Lyla Dejesus
Moroccan weddings are a grand affair, often taking a year to prepare for and lasting up to seven days. The celebration includes multiple parties and events, with the most important events for the bride being the hammam day and the henna party. The former takes place a few days before the wedding, where the bride visits a bathhouse with her female relatives and close friends, and the latter is a female-only gathering where the bride and her guests have their hands and feet decorated with henna tattoos to bring good luck in marriage. The wedding itself begins in the early evening, with the bride making a grand entrance an hour or two into the night. The bride and groom are carried into the hall on their respective platforms, and the wedding concludes with the couple sharing a wedding cake. The party usually continues until 5 am, and the couple then departs for their new home or a hotel.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Duration | Up to seven days, including pre-wedding ceremonies |
| Number of Events | At least three days of events |
| Wedding Vows | Taken before the wedding day |
| Bride's Attire | Multiple traditional dresses, up to seven |
| Groom's Attire | Traditional Jellaba or Jabadur, and a formal suit |
| Bride's Entrance | Grand entrance on a roofed platform called Amaria |
| Groom's Entrance | Carried into the hall on a platform |
| Guests | Men and women seated together, but sometimes separate |
| Henna Party | The day before the wedding, with female friends and relatives |
| Gifts | Not required, but flowers or chocolates are a nice gesture |
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What You'll Learn
Moroccan weddings can last up to seven days
Moroccan weddings are known for their rich cultural heritage and active traditions. In the past, a traditional Moroccan wedding lasted up to seven days, with multiple parties and events. Nowadays, they rarely last a full week but usually span at least three days. The entire affair is quite expensive and elaborate, often taking a year to prepare.
The wedding process involves several pre-wedding ceremonies that occur in the days leading up to the actual wedding. One of the most important events for the bride is the hammam day, which usually takes place two days before the wedding. On this day, the bride visits the bathhouse with her female relatives and close friends. She relaxes in the steam room, receives a milk bath, and is scrubbed and massaged with perfumed soap, symbolising purification.
The day before the wedding is the Henna party, another significant event for the bride. Henna is considered a symbol of fertility, luck, and happiness in Morocco. The bride and her female friends and relatives gather to have their hands and feet decorated with intricate henna designs. The groom and his male relatives may also hold a separate Henna party, where he receives a large dot of henna on each palm.
On the day of the wedding, the guests gather at the venue, usually a home, hotel ballroom, or riad. The men are dressed in suits, while the women wear colourful Takshitas. The groom changes into a traditional jabador, a Moroccan tunic and pants. The bride, attended by her Neggafa (bride's maid), wears a white decorated wedding kaftan and heavy jewellery. The groom is referred to as Moulay Sultan (His Majesty).
The bride's grand entrance is a crucial part of the celebration. She is carried into the wedding hall on a roofed platform called an Amaria, symbolising her honour, value, and status as the queen of the ceremony. The groom also enters on a platform, accompanied by prayers and ululations. The wedding ceremony includes music, dancing, outfit changes, and various customs and traditions. The couple shares a wedding cake with their guests, cuts it, and takes formal photos.
After the last dance and cake-cutting, the couple departs to their new home or a hotel, followed by a long procession of cars honking and shouting happily. The party often continues even after the couple leaves, sometimes serving breakfast as the sun rises.
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The bride and groom sign a contract before the wedding day
Moroccan weddings are grand affairs, often taking a year to prepare for. Traditionally, they last seven days, but nowadays, they rarely last a full week. However, they still usually include at least three days of events, with multiple parties and ceremonies.
One of the most important pre-wedding ceremonies is the Drib Sdak, when the bride and groom sign their marriage contract, called "Akd" or "Akd Zawaj". This contract signing is a crucial step in Moroccan wedding traditions, marking the start of the couple's union and legally binding them in marriage. The presence of both the bride and groom, their families, and an "Adoul" (a religious man with the legal authority to finalise marriages) is required for the contract signing. The day of the Drib Sdak is also a small celebration, including close family members and friends of the couple.
The process of obtaining the necessary paperwork and marriage certificates begins days before the wedding. This varies depending on the nationalities of the couple, with different procedures for Moroccan citizens and foreigners. Once the paperwork is ready, the couple, the bride's guardian (wali), and witnesses appear before an imam to finalise the marriage contract and sign the documents. The information in the contract is decided by the couple and their families in advance, so the signing is a mere formality.
The bride and groom's families play a significant role in Moroccan wedding traditions. Before the wedding, the man and his family traditionally visit the woman's house, where she and her family serve tea. The groom's parents then propose marriage to the bride's family, and the families discuss the wedding conditions, such as the date and costs. This is an important symbolic step as it marks the first meeting of the bride and groom's parents. During this engagement ceremony, the fiancé offers his bride jewellery and clothes, and the wedding festivities can officially begin.
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Henna parties are held for the bride and groom separately
Moroccan weddings are grand affairs, often taking a year to prepare for. Traditionally, they lasted seven days and involved multiple parties and events. Nowadays, they rarely last a full week but usually include at least three days of events.
Henna parties are an important pre-wedding tradition and are held separately for the bride and groom. The bride gathers with her female friends and relatives, and they have their hands and feet decorated with beautiful henna tattoos to wish the bride good luck in her marriage. The henna is also a symbol of her journey from childhood to womanhood. The groom and his male relatives hold their own party, where the groom typically receives a large dot of henna on each palm, while single men may also get henna to symbolise their desire to marry. The men then gather to share a meal, recite the Quran, and celebrate.
The henna party is always accompanied by chants and dances. The woman who applies the henna is usually a henna specialist who knows how to draw beautiful designs. The celebration is held in a rented venue or in a large tent set up on the roof of a house or in the street.
On the day of the wedding, the bride and groom will wear multiple lavish outfits, often in traditional Moroccan styles. The bride is often carried into the wedding hall on a platform called an Amaria, symbolising her honour, value, and status as the queen of the ceremony. The groom will also change into a traditional Jabador, a Moroccan tunic and pants. The couple is then lifted and carried around the room together on their platforms.
The wedding concludes with the couple sharing a wedding cake and taking formal photos. They then depart to begin their married life, with a long procession of cars following them, honking and shouting in celebration.
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The bride is purified in a milk bath and adorned with henna tattoos
Moroccan weddings are grand affairs, often taking a year to prepare for. Traditionally, the man and his family visit the woman's house, where she and her family serve tea. The man's parents then propose marriage on behalf of their son. Once both parties are in agreement, wedding preparations begin.
The next day is the henna ceremony, a vibrant female gathering. The bride wears a stunning green Kaftan (a traditional Moroccan dress), and a henna artist is hired to adorn her hands and feet with intricate designs. Henna is considered a symbol of fertility, luck, and happiness in Morocco. The women around her dance and chant as she receives her henna. Once the bride's designs are complete, the other women also receive henna tattoos, believed to bring good luck in finding life partners.
The henna ceremony is followed by the wedding day. The celebration begins with the bride's grand entrance into the wedding hall. She sits in an Amaria, an elegant roofed platform carried on the shoulders of selected guests. The groom, referred to as Moulay Sultan (His Majesty), also wears traditional attire. The couple is then carried around the room on their respective platforms, accompanied by ululations and prayers. The wedding meal is served, typically consisting of a pastilla, a main course such as couscous or tagine, dessert, and a platter of fruit. The bride will change her outfit and jewellery several times throughout the night, with the assistance of female attendants. The wedding concludes with the couple sharing a wedding cake with their guests, followed by their final dance and departure to begin their married life.
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The wedding concludes with a cake-cutting ceremony and a procession
Moroccan weddings are grand affairs, often taking a year to prepare for. The wedding celebrations include time-honoured traditions that are meant to send the new couple into the world together with a fresh and prosperous start. The bride and groom typically have multiple outfit changes, with the bride wearing up to six or seven traditional dresses, each representing different regions or styles, and the groom changing from a suit to a traditional jabador, a Moroccan tunic and pants.
The wedding ceremony itself is preceded by several rituals. Two days before the wedding, the bride visits the bathhouse with her female relatives and close friends. After relaxing in the steam room, the hammam attendant scrubs and massages her skin and washes it with a special perfumed soap. The next day is the henna party, where the bride and her female friends and relatives have their hands and feet decorated with beautiful henna tattoos to wish the bride good luck in her marriage. Henna is considered a symbol of fertility, luck, and happiness in Morocco. The groom and his male relatives may also hold their own henna party, where the men gather to share a meal, recite the Quran, and celebrate together.
On the day of the wedding, the guests gather at the venue, which could be a home, a hotel ballroom, or a riad. The men are dressed in suits, and the women in colourful takchitas. The groom and his family, along with some of the bride's family, are present as the guests arrive and welcome them with a glass of milk and a date, symbolic of hospitality. The bride does not arrive until an hour or two into the evening, as her grand entrance is a very important part of the party. She is carried into the wedding hall on a roofed platform called an Amaria, which symbolises her honour, value, and status as the queen of the ceremony. The groom is also carried into the hall on a platform, accompanied by ululations and prayers.
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Frequently asked questions
In the past, a traditional Moroccan wedding lasted seven days and involved multiple parties and events. These days, they rarely last the full week but usually include at least three days of events.
Moroccan weddings are grand affairs, often taking a year to prepare. They include several ceremonies that occur prior to the actual wedding, such as the Drib Sdak, where the couple signs the marriage contract. There is also the Henna party, where the bride and her female friends and relatives get henna tattoos. The wedding itself begins in the evening and lasts late into the night, with the bride making a grand entrance an hour or two into the evening. The bride and groom are carried into the hall on their respective platforms, and the bride will change outfits several times throughout the night. The wedding concludes with the couple sharing a wedding cake.
The couple drives to a hotel or their new home, followed by a long procession of cars from the wedding. The party usually continues until around 5 a.m., and sometimes breakfast is served as the sun rises.
