or our 8 hours at a Moroccan-Pakistani wedding...
Moroccan weddings can last up to 2 or 3 days and tend to be very pompous. Luckily, the wedding of Yassine's cousin was only 8 hours long, which was a very loooong time indeed.
First preparations
As I mentioned before, Moroccan women want to look very attractive at any wedding and use this opportunity to show off their beauty and wealth. So, it is recommended to wear gold jewellery, visit a hairdresser and put on a lot of make-up. I had to take part in this makeover, too. First a hairdresser in the centre of Marrakesh took care of my hair and made me up. Then, at home, I had to wear a Moroccan outfit: pink trousers, long blue dress, long colourful dress, golden belt, golden shoes (and another, blue pair of shoes to wear them later, as I can't really walk on high-heels) and a black light cover that has to be taken off after entering to the wedding room. I felt quite weird in my new outfit, as I don't like gold and make-up, neither do I trust hairdressers and never wear high-heels... But after some time I got used to my new image and found it quite comfortable, especially while taking pictures (as I was one of the wedding photographers there).
All Moroccan wedding dresses are similar: long and colourful. When you walk, you have to take the dress in your hands to prevent stumbling over it.
The wedding
The wedding started theoretically at 8 p.m., but when we came after 10 p.m. we were one of the first guests. Every time when someone walks into the wedding room, live music is played by a group of traditional musicians. Near the entrance there's a table, where welcome milk and snacks are served and you can also leave some money for the couple.About 11 p.m. the room gets crowded, as a group of Pakistani comes by bus. They all came here few days before from the UK, together with the Pakistani groom. And all of them wear beautiful traditional Pakistani clothes.
The band in the middle of the room plays traditional Moroccan music and there's a special table for the couple and their family. In the other end of the room there's a huge green (later it becomes white) throne for the couple, where they spend most of the time, to be admired and taken photos with.
First, a bride walks in, wearing a green dress, covered with a green vale. A group of shouting women leads her to the throne, then they make her sit down and paint her hands and feet with henna. When henna painting is ready, the groom dressed in a traditional Pakistani outfit comes on a white horse. He approaches his wife and takes off the vale. Now, it's the time for the photographers and all the guests to enjoy the view of the beautiful young couple. And everything is filmed and shown directly on 3 big screens, so if you miss some details seating in the other end of the room, you can still catch it up on the TV.
The bride is then carried on a special „tray” by four strong men that lift her up and walk around the room to the rhythm of the music. Later, the similar scenario is repeated – the bride changes her dress five or four times, wearing richly decorated clothes and crones, the couple is carried around the room on special „trays” or sitting on the throne.
Food arrives about 2 p.m. and it's meat only. Nicely dressed waiters (men only) bring silver plates to every round table (there's about 20 of them) and put them on the middle.
Everyone eats from one plate, there's also one little plate for bread in front of every person. I'm waiting for some vegetarian meal, but there's just big bowl of fruit and sweets, which is actually fine for me.
Many music groups enter the room from time to time and play traditional Moroccan or Berber music. The only performing woman is a singer, who collects money after her show. The only dancers are Moroccan women too, Moroccan men and Pakistani group are mainly sitting at the tables and watching the women. When for a short time Pakistani music is played from a CD, only Pakistani men are dancing, making all the guest smile. The couple does not dance, and does not mix with the guest. They are there to be admired, carried around the room and eat.
The end
The show ends when the couple leaves the room dressed in white clothes. Pakistani guests come back to their hotels, some Moroccan guests stay for the last meal, a hot soup. We decide to come back home to get some rest after 8 intensive hours of colourful and joyful show.
Moroccan weddings can last up to 2 or 3 days and tend to be very pompous. Luckily, the wedding of Yassine's cousin was only 8 hours long, which was a very loooong time indeed.
First preparations
As I mentioned before, Moroccan women want to look very attractive at any wedding and use this opportunity to show off their beauty and wealth. So, it is recommended to wear gold jewellery, visit a hairdresser and put on a lot of make-up. I had to take part in this makeover, too. First a hairdresser in the centre of Marrakesh took care of my hair and made me up. Then, at home, I had to wear a Moroccan outfit: pink trousers, long blue dress, long colourful dress, golden belt, golden shoes (and another, blue pair of shoes to wear them later, as I can't really walk on high-heels) and a black light cover that has to be taken off after entering to the wedding room. I felt quite weird in my new outfit, as I don't like gold and make-up, neither do I trust hairdressers and never wear high-heels... But after some time I got used to my new image and found it quite comfortable, especially while taking pictures (as I was one of the wedding photographers there).
All Moroccan wedding dresses are similar: long and colourful. When you walk, you have to take the dress in your hands to prevent stumbling over it.
The wedding
The wedding started theoretically at 8 p.m., but when we came after 10 p.m. we were one of the first guests. Every time when someone walks into the wedding room, live music is played by a group of traditional musicians. Near the entrance there's a table, where welcome milk and snacks are served and you can also leave some money for the couple.About 11 p.m. the room gets crowded, as a group of Pakistani comes by bus. They all came here few days before from the UK, together with the Pakistani groom. And all of them wear beautiful traditional Pakistani clothes.
The band in the middle of the room plays traditional Moroccan music and there's a special table for the couple and their family. In the other end of the room there's a huge green (later it becomes white) throne for the couple, where they spend most of the time, to be admired and taken photos with.
First, a bride walks in, wearing a green dress, covered with a green vale. A group of shouting women leads her to the throne, then they make her sit down and paint her hands and feet with henna. When henna painting is ready, the groom dressed in a traditional Pakistani outfit comes on a white horse. He approaches his wife and takes off the vale. Now, it's the time for the photographers and all the guests to enjoy the view of the beautiful young couple. And everything is filmed and shown directly on 3 big screens, so if you miss some details seating in the other end of the room, you can still catch it up on the TV.
The bride is then carried on a special „tray” by four strong men that lift her up and walk around the room to the rhythm of the music. Later, the similar scenario is repeated – the bride changes her dress five or four times, wearing richly decorated clothes and crones, the couple is carried around the room on special „trays” or sitting on the throne.
Food arrives about 2 p.m. and it's meat only. Nicely dressed waiters (men only) bring silver plates to every round table (there's about 20 of them) and put them on the middle.
Everyone eats from one plate, there's also one little plate for bread in front of every person. I'm waiting for some vegetarian meal, but there's just big bowl of fruit and sweets, which is actually fine for me.
Many music groups enter the room from time to time and play traditional Moroccan or Berber music. The only performing woman is a singer, who collects money after her show. The only dancers are Moroccan women too, Moroccan men and Pakistani group are mainly sitting at the tables and watching the women. When for a short time Pakistani music is played from a CD, only Pakistani men are dancing, making all the guest smile. The couple does not dance, and does not mix with the guest. They are there to be admired, carried around the room and eat.
The end
The show ends when the couple leaves the room dressed in white clothes. Pakistani guests come back to their hotels, some Moroccan guests stay for the last meal, a hot soup. We decide to come back home to get some rest after 8 intensive hours of colourful and joyful show.
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