A wedding in the Fez Medina

It is not every day that there is a wedding between a Moroccan and a foreigner in Fez and so the Medina has been buzzing with the news about Evelyn and Hassan. Although Evelyn was trying to keep it quiet, the henna on her hands was a dead give away. Now she has announced it on her blog and you can read the full story here: Below is an edited extract. Evelyn in Morocco.

Last Saturday night (actually, it was Sunday morning about 3 a.m.) Hassan and I got married... I sat on cushions in the center of the activities all night long and even got a chance to dance. The guests were delighted with my abilities and at one point I was in a circle of people, all on bended knee clapping for me.

A sheep was sacrificed earlier in the day (I taught school all day long) and a delicious meal was prepared for all the guests. The night before, Hassan's mother had made arrangements for me to have my hands and feet hennaed in the most intricate of designs. It took hours and hours and women danced and tended to me all the night long. We finally finished at 3 in the morning. Then everyone slept head-to-toe in the salon and I awoke early to go to school to teach.

Everything has been quite surreal. At the beginning of the festivities, Hassan and I were in a line up of close friends and family out in the streets with the musicians playing and flags surrounding us. We all held hands and bent to and fro to the music. Hassan was carried on the shoulders of his friends several times and when the actual wedding "vows" took place it consisted of his offering me some milk from a small bowl. I drank of the milk, then ate half a date with a nut in it. Then I offered Hassan the milk and the other half of the date. We put rings on one another's fingers and then each kissed the top of the others head.

There are many papers to file with the government to get our offical marriage "act" but we have time. We plan to build a home in the Kasbah which will have three floors and a terrace. Hassan and I will live on the top floor and rent the first two floors to tourists. His brother will corral tourists at Bab Boujloud and bring them to the pension.

All Moroccans who live in the Medina know Hassan and I are married and they seem quite pleased. A few nights before the marriage fest, Hassan's house was filled with family. We spent the night there and his mother gave us her room to sleep in. She prepared the bed for us, spraying perfume on the sheets and sleeping in the kitchen so we could have the prime sleeping spot in the house. Every day I marvel at how my life is unfolding.

Congratulations Evelyn!

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news