High in the rugged Atlas Mountains of Morocco, rural Berber tribespeople celebrate an annual wedding fair. The Imilchil fair, or moussem, commemorates the ancient, yet tragically familiar story of a son and daughter of warring tribes who, forbidden to marry, chose suicide rather than be parted from one another. Heartsick tribal elders vowed from then on to permit their children to choose their own spouses, and the moussem evolved into a place for members of the isolated communities to meet each other and to marry. Today, young women arrive at the fair dressed to wed in a white dress covered by a traditional striped woolen cape in tribal colors. Young men roam the crowd, looking for suitable wives, and a woman, if chosen, has the right to accept or refuse. However, a quick decision is expected, and at the end of the fair, a mass wedding is performed. While some of the couples may have just met, most have a passing acquaintance with one another but follow tradition by marrying during the fair.

The Henna Party

Before the wedding celebration, the bride has a henna party with her female relatives and closest women friends. Henna has been used in Morocco for centuries to create intricate decorative designs that are applied to the palms and feet of the bride and her guests. The geometric and floral designs have a number of meanings, including protecting against evil spirits, bringing good luck and increasing fertility.