Çomakdað lies in the mountains above Milas in Muðla province, better known for the colorful seaside resort towns of Bodrum and Marmaris. The 1,200 residents of Çomakdað, living 400 meters above sea level, earn a living from olive trees and hand-woven silk fabrics, which are made using yarn from silkworms raised in their gardens. The village is better known in the region for its festive four-day weddings. Çomakdað residents have merged their centuries-old traditions with modern amenities and keep their weddings flowing with joy and celebration, not only for the bride and groom and their families but also for the entire village and whoever wants to participate. When the fame of Çomakdað weddings reached nearby tourism centers, tour operators, with the help of the local Milas Governor's Office, started to bring busloads of tourists to the village to witness a staged version of the weddings. As it would be difficult for tourists to stay for an extended period to take part in the wedding, the condensed staged Çomakdað weddings last for four hours instead of four days, and the village folk willingly take part, with the parts of bride and groom played by local residents. For those who want to stay and be a guest at a real Çomakdað wedding, we would like to provide an account of what to expect over the four days and nights. We have to start a couple of years before the wedding, when the prospective groom's family formally requests the union of the couple from the parents of the bride-to-be. After the union is agreed to and the couple is engaged, a formal wedding at the government registry office takes place. Despite the official seal of approval for their union, the couple lives separately with their parents until the wedding ceremony takes place. The waiting period lasts one to two years. During this time, the groom has to build a house and save enough for the gold and jewelry to be given to the bride at the wedding, and the bride has to prepare what is needed inside the house to start family living. Village weddings in Çomakdað take place in the summer. When the wedding date is fixed between the families, a bundle of presents are sent to the relatives and other important guests. These bundles, called “okuntu,” include, towels, shirts, shoes and fabric as gifts. The guests, in return, have to present gifts to the wedded couple in relation to the amount of presents they received as an invitation, as dictated by tradition. The weddings starts: Day 1: The wedding starts with the hoisting of the Turkish flag at the groom's house by the flag bearer, or “bayraktar.” Then those at the groom's house, both men and women in colorful outfits, start a parade through the village, dancing to local tunes played by traditional drums and horn (zurna). Anybody can call out a tune they want but the master of ceremonies, an elderly woman at this stage, decides which tune is to be played first. This parade is called the “hamam promenade,” although there is no communal hamam (bath) in the village. Then the crowd gathers around the mortar stone, where wheat is pounded with wooden hammers, to prepare “keþkek” -- the main course at the wedding luncheon. After the wheat is well hammered, the procession returns to the groom's house, dancing as they stroll. The next step is taking the presents to the bride's house. At the wedding of Mehmet and Arife Çemirek, which we attended, the presents included over 200 gold coins of various sizes, gold bangles, pendants and rings, 300 kilograms of helva (a sweet dish), 150 loaves of bread, lots of candies and other foodstuffs to be consumed at the wedding. Jewelry is brought to the bride's house by the village head and two witnesses. All of the presents have to be taken to the main wedding area later in the day. The bride then dons all the jewelry and starts dancing out of her house. The more gold she carries, the more prestigious the wedding is as seen by the locals. Early evening celebrations start separately in the bride and groom's homes. While the groom chose drums and horn as the main musical offering, the bride's house opted for softer music with a violin and a çümbüþ -- a type of mandolin. At the groom's house there are two belly dancers hired from Ýzmir for the occasion, while a belly dancer and a singer entertain guests at the bride's house. The women and men celebrate together, and the women even tip the belly dancers. The festivities last until the early hours of the next morning. Day 2: The second day starts early, or is rather the continuation of the first day. Around 6:00 a.m. revelers at the groom's house go for a “raid” of the bride's house, accompanied by a team of loud drums and horns and led by the two belly dancers. As everybody is under the influence of alcohol consumed throughout the night, they dance as they go through the village. At the bride's house they ask for presents. The bride and her family -- ready for the raid -- have prepared food and more drinks, and then the bride emerges from the house with a bottle of raký in hand. There is more music, dancing and drinking. At about 9:00 a.m. everybody heads home to sleep and charge their batteries for the festivities that will start again in the early evening. Around 6:00 p.m. at the groom's house the celebrations starts anew. Tonight, the groom has his “bachelor night,” or “oðlan dolandýrma,” as it is called in Çomakdað. The best friend of the groom ties a red band onto the groom's arm and they dance, saluting all in attendance. The groom kisses the hands of the elderly and receives presents. The dance must be unique; he will not be able to do the same dance again, even if he remarries. The festivities continue with drums, horns and belly dancers. While the groom has his bachelor night, the bride's house starts the “henna night.” The music -- violin and mandolin, a singer and a belly dancer -- continues. Around 2:30 p.m. the henna ceremony starts. The bride dons a red dress. Henna is prepared and the women start singing touching songs to mark the bride's leaving of her parent's house. Henna is spread over the hands and feet of the bride and the guests. The songs are so sad it is almost impossible not to cry. Everybody is crying as if they are mourning. The bride's eyes are swollen. If you had not seen her dancing in the streets with her husband-to-be earlier, you would not believe she is at her wedding. The bride then lies on the floor next to a baby boy, in a tradition where she asks for her first baby to be a boy. Later, as the festivities continue, the bride falls asleep from exhaustion after days of preparations for the wedding and the sleepless nights. Day 3: Festivities start in the early evening. Today the center of celebration is the bride's house. The event everybody is waiting for is the pouring or cracking of candies over the heads of the bride and groom, or “Þeker Paralama.” This is to symbolize the bride and groom going through marriage talking nicely and sweetly to each other. A procession led by a “Bayraktar” brings the candies over from the groom's house. The bride and groom sit in the middle of the crowd and a red cloth is placed over their head. Candies are poured over their head and then offered to the guests. The groom kisses the bride. There is more music and dancing. In the meantime, a horse is being prepared for the bride, as she would be carried from her house. The house is laid with layers of cloth topped by a white special fabric called “hümayün.” The bride wears a few of her dresses when preparing to leave the house, with a red ribbon tied around her waist to mark her virginity. She also has a red cape over her head and wears the gold jewelry brought to her on the first day. As she is about to leave the house, one of her relatives holds the door and does not let her pass. Only after she receives some money is the door opened and the bride could start her journey on the horse to the groom's house. The cape covers her face. The groom is not present when she is taken away from her house The procession led by the flag-bearer makes its way through the village. The first stop is the mosque where the bride encircles the building. When they reach the house that the couple is supposed to live in, tradition dictates that the groom must dismount the bride from off the horse. But the groom is nowhere to be seen! People call for the groom. Someone says he has gone to the mill. A little later the groom appears carrying a sack. He pours wheat and money from out of the sack over the bride and helps her get down off the horse. Before the bride enters the house, oil is spread over the threshold. Festivities of the third day end here. We were told that at some weddings traditional wrestling competitions are held in the evening of the third day. Day 4: The fourth day is called the “bridal veil” festivities day. It starts with the bride kissing the hands of in-laws. The bride later displays what she has in her dowry and the presents given to her. In the afternoon guests start to arrive at he couple's house and there is more music and dancing to mark the conclusion of the wedding.