Looking through some old pictures of mine I started wondering about something.

If you would take a look at this picture: http://a2.vox.com/6a00c22523c5208fdb00cdf7f169ca094f-pi

During the process of marriage the bride is given a lot of gold, but they are ALWAYS given the kind of necklace you can see on the picture. It's the long one with a red stone in the middle. Does anybody know why? Does it have a symbolic value of some sort?
Also I'm wondering if this kind of traditional clothes is used for parties in western Turkey?

I'm merely asking because I find it really interesting