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The feast par excellence, the wedding in Morocco is celebrated even for days, with a preparation full of history and meaning.
The Party
Weddings have always been synonymous with great joy, families coming together and the celebration of love ready for the definitive leap into adult life. A fundamental step for every man and woman, especially within the Mediterranean, a territory in which, without a doubt, they are celebrated with particular emphasis. From this point of view, Morocco ranks among the top positions, with celebrations that last, without incredible problems, even a whole week.
Before reaching the party itself, however, there are a whole series of steps that the spouses must take, in order to truly recreate the perfect wedding. Not surprisingly, in certain parts of the country there is a tendency to organize everything even a year earlier, woe not to turn it into the perfect day.
The preparation of the bride
Once the families have agreed, invited the parent and planned the date, we move on to the real “tradition”. 2 days before the ceremony, in fact, the future bride is accompanied by her friends and relatives in a hammam, spending time cleaning up and sharing the last moments with them before the big day. This act is seen as a sort of purification, a way to officially start a new life together with great love.
The next day will be the one dedicated to henna, another very important and significant element. As seen these days, in fact, the tattoo in Morocco, as well as an aesthetic tradition, is very much linked to good luck. In this way, the bride not only makes herself beautiful for the future husband, but, in a certain sense, also thanks the future. It is tradition, then, that at this particular moment not only is there a henna artist, but that even the “bridesmaids” give their contribution to color the birthday girl.
The ceremony
Once these two steps have been carried out, we finally arrive at the moment of the ceremony, the culminating moment of the celebrations. After reading some verses from the Qur’an together, the spouses are taken on a long chair called amariya, which is lifted and carried on the shoulder by 4 men. From an elevated position, the guests can thus be celebrated by all the guests, who bless them and wish them a bright future.
Once down, the couple is made to sit on a large chair placed in the center of the room, so that they are there for all to see. At this point we move on to the banquet, where every type of local specialty is offered and which is alternated with singing and dancing sessions. During the ceremony, the bride wears various garments including, usually, at least one white caftan, a symbol of Morocco and purity.
Once the long celebration is over, the parade begins towards the groom’s house, which can be alternated by numerous stages, in order to bring joy to the whole territory.
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