Having just returned from planning an epic wedding in beautiful Morocco, I’m feeling incredibly inspired to help all you wonderful couples that would like to get married in this stunning country. Of course, before I went out there and started planning the Moroccan wedding of my couple’s dreams, I had a lot of questions – is it difficult to get married in Morocco? Is it expensive? Can we just do the legal part in the UK?
So, with so many questions that come hand-in-hand with marrying abroad, I decided to create a little blog series to help couples make their Moroccan wedding dream become a reality. Spreading across four weeks, these blogs will help detail everything you need to know, how to find the right wedding suppliers and a bonus behind the scenes video of our Moroccan wedding. You are in for a treat!
To get us started though, here’s a little guide on everything you need to know about tying the knot in Morocco, to help you decide if this country is the ideal place for you both to take your vows:
Why Get Married in Morocco?
There is nothing quite like celebrating your love in front of your friends and family, and what better place to do that than in the glorious Morocco. Not only does this stunning African country benefit from enviably hot weather, for couples looking for their perfect venue, you have dreamy beaches, the bustling city of Marrakech and the dramatic Atlas Mountains to choose from in this diverse country.
Even better, with a Moroccan wedding, you get to enjoy lots of local traditions that make for a truly unique experience for both yourselves and your guests. Here, weddings are grand affairs that take place over several days – even weeks!
For Moroccan brides, the traditional outfit is a white caftan made from opulent silks and other fabrics, although you can wear whatever you like for your big day. Indeed, many Moroccan brides change their outfit several times on their wedding day, with the final outfit being a magnificent white wedding dress. It’s also traditional for the bride and her wedding party to take part in a henna ceremony, where symbols of good fortune are painted on the hands and feet.
Another large part of a Moroccan wedding is the food, as food is seen as a wonderful way to bring the friends and families of both couples together. Weddings often have spectacular banquets of traditional, mouth-watering dishes, including tagines, pastilles, couscous and mint tea.
You’ll need all this food for energy, as you’ll be parting through the night, as many Moroccan weddings only end when the sun comes up at 5am!
Is it Legal for British Nationals to Get Married in Morocco?
Although it is possible for you to legally have your wedding in Morocco, this can be a complicated and stressful process. Which is why many couples planning a Moroccan destination wedding choose to legally get married here in the UK and then jet off to Morocco to celebrate with all their friends and family.
If you do have your heart set on legally marrying in Morocco, it is possible, you’ll just need take the following actions:
• You will both need a separate affidavit that confirms it would be lawful for you to legally tie the knot in Morocco. To get these legal forms, arrange an appointment with the British embassy and pay the fees for your forms.
• Once you both have your affidavit, it will need legalised by the Moroccan authorities in order for it to be recognised, as well as professionally translated into Arabic and authorised by a registry office. This is often a slow process, so be prepared for it to take more than a month.
• From there, a judge will help secure the marriage certificate. Once obtained, this should be used within three months.
Your marriage certificate is only the first step to getting married in Morocco, you will also need to provide a recent criminal record from the police (if you have one). Unfortunately, civil partnerships and same sex marriages are not yet recognised in Morocco.
As complicated as it sounds, your best source of help is contacting the British embassy based in Morocco as they can answer any questions you might have.
Are Moroccan Weddings Expensive?
Much like here in the UK, a Moroccan wedding bill will vary wildly, with some Moroccan venues charging as little as £4000 and others as much as £45,000. The average cost of a wedding for Moroccan wedding equates to around £16,000. Generally speaking, though, a Moroccan wedding will cost more, as you’ll also need to take into account flights and accommodation for your trip.
However, this shouldn’t put you off, as by creating your wedding budget and planning carefully, you can make a Moroccan wedding or wedding party happen on any budget.
If you’re thinking of an exotic wedding and would like your very own Morocco wedding planner to help you plan your big day, then simply get in touch and I can advise you on any questions you might have.
Now that we’ve finished talking about the important bits of ‘Marrying in Morocco’, come back next week, when I’ll share with you my behind the scenes video of our Moroccan wedding.
Married in Morocco Series
This is part of a weekly blog series to help couples thinking of a destination wedding in Morocco. Be sure to follow us on Instagram for regular updates. In next week’s blog, we’ll share a ‘Behind the Scences’ Vlog of our recent video in Morocco.
You can checkout the rest of our ‘Married in Morocco Series’ here:
Married in Morocco Series: Behind The Scenes VLOG of our Moroccan Wedding
How to create your Moroccan Themed Wedding here in London
Our Exceptionally Beautiful Moroccan Wedding we Planned in 7 Weeks!
