Turkey is allowing marriages on July 1st, after several months of banning due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but the protective mask stay obligatory for the brides as well as for the guests.

Feeling the trend, Turkish designers are now creating masks to match the dresses, combining protection and chic.

Wedding dress designer Pinar Bent adjusts a wedding dress with matching protective mask on a mannequin in her store in Istanbul.

Designer Pinar Bent's store in Istanbul was closed for months together due to the cancellations of the wedding ceremonies amid the coronavirus lockdown.

But now theres a small ray of light as she works carefully on wedding dresses with specially-designed matching face masks to keep in par with the catching trend.

Bride-to-be Merve Kacar adjusted her gown, placed a crown on her head and added the finishing touch of a lace-trimmed white face mask as she prepared for her wedding in southeast Turkey after a three-month delay.

The country allowed wedding halls, along with theatres and internet cafes, to open again from Wednesday as it wound down some of its last major coronavirus curbs in a bid to return life to normal and revive the economy.

Some 1,150 wedding halls in Istanbul were cleaned and prepared for the reopening, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported.

Biricik Kiziltas, a bridal gown designer, said she had responded by making a new line of masks with lace and other decorative touches.

Gulf News