Wedding Stuff

[MrsAmera 41]

Hi ladies -- so our wedding is in like 5 weeks and we're putting all of the final details down. We are having a big freaking wedding (200+ guests) - my parents insisted that I was only getting married once and regardless of how little time we have we are having a big wedding *sigh*. So we're trying to make this as multi-cultural as possible. So here's what I'm looking for. All of you with Moroccan husbands and/or had a Moroccan style wedding what are some traditions you used and can you explain them to me (signifigance, meaning etc.) We are putting together a program to explain traditions to my family. We want to do the milk bowls and the dates but I'm not having much luck researching how to "properly" do them and my fiance is like "well i don't know i've never been married...." Also any songs you like for the dancing. We're starting a list and I have a few - both American and Arabic. Thanks I know you all will have some great stuff for us!

[kerewin21 2]

Please share with me too! We're having a big-ish reception in May, since our ceremony was so little, and I'm trying really hard to find ways to make it more Moroccan. We weren't able to have it at a Moroccan restaurant like I wanted because my parents insisted on inviting 80 people (argh).

I'm thinking about Moroccan lamps for centerpieces, and naming the tables after Moroccan cities and putting photos in frames of those cities on the tables. I want to do the milk and dates thing, but I too don't know the significance of it and neither does Majid.

Are you having a DJ and giving him/her the songs you want to hear?

Sharon

[MrsAmera 41]

Hey - Yea we bought 20 glass and metal lamps when I was in Morocco and 200 tea cups (as gifts for the guests). They say "You are welcome" in Arabic on them. We are having our toast with Moroccan tea vs. champagne and everyone can take hoem their cup and consider themselves "welcome" to our family. (i.e. drinking tea with a moroccan family signifies you are welcome in their home and life.). My uncle is actaully a dj so I am giving him the list of songs and letting him chose a few too. We both like sorta different choices than a dj might choose so that's why we're supplying the songs. I hope that some more people chime in on here so we can get things figured out -- we could work together to plan things though!!

[jordanianprincess 0]

You can actually dowload middle eastern songs from www.mazikana.com and its free. I guess they don't have the copyright laws in the Middle east as we do here. I have a pretty good and LARGE collection of Middle Eastern Songs, I can send you some CD's if you like.

Jordanian Princess

[Dixie_Peach 1]

Well... we had a "family" ceremony when I was there in Morocco... but we didn't do the milk bowls... we did do the dates tho... don't know why we didn't do the milk bowl thing...

When Jamal comes to the states, I am also planning a cross-cultural wedding... so I am looking forward to your suggestions...

What a wonderful thread! And a great support group!

Blessings,

Lynne

[honeyblonde 0]

We did a full engagement ceremony in Morocco, with about 30 guests. We did the henna party the night before which involved everyone dancing to Arabic music while the henna was put on, then Abdel feeding me dinner in the middle of it.

I was wearing a special dress and jewelry that were rented for the event. A girl did my hair and makeup special before the ceremony.

The next morning they cleaned the henna stuff off, and the girl that had done my hair and makeup came back and did it again. They had two more dresses with jewelry that day. I started in one dress and Abdel and I walked into the room where everyone was holding hands.

The milk and dates were set out for us and we each fed the other a bite of the date, then each gave the other a sip of the milk from a bowl. There was a bowl for each of us. After that we exchanged our rings. Somewhere in there I was taken back into the other room to change into the other dress. After the ceremony we had to have pictures taken with every single guest there, and then we were allowed to change back into our regular clothes and come back in and dance together as a couple in front of the guests.

Abdel wants to do a full ceremony, which he says lasts a week, when we are able to go back. It includes the couple being carried through the streets in the chairs on men's shoulders.

I have pictures of the milk and dates ceremony and actually quite a few from the entire thing, so if you need details I can send pictures of whatever detail you want. His family took over 300 pictures.

Good Luck and have fun!

[tnh9479 1]

I was going to suggest Mazikana.com too for Arabic music. Half of the 1600 songs on our I-Pod must be Arabic! (Let me know if you need any. I can send some to you!)

Twila

[UmmSqueakster 54]

I can't be of much help, since my knowledge and tastes are decidedly egyptian (with the exception of Khaled and rai), but Mubarak! Congratulations on your impending nuptials. May Allah (swt) bless your union and bring you peace and happiness.

[frndly1 1]

We did a full engagement ceremony in Morocco, with about 30 guests. We did the henna party the night before which involved everyone dancing to Arabic music while the henna was put on, then Abdel feeding me dinner in the middle of it.

I was wearing a special dress and jewelry that were rented for the event. A girl did my hair and makeup special before the ceremony.

The next morning they cleaned the henna stuff off, and the girl that had done my hair and makeup came back and did it again. They had two more dresses with jewelry that day. I started in one dress and Abdel and I walked into the room where everyone was holding hands.

The milk and dates were set out for us and we each fed the other a bite of the date, then each gave the other a sip of the milk from a bowl. There was a bowl for each of us. After that we exchanged our rings. Somewhere in there I was taken back into the other room to change into the other dress. After the ceremony we had to have pictures taken with every single guest there, and then we were allowed to change back into our regular clothes and come back in and dance together as a couple in front of the guests.

Abdel wants to do a full ceremony, which he says lasts a week, when we are able to go back. It includes the couple being carried through the streets in the chairs on men's shoulders.

I have pictures of the milk and dates ceremony and actually quite a few from the entire thing, so if you need details I can send pictures of whatever detail you want. His family took over 300 pictures.

Good Luck and have fun!

Honey, I would like to see some pictures. I am surprising my fiance with the date and milk at our american wedding. My email address is b4mee@yahoo.com.

Edited March 12, 2006 by frndly1

[honeyblonde 0]

I'll scan some in this morning Kathy and post them here so everyone can see them that needs them. His neice sat next to us and guided us to do things right, so I guess we did. She goes to enough weddings I'm sure she's seen it done enough to know.

[honeyblonde 0]

Ok, I scanned in 4 pics of the milk & dates, and added a couple of our wedding pictures. My family messed up our plans for a church wedding, and I had finals up until a week before the wedding so I didn't have time to fight with them. They slowly changed their attitude as they got to know Abdel, but by the time they came around it was too late to plan the church wedding we wanted. We ended up calling a friend of mine that's a judge at the last minute and he came through for us. We bought our wedding suits the day before the wedding.

[kerewin21 2]

We are having our toast with Moroccan tea vs. champagne and everyone can take hoem their cup and consider themselves "welcome" to our family. (i.e. drinking tea with a moroccan family signifies you are welcome in their home and life.).

So how are you getting your caterer/restaurant to make 200 cups of Moroccan tea?!?!? Sounds like a great idea, but I don't know if I could get anyone to do it....

I'm FREAKING OUT because I only have another 2 months to pull this thing together. At least we're already married, so I don't have to worry about that part happening; the rest is all details I guess!

Sharon

[frndly1 1]

thanks honey for sharing.

[Dixie_Peach 1]

Ok, I scanned in 4 pics of the milk & dates, and added a couple of our wedding pictures. My family messed up our plans for a church wedding, and I had finals up until a week before the wedding so I didn't have time to fight with them. They slowly changed their attitude as they got to know Abdel, but by the time they came around it was too late to plan the church wedding we wanted. We ended up calling a friend of mine that's a judge at the last minute and he came through for us. We bought our wedding suits the day before the wedding.

Liz... those are beautiful pics!!! I love the dress!!! Did you get to keep it?

I'm so glad that you shared those pics... I loved them!

[kerewin21 2]

Liz I second that... Love the dress!!! I loved the dress my family made for me, but pink would have been even better

Sharon