Location: Dar Ilham, on Route de Fès in the Palmeraie area (riaddarilham.com) [Note: Forget Riad Kniza - Dar Ilham is in the middle of nowhere, and *impossible* for cabbies to find. Your best bet transportation-wise is to arrange for Dar Ilham's van service to pick you up from some landmark or designated meeting place.]
After a slightly unorthodox but charming and original wedding ceremony, we were ushered to the pool area where a tent had been set up for drinks and hors d'oeuvres. There was one that was a bit like a mini pizza with tuna and olive on it that was wonderful. It certainly came in handy soaking up all the free-flowing champagne!
After an hour or so of chatting and socializing, dinner was served. Dinner was also pool-side, and buffet style. There were lots of salads and tagines, and excellent pastilla. The chicken tagine was amazing. [Postscript: Best chicken tagine I had all trip.]
They also set up a more-than-respectable dessert buffet. I took a slice of the strawberry tart and a fruit salad.
The pastry shell on the strawberry tart was cardboard-y and hard, just like at Mama Ti Lee. A bit of a disappointment. The fruit salad, on the other hand, was spectacular. In Marrakech, they serve fruit salad in a bowl, soaked in the excellent local orange juice. All the women on the trip really fell in love with it. (I don't think the orange juice stateside has enough character to really replicate this dish. I think you would have to add a bit of passionfruit, or maybe tangerine.)
It was a lovely evening - festive and fancy, but also relaxed and unpretentious. After the feasting, some brave souls did a little dancing, there were some photo tent shenanigans, and then everyone retreated indoors (it was getting COLD!) to chat into the wee hours of the morning in the cozy lounge area. At some point, we got the hookah going and Melissa's fun-loving and very persuasive father tried to get everyone drunk. Great fun!
Melissa and Tony, you guys got through some serious logistical difficulties in your wedding plans with your senses of humor intact - I think it bodes very well for your future together! Congratulations and much love to you both!
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| The happy couple! |
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