Khedive Palace wedding guide · Çubuklu, Istanbul
Wedding at Khedive Palace Istanbul
Planning a wedding at Khedive Palace Istanbul? This Art Nouveau mansion, Hıdiv Kasrı in Turkish, stands on a wooded hill above the Bosphorus in Çubuklu, on the Asian shore, with a tower, terraces and wide gardens for an open-air celebration. Ramarossi, a destination wedding planner in Turkey since 2011, can plan and design your wedding here.
At a glance
Khedive Palace Istanbul as a wedding venue
Khedive Palace (Hıdiv Kasrı, also called Khedive's Palace) is a historic mansion owned by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and run as a restaurant and event venue. Here are the key facts couples ask about first.
Why couples choose it
An Art Nouveau palace wedding above the Bosphorus
Khedive Palace was built in 1907 as a summer residence for Abbas Hilmi Pasha, the last Khedive of Egypt. Designed by the Italian architect Delfo Seminati, the white mansion with its tall tower stands in a large grove above Çubuklu, with views over the Bosphorus.
Since 1937 it has belonged to the city of Istanbul. After restorations in the 1980s and 1990s, it opened as a restaurant and a venue for weddings, meetings and other events.
The grove around it, Hıdiv Korusu, is a large wooded park on the hill, so the mansion feels far from the city even though it is in Istanbul. Paths lead between the trees, the lawns and the flower beds, which gives you many settings for photos within a few steps.
- A garden wedding in a historic grove above the Bosphorus.
- Terraces and lawns for a ceremony, a cocktail and a dinner outdoors.
- Room for a large wedding, listed for up to 1,000 guests in the garden.
- Photos with the tower, the rose garden and the white Art Nouveau facade.
Wedding settings
Where a Khedive Palace wedding can take place
Your wedding at Khedive Palace is shaped around your guest count, the season and the spaces available on your date.
Garden terraces
The terraces in front of the mansion, for a ceremony and a dinner outdoors.
The grove
Lawns, trees and a rose garden around the mansion, for a cocktail hour and photos.
Indoor halls
Rooms inside the mansion, listed for about 450 guests seated, for a winter wedding or an indoor dinner.
The tower
The white tower above the roofs, a natural backdrop for couple portraits.
Khedive Palace photos: the mansion, the gardens and the views
A sample wedding day
Your wedding day at Khedive Palace
Every wedding we plan is designed around the couple, but a day at Khedive Palace could flow like this.
Getting ready
You and your guests get ready at your hotels. In the afternoon, we arrange shuttles to bring everyone up the hill through the grove, so no one has to find the way alone.
Ceremony in the garden
The ceremony takes place on the lawn or the terrace in the late afternoon, with the white tower and the trees behind you.
Reception and portraits
While your guests enjoy a welcome reception among the flower beds, you take portraits by the tower, the roses and the Art Nouveau facade.
Dinner and dancing
Dinner is served on the garden terrace as the lights come on. In the colder months, or if you want to dance late, the party can move into the halls inside.
Good to know
Planning tips for a Khedive Palace wedding
A wedding at a historic venue runs smoothly when a few details are settled early. With Ramarossi, one team looks after them for you:
- Guest hotels. Khedive Palace is an event venue, so your guests stay at hotels nearby on the Asian shore or across the water. Choose them early and keep transfers simple.
- Getting there. The mansion sits on a hill above Çubuklu, on the Asian side. Plan arrival times with bridge traffic in mind and bring everyone together by shuttle.
- Menu and catering. Khedive Palace is a municipal venue with its own restaurant, so we confirm the menu and service details for your date at the start.
- Music and timings. Outdoor music may have an end time set by the venue. Plan the ceremony outside and the party indoors if you want to dance late.
Your wedding at Khedive Palace
Planning a wedding at Khedive Palace? Contact us
Tell us your date, your guest count and how you picture the day, and we will set up a free video consultation to talk through your Khedive Palace wedding.
What we plan for you
- Ceremony design, décor and flowers
- Photographers and videographers
- Music, DJ, live acts and entertainment
- Bridal hair and make-up artists
- Welcome dinners and Bosphorus boat trips
- Guest transfers and coordination on the day
Planning with Ramarossi
Plan your Khedive Palace wedding with Ramarossi
Ramarossi is an independent destination wedding planning company in Turkey. We design and plan the wedding itself: the ceremony set-up, flowers, music, photographers and the timing of the day, so you can enjoy the gardens with your guests.
Your own traditions can shape the day too. We plan Persian weddings with a full Sofreh Aghd, Lebanese weddings with a zaffe entrance and Pakistani weddings across several nights, in Istanbul and across Turkey.
Still choosing a venue? As your wedding planner in Istanbul, we can help you compare venues in your free consultation. For more ideas, read our guide to Istanbul wedding venues, or browse our wedding hotels in Turkey.
Questions
Khedive Palace wedding FAQs
Can you have a wedding at Khedive Palace Istanbul?
Yes. Khedive Palace hosts weddings, meetings and other events in its gardens and halls. Ramarossi can plan and design your wedding there, so send us your date early.
Where is Khedive Palace?
The mansion is in Çubuklu, Beykoz, on a wooded hill above the Asian shore of the Bosphorus.
What is the capacity of Khedive Palace for a wedding?
The venue has been listed for about 450 guests seated indoors and up to 1,000 in the garden. The right space depends on your guest count, the season and the table layout, so tell us your numbers and we will suggest which spaces to look at for your date.
Who built Khedive Palace?
It was built in 1907 for Abbas Hilmi Pasha, the last Khedive of Egypt, to a design by the architect Delfo Seminati. Today it belongs to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
Is Khedive Palace a hotel? Where do our guests stay?
No. Khedive Palace has no guest rooms. It is a historic mansion used as a restaurant and event venue, so your guests stay at hotels nearby. We help you choose hotels and plan the transfers.
Can we have a legal (civil) wedding at Khedive Palace?
In Turkey, a legal marriage is performed by an authorised marriage officer from the local municipality. Couples from abroad usually need passports, birth certificates, a certificate of no impediment from their own country and a health report from a public hospital, with official Turkish translations of foreign documents, and the exact list depends on your nationality. Whether the officer can come to the venue is decided by the municipality, so we check this for your date. You can also marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Istanbul, if you prefer.
Where can we hold a welcome dinner or henna night?
Khedive Palace runs its own restaurant, and we check whether it suits a smaller gathering before the wedding. We also plan welcome dinners on a private Bosphorus boat and henna or Mehndi nights at other venues nearby, so each event of your wedding week has its own setting.
When is a good time of year for a wedding at Khedive Palace?
April to June, September and October are pleasant for a garden wedding. In the colder months the indoor halls let you celebrate inside.
How much does a Khedive Palace wedding cost?
There is no single price, because the cost depends on your guest count, date, menu and design. After your free consultation you receive one proposal with a clear total, designed around your wedding. For a wider view, read our guide to the cost of a wedding in Turkey.
Can you plan a Persian, Lebanese or Pakistani wedding at Khedive Palace?
Yes. Ramarossi plans cultural weddings in Istanbul and across Turkey, including Persian weddings with a Sofreh Aghd, Lebanese weddings with a zaffe and Pakistani weddings with a Mehndi night.
More venues nearby
Other historic wedding venues on the Bosphorus
Free consultation
Let's plan your wedding at Khedive Palace
Ramarossi has planned weddings in Turkey since 2011. Send us your date and guest count, and we will set up a free video call to talk through your Khedive Palace wedding.