Gate to the old city of Fez, Morocco

A blog called “The View from Fez: Observations from the Medina of Fez in Morocco” published a nice series of photos of a traditional (if somewhat lavish) Moroccan wedding in the city of Fez. The authors of the blog were invited in 2009 to attend the wedding of Si Mohamed and Hakima, a Moroccan couple. Tom Fakler took the photographs.

The bride and groom were married a few months ago, but according to Moroccan and Islamic tradition, couldn’t begin their life together until they had celebrated properly with family and friends. The party, known as a walimah, took place at one of the wedding halls in the new city of Fez.

The groom Si Mohamed with his sisters

Henna patterns on the bride Hakima’s hands

Si Mohamed ready for the wedding ceremony

The bride and groom enter the wedding hall – Hakima wearing a splendid silver dress and carried aloft on a silver wedding chair, and Si Mohamed on horseback

The wedding guests are treated to a multitude of sweet cakes, mint tea and fruit juice.

The wedding cake is actually seven cakes around a centerpiece

Bride and groom start the dancing

There are several changes of costume for both. First the bride wears blue…

then bride and attendants change into lavender, as she is carried in another wedding chair

a traditional wedding dress with gold jewelry

then the bride looks like a forest queen in a green dress

and lastly, a traditional Western-style white dress

Everyone enjoys the party as bride and groom dance.

Gate to the old city of Fez, Morocco