Yves Saint Laurent once said, “Marrakech taught me color.” 

And now that I’ve seen so much of the world through traveling for destination weddings, I can honestly say… 

Nowhere in the world embraces color like Marrakech, Morocco. And one of the things I love the most about my couples is that they are so adventurous and they love to embrace color and culture so much that they never try to outshine what’s naturally there. 

That’s exactly what happened with this couple for their destination Marrakech wedding. Keep reading to see how they welcomed Morocco’s natural beauty, culture, and color into their destination wedding:

The Decision for an Intimate Destination Wedding in Marrakech, Morocco

When I talk with any of my couples, one of the first things I say is, “So tell me why you chose your specific location for your destination wedding!” 

There are so many different reasons why couples decide on their locations. Some love the elegance and nobility of the grand villas in Lake Como. Others love the mountainous, adventurous terrain of Wyoming! 

For this couple and their destination Marrakech wedding, it was because of three specific things: 

1. They wanted a place where they could be the most spontaneous! Morocco let them do exactly that. We planned and put together their wedding in just 1.5 months!
   
2. They wanted a place full of color and culture. What better way to infuse that into a wedding than in the place that taught Yves Saint Laurent himself all about color!
   
3. They wanted to be surrounded by nature. Rather than choosing a tropical beach wedding, the two were drawn to Morocco because of their mutual love for the desert. 

The Moroccan-Inspired Color Palette

Morocco has a history of beautiful colors and extravagant culture. Everywhere you turn, you’re overwhelmed (in the absolute best way!) by colors. 

Even if you wanted to, it’s impossible to compete with it! Fortunately, this couple didn’t want to. They wanted to let the Moroccan color palette take center stage. 

So we found locations that were already covered in those lively hues. And then, in the details like the hand-written stationery, we paired vibrant pops of coral with the turquoise and teal blues of the Moroccan architecture. 

After that, we balanced everything with deep indigos, like in the groom’s suit jacket. 

At the ceremony site, which was in the middle of the vast expanse of the Moroccan desert (more on that in a minute!), we chose silks in bright pops of red. It created the most decadent, luxurious contrast against the dusky blue sky and the neutral earth tones of the dunes. 

And of course, all of that color melted together to create the most epic photography gold!

Getting Ready at the Riad Be Marrakech

We wanted to capture as much of the Moroccan spirit as possible. So the bride and groom decided to have two locations – one for getting ready and one for the ceremony itself. 

To get ready, the bride and her family chose the Riad Be Marrakech. It was the most incredible venue – completely covered in Moroccan tiles and artistry. It’s places like these that make it so hard to keep my finger off the shutter button!

An Intimate First Look at the Riad Be Marrakech

After scouting for the perfect location, we decided that their first look would be unbelievable in The Oasis, which was inside Riad Be Marrakech. It had a pristine indoor pool, surrounded by black lanterns, giant palm trees, and of course, those turquoise, teal, and deep blue tiles. 

The bride and groom shared their intimate first look, where it could be just the two of them, plus me to capture everything! It was the best way to start their journey into marriage together.

The Extravagant, Stylish Wedding Dress for the First Look

This particular couple was so incredibly spontaneous that it was so magical to work with them! The bride didn’t even see her wedding dresses until the morning of the wedding! 

She wanted to feel drawn to a gown that very morning. So I found a few selections from Zahavit Tshuba, a wedding gown designer from Tel Aviv. They were all so stunning – elegant and sophisticated with a touch of flair – that she couldn’t decide….

So she chose two! 

One was for the first look, and one was saved for the ceremony. 

Her first look gown was a beautiful thin-strapped gown with a beaded bodice and full, beaded and feathered skirt. As soon as she stepped into it, she lit up the room! 

It was the perfect pairing for such a unique Moroccan wedding venue.

A Private, Desert Elopement at La Pause, Marrakech

After the first look photos, the bride stepped back into her room to change into her second bridal gown for the day. 

And once everyone was ready, we made our way to La Pause – the Marrakech wedding venue. 

An intimate, quiet resort, La Pause is nestled in the middle of the Afagay Desert of Morocco. And it also has enough room for a wedding ceremony site that feels like you’re truly in the middle of the desert. 

That’s right where we set up their beautiful spot for the two to recite their vows!

And since we were in the desert of Morocco, we had to follow the ceremony up with a sunset couple’s session with the gorgeous camels!

The Dreamy Zahavit Tshuba Bridal Gown

Just like I mentioned before, this beautiful bride couldn’t decide on just one gown. So she chose two! 

And her ceremony gown was immaculate. With a rose gold sequined top that gradually transitioned into a long, white, flowing tulle skirt, that I would say she almost stole attention away from the epic landscape behind them! 

But really, she was the perfect pairing for that landscape. The white gown created a beautiful contrast against the neutral earth tones of the vast desert landscape.

The Sentimental Ceremony Site Details

These two were so remarkable to photograph. Not only were they super spontaneous, but they were so intentional about the details of their wedding. 

Just a few days before their wedding, they went on a camel ride through the desert. During their excursion, they bought a rug – and that’s where they stood to recite their vows. They intended to take it home, use it in their bedroom, and then eventually pass it on down to their kids. 

It was such a sentimental touch that was so unique to them! 

I also brought in some lanterns from a Moroccan medina. And I traveled with silks from Italy to drape across the wooden ceremony arch. 

And on a whim, the bride’s aunt flew in from Paris to officiate their wedding!

Between the bold colors and the epic style of this destination Marrakech wedding, this one can only be described as irresistible. 

Getting to capture the spontaneity, the sentimentality, and the unbelievable Morocco landscape was a true “pinch me” moment!

Explore more destination weddings on our blog! 

Morocco Destination Wedding Vendors:

Photography: Lilly Red
Event Planning: Lilly Red
Venue: La Pause Marrakech
Getting Ready and First Look Location: Be Marrakech
Floral Design: Le Kiosque a Fleurs Marrakech
Stationery: The Marthy’s Vintage Garden
Bridal Gown: Zahavit Tshuba
Bridal Accessories: Ranjana Khan, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Julie Harris Designs
Groom’s Apparel: J. Crew
Rings: Mark Broumand, David Yurman
Italian Silks: Allegoria Textiles