Ideas to Make Your Henna (Mehendi) Party a Success

The mehendi (henna) ceremony takes place on the first night of the three-day wedding. Usually the most festive part of the event, it's filled with noise and color, with women dressed in bright formal shalwar kameez outfits and saris, and with unmarried girls sporting long skirts and blouse outfits called lehengas. The bride traditionally wears a formal yellow outfit, and, as the name of the ceremony implies, has wet mehendi (henna paint) applied on her hands that day. The bride, along with all the women on both sides of the family, has henna designs put on her hands and sometimes her feet. This is equivalent of a bridal shower, but a lot more colorful.

The perfect henna party should bring together all the right ingredients, allowing you, the bride, to relax, letting go of any pre-wedding anxiety and to enjoy this happy occasion with your family and closest friends.

Here are some tips and ideas to help you plan the perfect henna party!

1) Invitations

Keep the occasion relaxed and intimate by only inviting those who are close to you. Do not feel pressured into inviting every female relative or friend.


2) Decor

Think about the style and the theme you want for the henna party. Having fresh flowers and plenty of scented tea-lights will set a lovely ambience for the occasion.

3) Outfit

You should give some thought in choosing your choice of dress as it needs to be easy to remove without ruining the wet henna. A sari with a tie-up choli is a popular choice.

4) Music

The choice of music is essential. You could buy wedding compilation cds or ask a friend to make up a special playlist with all your favourite tunes. Another idea would be to involve friends and family by asking around to see who can play the harmonium or dholki. Hiring a karaoke machine is also a good idea as it involves the guests in a fun-filled activity. You could also have a few of your friends to perform entertaining dances for you and your guests while you have your henna done.

5) Food

Don’t depend on take-away or fast food for this special event. Pre-order your favourite savoury snacks and sweets. Use dainty crockery and stylish glasses for drinks, it will all add to the overall atmosphere.

6) Banish Distractions

Get rid of the TV and DVD player from the room as it causes an unnecessary distraction. A successful henna party is one filled with laughter, music and dancing, with the exclusion of everyday entertainment.

7) Henna artist

If you have a fairly long guest list, it would be useful to have more than one henna artist at the party. While the main artist works on creating intricate designs on your hands and feet, the assistant artist (one or more) could make simpler motifs for your female guests. This ensures that the main artist can take her time on your henna designs, but everyone else gets to be involved as well.

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