexibility. The premium pricing is acceptable for the iconic location.
Choose Turkey If
Mediterranean beauty matters more than specific Greek island imagery. Budget optimisation is a priority – you want quality without premium pricing. Guest counts exceed what Greek island venues accommodate comfortably. You want more venue selection and better availability. Halal catering or Muslim-friendly environment matters. Value – getting more wedding for your budget – is a key decision factor.
What Does Ramarossi Recommend?
We’re obviously not neutral – Ramarossi plans weddings in Antalya, Turkey, not Greece. But our recommendation to consider Turkey isn’t just business interest; it’s genuine belief that most couples get better outcomes from their wedding budgets in Turkey.
Greece is beautiful. Greek weddings can be wonderful. We’d never discourage a couple whose heart is set on Santorini. But for couples weighing options – especially couples whose budgets don’t stretch to Greek island premium pricing – Turkey deserves serious consideration.
The same budget that funds a compressed, compromise-filled Greek wedding funds an expansive, fully-realised Turkish celebration. That mathematical reality shapes our recommendation.
What Do Guests Experience at Each Destination?
Greek island guest experiences depend heavily on managing expectations. Santorini and Mykonos during peak season are crowded, expensive, and sometimes chaotic. Guests who expect tranquil island escapes may find tourist-packed streets and premium pricing for everything. Those who embrace the energy enjoy iconic settings and vibrant atmosphere.
Antalya, Turkey guest experiences offer broader variety. Ancient ruins for history enthusiasts. Beautiful beaches for relaxation seekers. Charming old town exploration for wanderers. Turkish bath experiences for those wanting cultural immersion. The destination provides more diversity of experience than small Greek islands can offer.
Both destinations provide memorable guest experiences – but Turkey often surprises guests who arrive with modest expectations, while Greece sometimes disappoints guests who arrive with idealised visions shaped by Instagram imagery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Turkey cheaper than Greece for destination weddings?
Yes, significantly. Comparable quality weddings cost 30-50% less in Antalya, Turkey than in Santorini or Mykonos. A wedding that costs €45,000-€65,000 in Greece typically costs €25,000-€35,000 in Turkey. The gap reflects market dynamics rather than quality differences.
Is the food quality as good in Turkey as Greece?
Yes. Both countries offer exceptional Mediterranean cuisine. Turkey’s culinary tradition is equally accomplished but less internationally famous. At quality catering levels, both destinations deliver memorable dining. Turkey often accommodates dietary requirements like halal more easily.
Are Greek island venues larger than Turkish venues?
No – opposite is true. Greek island venues often accommodate 50-80 guests maximum due to space constraints. Turkish venues more commonly accommodate 100-200+ guests. Couples planning larger celebrations find better options in Antalya, Turkey than on Greek islands.
Is it easier to travel to Greece or Turkey for weddings?
Turkey is typically easier. Antalya has a major international airport with direct flights from most European cities. Greek islands require connections through Athens or small island airports with limited service. Single-airport simplicity makes Turkey guest travel more straightforward.
Which destination has better weather for weddings?
Both offer excellent Mediterranean weather May through October. Greek islands face stronger winds (meltemi) that can affect outdoor ceremonies. Antalya, Turkey’s Mediterranean coast is more sheltered with calmer conditions. Both destinations provide reliable sunshine during wedding season.
Should I choose Greece or Turkey for my destination wedding?
Choose Greece if you specifically want iconic Santorini imagery and budget is secondary. Choose Turkey if Mediterranean beauty matters but specific location doesn’t require global fame, if value is important, or if guest counts exceed Greek island capacity. Turkey delivers more wedding for most budgets.
If you’re weighing Greece against Turkey for your destination wedding, Ramarossi can provide specific comparisons based on your guest count, budget, and priorities. A conversation costs nothing and helps clarify whether Turkey delivers the value and experience you’re seeking.