Moroccan Themed Wedding Details

Source: Jose Villa/Cortnie of Canvas and Canopy for Rue Magazine

Welcome to Part 2 of our Moroccan-themed inspiration Friday! Didn’t you just love the dresses I showcased this morning? Not to mention the gorgeous backdrop… Of course, I’ve never actually been to Morocco (although I have done Tunisia and Egypt) but it is most definitely on the list. There’s just something so romantic and English Patienty about it all, isn’t there? Which is probably why it makes a great wedding theme, and I’ve been seeing full-scale Moroccan style weddings or just weddings with Moroccan touches popping up all over the place. But there’s one big word of warning here. Going overboard will make this theme look like a cheap Christmas party. Do not – I repeat, do NOT – go overboard. Don’t lean towards the obvious, but rather be inspired by the general North African design aesthetic, and then have fun with it.

Sources: Row 1 – Holly Chapple/Kate Triano via Style Me Pretty; Row 2 (left) – Oh, How Charming/Braedon Photography  via Green Wedding Shoes; Row 2 (right) – Holly Chapple/Kate Triano via Style Me Pretty; Row 3 (left) – Photography by Verdi via Borrowed and Bleu; Row 3 (right) – Peacock + Papaya/Heather DeCamp Photography via Style Me Pretty

For example, lamps. These are a design staple in Morocco, and they’re easy to find (Moroccan Warehouse in Cape Town is a great option). Better yet if you can convince the man to take you off for a pre-wedding shopping trip! Anyway, the great thing about the lanterns is that they can be used in a number of different ways, and you can even recycle them from one part of your day to another. Hang them from ribbon at varying lengths in your ceremony area, and then use them again for table decor or in a breakout area. If you don’t have a large number of lamps, set them up behind your buffet or cake area to make a real impact. They’re equally lovely at a beach wedding, hung from shepherd’s hooks to create an aisle or path, or just to demarcate the reception area. And don’t forget that lamps come in all shapes and sizes – the star lamps above are some of my favourites for creating a real impact!

Sources: Row 1 (left) – Absolute Weddings/Hillary Maybery via Elizabeth Anne Designs; Row 1 (right) – Jose Villa/Cortnie of Canvas and Canopy for Rue Magazine; Row 2 – One Fine Day/Matt Theilen Photography via Wedding Chicks

Cushions are another great way to bring Moroccan style into your reception. You may not like the idea of all of your guests tucking into their meal so close to the ground, but you could use long benches with scattered cushions, or else recreate the look in breakout areas outside that your guests are sure to love.

Source: 1 – Martha Stewart Weddings; 2 – Little Town Bakery/Papaver Designs/Daisy Chain Events/Xtraordinary Photography via Brides Up North ; 3 – Jenny’s Wedding Cakes/EFD Creative — Event Planning & Design/LifeFusion Photography via Style Me Pretty; 4 – Erica O’Brien/Amorology; 5 – Karen Mordechai/Sunday Suppers

Another great place to take inspiration is from Moroccan patterns – these make great detailing for stationery, aisle runners… and especially for cakes! How gorgeous are these beauties?

So. You’ve decided that Moroccan is the way to go (yay!). Now, you ask, what about colours? Well, the great thing about this theme is that there are SO many ways you can go. But maybe that’s the bad part too – so much choice! You can choose to go for a muted palette (or even a completely neutral one) but most couples who choose this theme will want to use bright pops of colour – think particularly of combining colours like orange, aqua, purple and red, and don’t forget lots of gold or silver and white. Here are four palettes from previous events to inspire…

Source: Karen Mordechai/Sunday Suppers

Source: Holly Chapple/Kate Triano via Style Me Pretty

Source: Oh, How Charming/Braedon Photography  via Green Wedding Shoes

Source: EFD Creative — Event Planning & Design/LifeFusion Photography via Style Me Pretty (LOVE the patterned escort card board!)

You can find even more colour inspiration with these North African-style boards from the SBB archive: SATC2, The English Patient and Modern Moroccan.

Here are some more ideas I love:

Sources: 1 – Holly Chapple/Kate Triano via Style Me Pretty; 2 – Karen Mordechai/Sunday Suppers; 3 – UR Invited via Amy Atlas

Serve drinks in Moroccan tea glasses (also great as votives) with star fruit wedges on the rims. For favours, give guests preserved lemons (such a great idea from the amazing Sunday Suppers Moroccan feast). For a simple but inexpensive backdrop, spraypaint doilies with gold paint and hang on a feature wall (or do it in reverse).

Sources: 1 – Boutique Souk/Andreas Holm via Before the Big Day; 2 – Papaver Designs/Daisy Chain Events/Xtraordinary Photography via Brides Up North; 3 – Oh, How Charming/Braedon Photography  via Green Wedding Shoes

If your party is near a pool or pond, scatter colourful petals in the water. I love this DIY paper lantern idea – you can place them on tables or cluster inside lanterns or birdcages as above. Hang colourful umbrellas from a corner, or en masse over the dance floor for a real feature.

Sources: 1 – ; 2 – Fri Forjindam + Glenn Sturgis/Picotte Weddings via Style Me Pretty; 3 (top) – De Liefde/Natural Light Photography via The Pretty Blog 4 (bottom) – Hooe’s Yurts via Love My Dress

Hang flower chains from chair backs for a special touch. Don’t forget to reflect the Spanish Moroccan influence by wearing a mantilla. Carpets make great backdrops or even table covers. And why not consider a Moroccan-style tent? These come in a range of sizes and look amazing.

Will you be including any spicy Moroccan touches in your wedding?