Arab Moroccan Weddings

Who goes?… Who doesn’t?

Weddings, being one of the most significant ceremonies and gatherings in any culture, reveal and often exaggerate a culture and expose traditions. Arabic Moroccan weddings do just that. Kept awake all night on feasts of meat dishes then sugar injections of tea and cookies until dawn, guests ( family, friends and often the rest of the local community) gather to celebrate the unison of two people and their clans.

What time?…… Who knows

No one is ever quite sure when a wedding officially starts or when it finishes, sometimes the bride and groom don’t not even arrive until midnight, when the night is still considered young.

Typical Fassi Thrones

Thrones.

Bride and groom have table/thrones that they are paraded around the party on, then there are often static thrones where they exchange dates and milk ( symbols of love and fertility), pose for photos and videos and are greeted and congratulated by their guests. There’s nothing like a throne to make you feel special, particularly when you are lifted at shoulder height and danced around the dance floor on one.

 What will she be wearing?? There is a variety.

Moroccan Bride with Henna

The bride can adorn up to 7 or 8 types of costumes of varying fashions throughout the celebration. She is persistently shadowed by a “Nagafa’, who is, lets say, wardrobe and makeup assistant and general bride ‘fluffer’.  A large part of the evening is spent “backstage” changing into the next outfit. The diverse cultures ofMoroccomakes what the bride will adorn also variable, nowadays most will also wear a western brides white silk dress. Kaftans of any bright color are acceptable for a bride of a Moroccan wedding. If there is any trace of Berber blood then the bride will at one point appear in traditional Berber garment.

Head-dressage? Oh yes..

Traditional Fassi Brides Headdress

The Fassi headdress seems the most extreme and certainly heavy. Of course in any culture head-dresses are common for brides but this one in particular is excessive in both size and weight. Brides talk of its weight and restriction of movement.  Other head gear can be the simple veils and definitely crowns or tiaras.  Hair is heavily sculpted matching the usually heavily applied make-up.

Of course there are traditions and also new modern elements and influences to any wedding and couples choices. Common factors are…  Moroccan weddings are all night events if not longer, sugar is a necessity to keep up for so long, music is at high volume, and dancing is recommended.

More on traditional Berber weddings another time….

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