Wedding Season Returns

Henna, Marrakech style

Music before the parade

Kids are excited

Tambourine, drums and recorder during the parade

Clapping, tongue trilling and chant singing

Sugar, oil, flour, salt and gifts  

Clothing offerings

Village parade to welcome the bride

My host sister

Prep in the kitchen

Beef and chicken preparation

After the cow sacrafice

Moroccan drums

Auntie preparing grapes 

Dishes galore....

The bride gets lifted

Bride and groom

Making whole made donuts early morning

Wedding season has come back now that Ramadan is over. I have been to 12 weddings and I have just one more that I should attend. In the beginning the ceremonies were filled with excitement and curiosity and now after attending so many, I feel that I have paid my dues and am really in the experience like never before. These events typically last 3 days and are a lot of work. My contribution to this Berber wedding was washing dishes, brushing my teeth in public, doing morning yoga, giving out balloons to the kids to play with and taking lots of photos. It all started with a village parade welcoming the bride with a goat, horses and cow as sacrificial participants. All the family was there to partake in the celebration wearing embellished  Tuksheetas, hennaed hands and feet, bad perfume, heavy makeup and chant singing, tongue trilling, clapping, musicians with drums, tambourines and recorders. Then tea, olives, nuts and bread was served to welcome everyone. A hot day where children were running, people enjoying, women cooking large amounts of chicken and beef. Women gather in separate rooms making music beating on drums while the men eat gathered together. Day after day the music and festivities continue and into the nights where no sleep happens. A crew of women sit outside where they wash dishes while men drink coffee and tea eating shish- cabobs of lambs and cows stomach. Guests and family dance into the night and wee hours of the morning before the con-cemation of marriage happens. Pretty cookies and tea are served and gifts unwrapped for a later time. All in all, Moroccan weddings are a major event. One of my favorite things to see are the men so involved with their kids, a families love for one another and coming together to help with tasks and the excitement that so many have during this special time. Although these weddings remain a mystery to me, I will continue to enjoy them and dance as it is a good laugh and source of entertainment for the locals.