14.07.2026 10:50
In Izmir, a consumer court issued a landmark ruling in a case filed by a young couple whose wedding video was not recorded. Due to the cameraman's negligence, the couple was left with no footage, and the court ordered a total of 200,000 TL in moral compensation—100,000 TL per person.
A young couple in Izmir, who tied the knot three years ago, had their dreams shattered when they learned their wedding video didn't exist because the record button on the camera was never pressed. With only cell phone footage taken by relatives, the couple won 200,000 TL in compensation in a lawsuit they filed against the cameraman.
Feride and Şeref Derin (27), a couple living in the Bayraklı district, decided to unite their lives with a grand wedding. The young couple got married on December 27, 2023, at a wedding hall in the Karabağlar district. The wedding, which followed the bride and groom's preparations, turned into a disappointment due to what happened afterward. When the couple asked the cameraman for the wedding footage, they were devastated to learn that no footage existed. With no camera-recorded images from the wedding, the couple now tries to find happiness with snippets gathered from their relatives' cell phones.
The couple filed a moral compensation lawsuit at the Izmir Consumer Court, stating they were victimized. The court found their grievance justified and ruled that a total of 200,000 TL in moral compensation be paid, with 100,000 TL per person.
"WHEN WE ASKED FOR THE RECORDING AT THE END OF THE WEDDING..."
Feride Deren, expressing that they wanted the excitement of the day and moments with their family recorded, said, "When we asked for the recordings at the end of the wedding, they told us 'the camera did not record.' We started the legal process with our lawyer. Our aim is to make our suffering known and prevent other couples from experiencing this."
Şeref Derin added, "Having almost no footage from that day is very upsetting for us emotionally. A wedding happens once in a lifetime. It's not the lost images, but our memories."
Commenting on the issue, Attorney Ebru Bilgen stated, "There was a cameraman walking around at the wedding. However, at the end of the wedding, the cameraman stated that this camera did not record, and only another fixed camera, acting like a security camera without sound, was recording. During the wedding agreement, the clients were told, 'You cannot bring an external camera and recording is prohibited because we have our own cameraman.' In the recordings from the fixed camera, the walking cameraman is frequently seen. He pretended to film the entire wedding but never pressed the button, so the wedding was never recorded from start to finish. This is morally unacceptable for our clients. There is no turning back because it's a one-time event."
"A LANDMARK DECISION"
Bilgen, noting that they applied to the Izmir Consumer Courts and their compensation claim was accepted, said, "Individuals will never have the chance to watch a memory they experienced once in their lives, and this caused them moral damage. A landmark decision was made by the Izmir Consumer Courts on this matter. The court ruled for moral compensation. Together with legal interest accruing from the date of the incident, a total of 200,000 TL moral compensation was awarded, with 100,000 TL per person."
"THEY MUST DEFINITELY TAKE IT TO COURT"
Bilgen emphasized that similar issues must be brought to court, stating: "Our clients made some posts on social media. Looking at the comments under those posts, we realized that many people have experienced similar situations but did not resort to legal action. People should definitely take such matters to court, paying attention to statute of limitations, when they encounter them."