Morocco wedding traditions are celebrated in a similar
fashion as other Muslim countries. These
weddings last from three to seven days, with extravagant meals, music, and
clothing.
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The preparation for the wedding for the bride begins as she
goes through a process of purification.
This happens when she visits the Hamam, the Moroccan sauna, with her friends
and relatives. While enjoying the spa
services, her family and friends sing traditional songs and set a happy mood
for the wedding.
The following day, the bride and her family and friends get henna
painting from a professional artist. The
brides hands get decorated with symbols of happiness and good luck, and the family
takes part in the ceremony.
On the wedding day, the celebration begins with recitations
of the nikkah (muslim wedding
ceremony), Koranic verses and songs that praise the Prophet.
Later, the guests gather is a large room, followed
by the bride and groom. The bride and
groom enter the room on a large chair called the “amariya”. The bride and groom are carried around the
room, as the guests wish and bless the couple with happiness and good
luck.
Throughout the celebrations, the bride changes her
outfits. This occurs up to seven times,
with the last change, into a magnificent white wedding dress. There is celebration with a lot of food, songs, music, and dance!
To help her with her attire, hair and makeup,
a woman (or group of women), called the “neggafates”. They would be invited, as advisors, to make sure the bride and groom had proper
attire, and that the ceremonies were going as they should in proper social
hierarchy. The family would usher them
with traditional gifts of scarves, sugar, honey, candles, etc. The more modern neggafates are hired and paid
in flat fees to maintain the attire and presence of the bride and groom.
The celebrations would encompass grand feasts of traditional Moroccan
cuisine, such as couscous, baby lamb, tajine (stew meat with almonds and
raisins), and mint tea.
At the end of the wedding, the couple cruises around the area
to take photos, before heading to the groom’s house. This is where some families choose to have a
second celebration of the wedding The
bride is welcomed in her new home by her mother-in-law with offerings of dates
and milk, as a sign of welcome and affection.
