07 Jul Moroccan Wedding Traditions
Every country has different and unique traditions and ceremonies. Morocco is not an exception. The traditional Moroccan Wedding is rich in details and meaningful processes. The bride gets to dress in several outfits and the food as well as the music varies between traditional and modern.
The Moroccan marriage consists of a nuptial ceremony. They celebrate it according to ancestral rites and customs, in the respect of Moroccan traditions. The wedding process can take up to five days because there are several pre-wedding traditions that come before the main wedding day. The Moroccan wedding is quite expensive, elaborate, and diverse.
The Moroccan Wedding Traditions:
The celebration of Moroccan Wedding has many variations, due to the diversity of traditions. Depending on the region. However, the principle remains the same. It is important to respect the stages of the ceremonies, so that the new home, founded by the newlyweds, is a good omen.
Moroccan Wedding preparations may start months beforehand, as soon as a couple becomes engaged. Traditionally, the man and his family visit the woman’s house. She and her family will serve tea, and the man’s parents will propose marriage for their children. A marriage has to always be blessed and accepted by families even if a person has the right to marry anyone he or she wants without the consent of his or her parent.
Moroccan Wedding Preparation:
The Moroccan wedding may take place in a home, a hotel ballroom, or a Riad, and the family will often visit a few locations before selecting one. They will also attend a tasting with caterers, decide on decoration, and a musical group specializing in wedding music. They will also hire a Negaffa, a woman who assists the bride throughout the day. The Negaffa, who acts rather like a lady in waiting for the special time for the bride, will help with her hair, makeup, clothing, and accessories, often providing some of the outfits and jewellery, and will accompany the bride for every moment of the party.
During the party, the bride wears up to 7 different outfits, and the groom will wear 1 or 2. These must be rented or purchased and tailored if need be. The outfits all have cultural and geographical significance, celebrating the diversity and richness of Moroccan folklore and culture.
In Fez, we have the famous Lebsa Fasia ” Fez Outfit”. Lebsa lfasiya is the traditional dress from the Fez region, also called “lebsa lekbira” (the great outfit). Its large size and shape and accompanying elaborate jewelry characterize this type of wedding dress. It can be white, red, or green.
The traditional dress can be difficult for the bride to wear due to its heaviness and large number of components. Despite its challenges, Moroccan brides insist on wearing the dress for its beauty and history, while entering in the amariya.
The Wedding Day:
A wedding day begins early in Morocco. It starts with song and music but there are Koranic chants too as a way of praising Mohammed and a blessing to the ceremony. The guests then arrive in a large room and are followed by the bride and groom who wear a white kaftan. They are seated in a large chair called an Amariya and then lifted by four men and paraded around the room so that everyone can see them and greet the happy couple.
Food plays a major part in a Moroccan wedding. There are many lavish dishes including Mashwi or baby lamb, Pastilla (a pigeon in a pie with cinnamon and almonds), and traditional pastries. There is dancing and music too and the event usually goes on until dawn.
My Cousin’s wedding:
My cousin’s wedding party started in the afternoon at the beautiful “PalaisAmani”. She begins getting ready with makeup and the hairdresser in one of the luxurious rooms at the Palais, while the wedding guests gather at the enchanting gardens before the bride makes her entrance.
My Cousin’s groom comes with his family and everyone waits for the bride to come. The beautiful brides’ entrance is very important in the Moroccan ceremony. She was placed in an “Amaria” an elegant roofed platform that’s carried by 4 or 6 guys (they usually come with the Neggafa). The groom leads the walk with the Amaria bearers. The epic wedding lasted more than 10 hours of delicious food, wonderful folkloric music, and non-stop dancing.
Fez for a typical Moroccan Wedding:
In recent years, Fez has undergone a huge transformation. The number of tourist attractions has continuously increased in the city. Fez, also one of the largest cities in Morocco, has some great wedding venues. Fez is famous for the preservation of its rich traditional culture. If you want a traditional wedding in Morocco, this is the place to be.
Finding the location
Finding a nice place is of great importance especially if the wedding will be in summer aka “wedding time” in Morocco! Here at Palais Amani, we tend to offer the wedding of your dreams. For more information, please contact us at. reservations@palaisamani.com
Loubna El Bouchikhi,
Experience Coordinator at Palais Amani