A country with a rich heritage, Tunisia also features certain wedding rituals and traditions that take place over several days like those mentioned below which are worth knowing about.
Various Locations
Family homes are commonly used for traditional parts of the wedding; Tunisia, however, also offers modern venues ideal for different aspects of the lead-up to the main day including large-scale henna nights (more on that later!). Couples from abroad can also look to host their special day here at properties like The Residence Tunis which offer everything from beachside to ballroom spaces for an intimate or grand celebration.
Hammam & Signing Aspects
Before the wedding day, the bride-to-be is accompanied by female friends and family to a hammam (traditional steam room); she will wear traditional Tunisian attire on her way to the hammam, while her loved ones sing around her. On a specified day, the signing of the legal document takes place, and this only takes around half an hour; at the venue, females and males sit separately and once the signing is complete, guests will congratulate the couple.
The Henna Night
Image via Wikimedia Commons – Izzah Zainab, Henna hands (9471295529), CC BY 2.0
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The henna night is an important aspect of a local wedding and is linked to bringing a bride good luck. Generally, before the occasion begins, the bride-to-be will have henna designs applied at her house where guests will be invited to share in a meal too. Some will organise more intimate functions at a home, while others go all out and have a grand henna night at a large venue with a live band and dancing; at the end of it, the groom joins the bride on stage.
The Last Event
The last part of the wedding is when the groom and his entourage arrive on a specified day at the bride’s house, though this is usually about two hours after the event has begun; the bride will generally be wearing a stunning white dress as she waits for this symbolic gesture of taking her away.
After announcing his arrival, the groom will enter the house and the exchange of rings take place; next, the newlyweds will travel to the groom’s house as family and friends follow them in their cars flashing headlights and honking horns! The festivities continue at the groom’s house, where loved ones all join in to celebrate this union of love.