MOROCCO – MARRAKECH AND THE SAHARA DESERT

We traveled to Morocco for a multi-day pre-wedding photoshoot with Doris and Tony, a Hong Kong-based couple looking to capture some adventure before their wedding day. A bucket list destination for many, the pair booked their stay in Marrakech at the El Fenn. A winner of the prestigious Mr & Mrs Smith award for “Best Dressed Hotel,” the retreat is the perfect destination from which to enjoy Marrakech’s exotic offerings, one of which is the architectural wonder, Palais Bahia.  Not unlike the Taj Mahal, the palace was built to honor a beloved woman, hence the name Bahia, which means “the beautiful, the brilliant.” A masterpiece of Moroccan architecture and culture, the palace is open to the public and is the perfect backdrop for stunning imagery.

We scheduled a sunset photo session at the Garden Majorelle, awash with stunning primary colors, especially an intense blue hue, which was inspired by the Atlas Mountains. Yves Saint Laurent and his business and life partner, Pierre Bergé, bought the Gardens and saved them from falling prey to developers who wanted to build a hotel complex. Today the grounds, and villa contained within, are open to the public.

It’s impossible to leave Marrakech without exploring the famous souks. We did our best to restrain ourselves, but we did manage to snatch up some exquisite handmade Berber rugs before heading off to the desert.

It’s hard to top the beauty and vibrancy of Marrakech that has seduced so many, but the Sahara beckons with its own unique vistas. We hired a driver to take us on the 10-hour voyage to Merzouga. We stayed at a glamping resort at Kam Kam Dunes. Here we visited abandoned nomadic villages, trekked through the dunes and even camel-backed through the desert. All in day’s work.