The Ultimate Marrakech Elopement Guide
If you’ve ended up here, chances are you’re looking to elope in Marrakech, so let me just say what an excellent choice! I’ve put together the ultimate Marrakech elopement guide to make planning your Marrakech elopement as easy as possible. There’s so much information out there, it can sometimes be overwhelming. So I’ve put all the key information in one place for you to digest.
I’ll share with you my favourite Marrakech elopement locations, the legalities of eloping in Marrakech, some of my favourite Marrach accommodations, the best time of year to elope there, what to wear, activities to do in Marrakech during your elopement, and finally some supplier recommendations for your elopement.
Elopements are something I’m incredibly passionate about as a wedding photographer, so without further ado, let’s get into the ultimate Marrakech elopement guide!
Disclaimer: Please carry out your own research on legalities when planning your destination wedding, or get in touch with a legal
Marrakech Elopement Guide
- Choose Your Location
- Legalities
- Choose Your Accommodation
- Best Time of Year For Your Marrakech Elopement
- Appropriate Clothing
- Things To Do On Your Marrakech Elopement
- Choose Your Marrakech Elopement Suppliers
- Choose Your Marrakech Elopement Photographer
1. Choose Your Location
The first step when it comes to planning is choosing where in Marrakech you want to elope. When deciding on a location, consider how accessible you want it to be – do you want to be out in the depths of Marrakech, or do you want to be more central? Consider what activities you want to do as part of your elopement, and from there figure out what your requirements are.
No matter where you go, without a doubt, you’ll be in a beautiful location due to the nature of Morocco. But here are some of my favourite locations for a Marrakech elopement.
Marrakech Adventure Elopement Locations:
Toubkal is the highest mountain in North Africa making it perfect for an adventure elopement in Marrakech. If you’re ready to take on the hike, Toubkal is the place to be!
Erg Chebbi is all about the rolling sand dunes, and the beautiful sunset views. There are so many options for an adventure elopement here such as camel trekking, quad bike riding, and more.
Cascades d’Ouzoud is a beautiful set of waterfalls making it the perfect backdrop for your Marrakech elopement. It’s surrounded by paths for walking as well as cafes and local shops.
Marrakech Elopement Venues:
Selman Marrakech is an elegant and luxurious palace built with local architecture creating such a unique atmosphere which is what dreams are made of when it comes to a Marrakech elopement.
Palais Namaskar is another luxury palace perfect for eloping in Marrakech. It’s located between the desert and the mountains. This hotel does not only offer beautiful views and interesting architecture, but you can also go for SPA treatments or to hammam.
The White Camel is the perfect organised elopement in the desert where you can leave all the details to the experts, and they’ll be able to put together your dream Marrakech desert elopement.
2. Legalities of a Marrakech Elopement
Figuring out the legalities of having an elopement in Marrakech is so important because just missing one thing could have the whole event cancelled, so it’s worth doing your research to make your Marrakech elopement as smooth, and fun as possible.
Marrakech Elopement Legalities
- Passports and passport-sized photos
- Copies of two witnesses’ passports
- Birth certificates
- Police records with your address from your country of residence
- Medical certificates from a Moroccan medical professional
- An affidavit translated into Arabic
- Same-sex relationships are forbidden in Morocco
Other administrative considerations include ensuring that your passports have at least 6 months before their expiration date, that you have flights booked to Marrakech International Airport with luggage if necessary, a doctor’s note for any prescribed medications, and that you have been tested for typhoid and hepatitis.
As you can see, there’s a lot to do to get legally married in Marrakech, which can make it quite difficult. Something we see a lot of couples do and that I recommend is to have a small legal civil ceremony in the UK and then have the main event in Marrakech. You’ll likely to want to have some sort of ceremony in Marrakech and this is where wedding celebrants come in.
Wedding celebrants are able to marry you, and the great thing about them is that they’re able to really customise your ceremony however you want. You won’t need to worry about the Marrakech marriage laws as you are already legally married due to your civil ceremony in the UK.
For more laws and regulations around getting married in Marrakech, check out this page.
3. Choose Your Accommodation
Riads are beautiful, traditional types of accommodations. They are typical houses with an indoor garden and courtyard, as well as a fountain. Staying in a riad is one way to really take in the culture and make your experience unique and memorable. Here are some of my favourites!
Riads in Marrakech For An Elopement
Other options consist of hotels and AirBnBs, both of which you can find in modern western styles, as well as riads that have been converted into AirBnBs. One of my favourite hotels is Les Deux Tours, a romantic palm grove hideaway located in the heart of Marrakech with private gardens and a pool suite surrounded by a beautiful 3-hectare park.
Glamping is another option if you’re looking to spend your elopement night under the stars.
There are many services and guides that offer glamping in the desert, especially at Erg Chebbi, to make your elopement something to remember.
4. Best Time Of Year For Your Marrakech Elopement
The best time of year for your Marrakech elopement will depend on what you as a couple are looking for, but I can give my personal recommendations and insight.
Eloping in Marrakech in the spring (March-May) or autumn (September-November) is ideal if you want to avoid the crowds while still enjoying the warm weather.
If you visit in the summer, there are a lot more tourists, and the heat can be very overwhelming, especially if you’re from a cooler area. In the winter, it can get extremely cold and may even snow.
This is why I recommend spring and autumn, as this will leave you open to all activities whilst still feeling comfortable.
5. Appropriate Clothing
This certainly won’t be like your traditional wedding day – this will include all sorts of memorable adventures, so you want to make sure you’re dressing in a way that makes this as comfortable as possible, but is also something you’d actually want to wear for your elopement.
The Dress
A traditional wedding dress you may find way too hot and restricting if you’re eloping in Marrakech. Try looking around Morocco for an elopement dress, they’re usually made out of a fabric that will be much cooler and allow free movement. Ideally, we’re looking for a dress that flares at the hips and isn’t tight around the legs.
The Shoes
For footwear, figure out exactly what you’re doing, and most likely you’ll want to get some hiking boots (remember to break them in!). But, bring a pair of nice heels or shoes to get changed into for your elopement photos–that’s if you want to of course!
The Suit
When choosing a suit, it’s similar to choosing a dress. Opt for a fabric that is looser fitting and made out of a thinner material to help combat the heat. It’s easy to layer with a suit, so you can always remove or add layers depending on how you feel.
6. Things To Do On Your Marrakech Elopement
Elopements are all about being spontaneous and having fun, so let’s go over some activities you can do while on your Marrakech elopement to make it an adventure to remember!
Elopement Activities In Marrakech
- Sandboarding in the dunes
- Hot air balloons flights
- Kitesurfing at the coast
- Camel trekking
- Quad biking in the dunes
- Visit a hammam
- Glamping in the desert
- Visit Souk
Choose Your Marrakech Elopement Suppliers
Now that you’ve got your location, accommodation, dates, outfits, and activities down – it’s time to find all the people who are going to make you feel great and make your Marrakech elopement run as smoothly as possible.
Check out some of my favourite elopement suppliers that will help your dreams become reality.
- Event Planner – Just So Events By Celine
- Ceremony Set Up/Tables – Lamp London Home, The Lucas Studio, The Bloom Room
- Makeup Artist – Ausra Makeup & Hair
7. Choose Your Marrakech Elopement Photographer
Finding the right photographer for your Marrakech elopement is the final step.
I’m an elopement photographer based in the UK, but I absolutely loved being able to travel around with couples eloping and capturing their unique experiences. Being able to turn significant life events into tangible memories is one of my favourite things.
If you want a photographer who is just as excited as you are about your wedding, get in touch with me here to discuss! No matter how far, I’m always up for an adventure to celebrate love!
Are You Ready To Start Planning Your Marrakech Elopement?
Now that you’ve read the ultimate Marrakech elopement guide, you are ready to start putting ideas into motion.
As a photographer who loves going abroad, I’m here to be your cheerleader and get those special moments captured for you to cherish forever.
Get in touch with me here, and I’d love to chat about helping you have the best elopement possible. I am looking forward to hearing from you!