The Mehndi party is held the night before the wedding. Traditionally, it is held in the home of the bride and only includes women from the bride’s side. It is a fun and relaxing evening for the bride to spend with her closest friends and relatives. The evening is spent applying Mehndi (henna) designs to the bride’s hands, feet and anywhere else! Friends and family may also have some Mehndi.
While applications are being done their may be music, dance and other entertainment for the guests.
Mehndi or Henna is an integral part of Indian weddings and festivals. Mehndi is usually applied to the skin with a plastic cone or a paint brush. Mehndi ceremony is often one of the most important pre-wedding rituals celebrated by the bride’s family especially for the bride. The Mehndi was meant to serve as an ice-breaker on the wedding night.
The Mehndi artists hide the groom’s name in the intricate Mehndi designs and the groom has to find it on the wedding night.
To get the dark color of the Mehndi, the Mehndi is kept wet by applying a tea and sugar mixture and covering the hand with plastic or tissue to preserve the heat and left overnight. Mehndi designs have evolved over the years.
Arabic Mehndi (henna) is very popular at weddings. So is Glitter Mehndi where the space between the Mehndi design is decorated with shiny glitter.
Temporary stick-on henna or Mehndi designs are also available in the market. Mehndi tattoos are also extremely popular as they are temporary. Floral tattoo henna designs are also quite popular in the west.