A customary Moroccan wedding has rather a complex but very meaningful process. The process can even take up to seven days and there are quite a number of pre-wedding ceremonies which take place ahead of the real wedding.
You will realise that their cultures treasure the wedding ceremonies in some way. Customs and ceremonies change in each land and Morocco is no exemption. Read on to learn more about a few Moroccan wedding traditions.
Morocco is that kind of place with such a rich and active culture and a lot of this can be seen at Moroccan wedding ceremonies. Firstly, the courtship period can last from six months to even two years. Generally, the entire affair is quite costly; it starts with the paying of a dowry; spent on household items and furniture for the bride.
If the groom’s parents are extremely well-off, they are most likely to pay for these items themselves. The bride will also receive golden jewellery, clothing and perfume from her groom every feast day.
Once a date has been set for the wedding, the real preparations will then begin. Five days before the matrimonial event, necessities such as a mattress and blanket are taken to the bridal chamber. There the bride is given a bath in hammam; a sort of milk bath meant to purify the bride.
Her female attendants will more often supervise the event. These attendants; who are usually older married women, female friends as well as relatives then set about trying to smarten her. After dressing her in an ornately highlighted wedding kaftan which is always white; they proceed to decorate her with heavy jewellery and darken her eyes with kohl; something like thick dark eyeliner.
The group will then proceed for a beberiska ceremony in which the hands and feet of the bride and her entourage are painted with henna. The bride's designs are at all times the most complex and the different floral and arithmetical designs are all meant to keep off evil spirits as well as bring good luck and increase fertility in the family.
The negaffa at most times will take this as an occasion to talk about those ‘secrets’ of marriage with the youthful virgin. Sometimes the bride may then be positioned behind a curtain to signify her change of way of life. A bride is not accepted to engage herself in any house work until her henna has faded. Once all this preparation is complete, food is prepared in excess to cater for unexpected guests and the festivities begin. However, in more isolated areas, this kind of ritual would only take place the day before the wedding.
During the ancient times, men and woman would have these celebrations at separate sites. At some time in the evening, the groom would then go towards the bridal entourage who would then sing, beat drums and dance. The bride would be lifted up on a circular cushion or table and the groom on the shoulders of his friends and they would then be carried to the bridal compartment where they would be expected to accomplish their marriage. The entire bridal party then had to examine their sheets for any signs of blood stains in order to confirm the bride's virginity. The two would then proceed to their fresh home where the bride would circle her home three times before taking charge of her new fireplace.
However, today things have somewhat changed although the hamman bath is still used quite often in more rural areas. Though some young brides are still quite happy to put on their ceremonial kaftans, these are now more often bought from shops since modern machinery has led to hand made kaftans be considered an expensive one-off.
These days, food is more often provided by caterers rather than family members as it used to be. A large number of young people now choose their own marriage partners and then seek their parent's blessing just on the arrangement; different from what it used to be in the past.
The rather young groom is escorted by singing, dancing friends although there are usually a few car hooters to add to the noise. Music at these occasions can be traditional Berber, or Arab styles. They can also be popular modern tunes but which are played on the traditional instrument. These days, instead of immediately consummating the marriage at this point, the two parties may decide to join together and the bride changes into an outfit that reflects her region. After further celebrations, the bride may then change again and the newly married couple has to leave the party for some secret time. This may be to a certain good hotel and no one expects them to display their sheets to prove the bride's virginity.
Throughout the week, the ceremonies go on and this is when the newly weds visit their friends and relatives and also show off their new home and gifts. Marriage is absolutely thought of as being the most important decision that both the man and woman can ever make in their lives and so for this very reason, the whole affair becomes expensive and rather elaborate.
Events in Morocco
Weddings in Morocco