"For the bride, the wedding is like a coronation. She is dressed and treated just like a queen," explains Mohammed Marrakchi, director of the Moroccan National Tourist Office in New York, N.Y. The days when most Moroccan marriages were arranged belong to the past, Marrakchi says. Today's young people choose their own partners, and while the parents may have veto power, they often accept their child's choice, recognizing that times have changed. "Morocco is evolving from a traditional patriarchal family to a nuclear family," Marrakchi observes. "But children still pay homage to tradition and will ask the parents to bless the marriage." A Moroccan wedding celebration marks the joining together of two families, as well as the establishment of a new family. Marriage is considered the most important decision a man and woman can make, and the wedding is an elaborate affair that can last from three to seven days.

The Celebration

Before the wedding, a team of chefs arrives to prepare the meals, and the family employs group of women who devote themselves to making the bride look her best. They dress her in a traditional Moroccan wedding gown of brightly colored silk, overlaid by a sheer gown embroidered with gold thread. Jewels are arranged to cascade around her face, and makeup highlights her eyes.