Wedding traditions of North Africa
Seven-day weddings, the henna night, the amariya chair, Imilchil and the Berber bride. 25 traditions on EveryShaadi so far.
Countries
🇩🇿 Algeria 6🇪🇬 Egypt 24🇱🇾 Libya 2🇲🇷 Mauritania 3🇲🇦 Morocco 8🇸🇩 Sudan 6🇹🇳 Tunisia 2🇪🇭 Western Sahara 0
Cities and towns
On the calendar
🇩🇿 Algiers, AlgeriaKarakou
A fitted velvet jacket from Algiers, embroidered with gold and silver thread for weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇪🇬 Egypt and 4 moreWaist beads
Strands of glass or seed worn around the hips to mark womanhood and track body changes in West and North Africa.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal
🇲🇦 Imilchil, MoroccoImilchil Marriage FestivalAgdoud N'Oulmghenni
A Berber marriage festival in Morocco where tribes gather to arrange unions and celebrate with music and dance.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇲🇦 MoroccoTakchitaⵜⴽⵛⵉⵟⴰ (Berber) / تَكْشِيْطَة (Arabic)
A two-layered Moroccan wedding dress adorned with embroidery and traditional closures.Attire · The ceremony
🇲🇦 Tangier, MoroccoNegafanggafa (Tamazight); ziyyāna (Arabic)
The traditional Moroccan bridal dresser who manages the bride's appearance and wedding rituals.Attire · The weeks before
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreArab weddingزفاف or فرح or عرس
A series of family-centered rites and processions that mark marriage across the Arab world.Rite · Finding a match
🇪🇬 EgyptNikah 'urfiنكاح العرفي
An unregistered Islamic contract that allows couples to marry without state recognition or public ceremony.Betrothal · The weeks before
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreWedding music
The songs and instruments that mark the arrival of the couple and set the mood for the celebration.Performance · The weeks before
🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreMisyar marriageزواج المسيار (zawāj al-misyār)
A Sunni Islamic contract where the wife waives cohabitation and financial support in exchange for a legal union.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇱🇾 LibyaPolygamy in Libya
The practice of men marrying multiple wives within Libyan law and custom.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇩🇿 Tlemcen, AlgeriaChedda of Tlemcenشدة تلمسانية (Shadda Tlimsānī)
The velvet and gold kaftan worn by brides in Tlemcen, Algeria, for their wedding ceremony.Attire · The ceremony
🇹🇳 Tunis, TunisiaTunisian jebbaجبة
A loose traditional tunic worn by Tunisian men and women for weddings and festivals.Attire · Procession and arrival
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Takchita: Gerard Levy, France (Beth Hatefutsoth Photo Archive, courtesy of Gerar, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tunisian jebba: Touzrimounir, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Imilchil Marriage Festival: Zakaria ElQotbi, CC BY 2.0, source
- Karakou: Bachounda, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Negafa: Amine.elbahij, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Arab wedding: 13th century artist, Public domain, source
- Waist beads: Amuzujoe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chedda of Tlemcen: Dezedien, CC BY-SA 4.0, source