Baku, October 1, 2025
In Baku, wedding convoys have become a spectacle of their own. Dozens of identical cars, polished and decorated, snake through the city – sometimes three or four, other times ten or more – announcing a celebration in grand style.
For rental operator Elshad Mammadov, this demand has turned into a profitable trend.
“Couples who want a dream wedding always ask for a bigger fleet,” he says.
“A basic package – the bride and groom’s car plus four escorts – starts at 500 manats. With luxury models, it can reach 1,000 for six cars. A truly lavish convoy can cost 3,000 to 4,000 manats, especially when travel outside Baku is involved.”
But sociologist Uzeyir Shafiev told Khazartv, that the glamour often hides financial strain.
“It’s about seeming wealthy, not being wealthy,” he says. “Families sometimes take loans or borrow money just to avoid criticism for celebrating modestly. The driving question is always: what will people think of us?”
On the streets, residents echo that concern. Leyla, a 32-year-old teacher, says she often watches convoys pass her neighborhood.
“It’s like they rent wealth for a few hours,” she says. “But the debt can last for years.”
At a busy intersection, Kamran, a taxi driver, is more blunt: “It’s just traffic jams and wasted money. The show is for neighbors, not for the couple’s happiness.”
Shafiev believes the custom now borders on wasteful and disruptive. He supports proposals to limit convoys to five cars and urges families to reconsider traditions that no longer fit the realities of modern urban life.
Still, the convoys roll on – part joy, part status statement, part social performance.
In Azerbaijan’s capital, a wedding motorcade is no longer just transport. It’s a message on wheels.
