A Berber wedding in Morocco is a fascinating experience; its rituals
\nIt carries with it the full weight of this ancient desert civilisation.
\nFrom Marrakech to the desert: a journey through the beauty of the landscape and the
\na wealth of traditions.<\/p>\n

Weddings in Morocco are celebrated according to ancestral rites and customs, in the
\nrespect for Moroccan traditions and the tenets of Islam. The beauty and the
\nThe bride\u2019s purity and the union of the two families are celebrated during various
\nwedding ceremonies.
It comes in many different forms and can take place over three days or even just one
\nweek, depending on a family\u2019s social status and wealth.
\nIt is traditional for the bride to wear up to seven different dresses, representing the
\nSeven regions of Morocco: the green and gold caftan for the henna ceremony; the
\nWhite Takeshita, symbolising purity; the Fassiya from Fez; the R\u2019batia from
\nRabat, often depicted in blue; the Moroccan Sahara; the Soussia, a Berber costume from the Souss region;
\nthe Mejdoub, or what they call the golden caftan.
\nNegafa, a sort of Moroccan \u201cwedding planner\u201d, is in charge of the preparations:
\nShe will ensure that traditions are observed: she will help the bride with her choice
\nclothing and dressing; they will be responsible for choosing the main colours of the
\nbanquet hall; it will make it easier to choose the throne on which the bride and groom will sit
\nAn engagement is an integral part of wedding preparations: it marks the start of a
\nonce the bride-to-be\u2019s parents have given their consent to the marriage.<\/p>\n

During the Khotba period, which ends with the payment of the bride price for the
\nbride. The groom showers his future wife with gifts, especially jewellery and
\nclothes. The payment of the dowry marks the end of the engagement and the beginning of the
\nwedding celebrations.

\nThe first ceremony is \u201cthe Kaghet\u201d: it is the ceremony that marks the beginning of the lives of the future
\nthe bride and groom. In the presence of a small group comprising their closest relatives, the
\nThe bride and groom sign the marriage certificate in the presence of an Adel or an Adoul, the
\nnotary under Islamic law.<\/p>\n

The hammam ceremony takes place a few days before D-Day. The future
\nthe bride, accompanied by the women of her family and, if applicable, by her
\nfuture in-laws, she goes to the hammam for the milk bath ceremony. This is
\na purification ritual for the bride-to-be. A moment of joy, where everyone
\nThey celebrate with traditional songs and dances.

\nThe Henna Ceremony follows the milk bath in the hammam. Always
\nSurrounded by her close relatives, the bride is wearing a green and gold caftan for the
\nhenna ceremony. During this ritual, her hands and feet
\nwill have a henna tattoo: this ritual wards off the evil eye and is a
\nbest wishes for fertility and marital happiness.<\/p>\n

At the end of this ceremony, the bride goes from being a young woman to a married woman. The ceremony
\nThe henna ceremony is usually followed by a dinner during which the in-laws
\nThey give gifts to the bride. This is known as the Hdiyya.<\/p>\n

In Morocco, the actual wedding usually begins early in the evening, around 9.00 pm. It
\nMint tea and cakes are served. Then, the bride and groom, each holding an Amariya, do the
\ntheir first appearance. Whilst the wedding ceremony is in full swing
\nAs the ceremony proceeds, the bride, under Negafa\u2019s watchful eye, will sneak out several times to
\nto change one\u2019s clothes.<\/p>\n

After the ceremony, the two families meet at the groom\u2019s parents\u2019 house and
\nshare a lovely meal. This is the newlyweds\u2019 first meal together, like Aariss and
\nAaroussa, husband and wife.

\nThe Sahara is a long way off; but Faissal and Malika were determined not to miss out on
\ntheir tea in the desert, following Berber tradition. The Agafay Desert, not
\nFar from Marrakech, it does not offer the spectacle of the immense dunes, but it does offer
\nan atmosphere of peace and tranquillity for our newlyweds.<\/p>\n

Berber tents welcome the
\nguests, creating an atmosphere of authenticity and simplicity.
\nThe ceremony takes place in the desert at sunset. The bride and groom are dressed
\nwearing traditional Berber dress.
\nThe actual Berber wedding ceremony is led by an elderly member
\nfrom the community, known as \u201cAmin\u201d. <\/p>\n

The Qur\u2019an is recited and
\nexchanged their wedding vows. During the ceremony, the bride and groom
\nThey drink from the same cup to symbolise unity.

\nAfter the ceremony, guests gather for a banquet under the stars.<\/p>\n

Food
\nBerber food is served in abundance, with dishes such as couscous, tajine and
\ngrilled lamb. Traditional music fills the air, along with dancing and celebrations
\nThey go on until late at night. Guests are often entertained by
\nlocal dancers and musicians.
\nThe following morning, Faissal and Malika woke up early to watch the sunrise and
\ngo for a camel ride.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":10349,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","portfolio_cat":[45],"class_list":["post-10348","portfolios","type-portfolios","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","portfolio_cat-destination-wedding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elabphotographers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolios\/10348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elabphotographers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolios"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elabphotographers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/portfolios"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elabphotographers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/elabphotographers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolios\/10348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elabphotographers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elabphotographers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"portfolio_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elabphotographers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio_cat?post=10348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}