Love, tweet love

An Istanbul mayor performs a wedding ceremony via Twitter, which is perhaps not the best way to put the stamp of permanence on a relationship.

Powered by automated translation

Is Twitter taking over our lives? Many people already use it to exchange news and views - informed or otherwise - on topics of mutual interest, to share jokes, gossip and funny photographs and to make personal arrangements.

While it does have serious applications - for instance, it is credited with playing a pivotal role in the lead-up to the Arab Spring revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt last year - the social media application is mostly associated with matters of a trivial nature.

The latest news from Turkey will do little to dispel that notion.

According to reports, Mustafa Kara, the mayor of Istanbul's Uskudar district, has performed the first wedding ceremony over Twitter. The bride and groom, Cengizhan and Candan Canik, responded to the questions asked during the ceremony by sending tweets back to Mr Kara.

While iPads were used in the formal proceedings, the marriage certificate was handed to the happy couple in person at a party in a restaurant, in front of their family and friends in the traditional manner. With technology seemingly encroaching every day, it's pleasing to know there are still some things that can't be done over the internet.