The Indian Mehndi Ceremony

The mehndi ceremony for the Indian/Hindu culture is held before the bride-to-be gets married. It is a time of ceremonious dancing and singing as well as the gathering of family, friends and relatives just before the wedding.  Firstly the bride-to-be is 'beautified' by having turmeric paste applied to her face, feet and hands to brighten her complexion for the big day. Once that is removed they apply  mehndi on her arms down to her hands and on her feet up to her knees.

The guests all participate in song and dance and a bit of teasing of the bride-to-be to help ease her tension and stress for the big day.  Usually all the women who are attending the wedding have mehndi put on their hands, but it's never has elaborate as the brides mehndi.
Traditionally mehndi is a necessity for the bride to be for several reasons:

1. The deeper the colour is represents the love that the husband will have for his wife as well as the understanding the bride will have with her mother-in-law.

2. It is known to symbolize fertility and a happy marriage.

3. As mehndi is known for it's cooling effects it is especially applied to ward off stress and any illnesses before the wedding day.

It is also tradition that if the bride is to move into her in-law's home she is not to do any chores until her mehndi fades away.

Mehndi is usually applied at night and not removed until the next morning. The groom-to-be also has mehndi added to his hand but not as decoratively as the bride. It is applied to the man subtly as a mark of a good omen.