# Mehndi ceremony: what it is and how to plan one > What a mehndi ceremony is, when it happens, how many guests to expect, a planning checklist and RSVP tips for a mehndi night that runs on time. - **URL**: https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/mehndi Also called: Mehendi, Henna night The short answer A mehndi ceremony is the pre-wedding event where henna is applied to the bride's hands and feet, usually one to three days before the wedding. It's a relaxed, colorful gathering for close family and friends, with music, food and smaller henna designs for guests. Plan it around the bride's henna time, which can take several hours. - **When:** Usually 1 to 3 days before the wedding - **How long:** Typically 3 to 5 hours for guests; the bride's henna often starts earlier - **Typical guests:** Often 50 to 150, mostly close family and friends - **Hosted by:** Traditionally the bride's family; many couples now share it - **What to wear:** Bright colors, often green, yellow or pink; comfortable sleeves What it is ## What is a mehndi ceremony? Mehndi (also spelled mehendi) is henna paste made from dried henna leaves. At the mehndi ceremony a mehndi artist draws detailed designs on the bride's hands, forearms and feet. The paste dries on the skin and leaves a stain that deepens over the next day or two, which is why the event is held shortly before the wedding rather than weeks ahead. Around the bride, the event is a party. Aunts, cousins and friends sing, dance and eat, and guests who want it get a small design from additional artists. In many families the groom's name or initials are hidden somewhere in the bride's design for him to find later. Some grooms get a simple design too. In Punjabi, Gujarati, Pakistani and many other families, the mehndi is a favorite event of the weekend. Customs vary. Some families hold separate mehndis for each side, some host one joint event, and many diaspora weddings combine the mehndi and sangeet into a single evening. If that is your plan, our guide to a combined mehndi and sangeet covers how to run both in one night. Timing ## When it happens and how the mehndi ceremony runs A sample run for an evening mehndi with the bride's henna starting in the afternoon: 1. Early afternoon: Bridal mehndi begins in a quiet room. Full hands and feet can take several hours. 2. Late afternoon: Decor and seating finished, guest artists set up their stations. 3. Evening, first hour: Guests arrive, snacks and drinks, a queue forms for guest henna. 4. Evening, middle: Dinner, then music: family songs, a dholki, a DJ or a few dance performances. 5. Last hour: Dancing, photos with the bride once her henna has set, guests head home. The bride cannot use her hands while the paste dries. Plan for someone to feed her and for her photos to happen near the end. Guests ## How many guests come to a mehndi ceremony? The mehndi is usually smaller than the sangeet or reception. Many families invite close relatives, family friends and the couple's friends, which typically lands somewhere between 50 and 150 people. A home mehndi might be 30. A joint event for both sides can go past 200. Because most guests are not invited to everything, give the mehndi its own guest list and its own RSVP. A guest who replies yes to the reception has not told you anything about the mehndi. For a per-event estimate of who'll come, [try the guest attendance calculator](https://www.planme.club/tools/indian-wedding-guest-attendance-calculator). Checklist ## Mehndi planning checklist ### 3 to 6 months before - Decide whether it is one joint mehndi or one per side, and whether it is combined with the sangeet. - Book the bridal mehndi artist early. Good artists are busy in wedding season. - Ask the artist how many guest artists you need for your guest count and how long each guest design takes. - Pick a venue: a home, a backyard tent, a banquet room or a restaurant with a private space. ### 1 to 2 months before - Send invitations and collect RSVPs for the mehndi on its own. - Confirm the menu with your caterer, with vegetarian and other dietary options marked. - Plan music: a dholki with family songs, a DJ, or both. Line up any dance performances. - Order decor: low seating, cushions, marigolds and bright fabric are common choices. ### The week of - Do a patch test if the bride has never used henna, and avoid black henna, which can contain harmful dyes. - Confirm artist arrival times and the bride's start time. - Set up a guest henna sign-up or queue so it doesn't swallow the evening. - Pack lemon-sugar mix and cotton for the bride's design, and towels for spills. Costs ## What drives the cost of a mehndi ceremony Mehndi costs depend most on guest count and whether it is at home or in a rented space. Costs depend on your city, the season and your guest count, so we don't quote ranges here. Get two or three quotes for each line below, and see [what an Indian wedding costs in the US](https://www.planme.club/articles/how-much-does-an-indian-wedding-cost) for published ranges with sources. | Cost | What to ask for in the quote | What drives it | | --- | --- | --- | | Bridal mehndi artist | Quoted per bride; ask what coverage (hands, arms, feet) and travel are included. | Depends on design coverage, artist demand and travel. | | Guest mehndi artists | Often charged by the hour or per guest | Ask for a quote based on your guest count. | | Food | Usually lighter than the reception menu | Snacks and a buffet dinner are common; home events can be catered or potluck. | | Decor and seating | Quoted per event; low seating, florals, fabric and lighting drive it. | Low seating, florals, fabric and lighting drive the cost. | | Music | A family dholki costs nothing; a DJ or dhol player is usually quoted by the hour. | Live dhol is often booked by the hour. | Hosting at home, or folding the mehndi into the sangeet, keeps this event affordable. Prices move with city and season, so use these as a starting point and get quotes. To price your own weekend event by event, use the [Indian wedding budget calculator](https://www.planme.club/tools/indian-wedding-budget-calculator). RSVPs and guests ## RSVP and guest tips for the mehndi ceremony - Tell guests on the invitation that henna is available, and suggest short or loose sleeves. - Guests with henna need time to dry before they eat. Serve food that is easy to eat with one hand, or start guest henna after dinner. - If kids are invited, say so. A mehndi is often more family-friendly than the late events. - Give a clear end time. Mehndis can drift late, and many guests have a big event the next day. Since the mehndi list rarely matches the reception list, see [how to run one RSVP per event](https://www.planme.club/articles/wedding-rsvp-multiple-events) and [when to set your RSVP deadline](https://www.planme.club/tools/wedding-rsvp-deadline-calculator). With PlanMe ## How PlanMe helps you plan the mehndi ceremony In PlanMe the mehndi is its own [festivity](https://www.planme.club/features/festivities), with a date, venue, guest list, RSVP, schedule and menu. In practice: - Invite only the guests who are coming to the mehndi, and track their replies separately from the reception. - A schedule with the bride's henna start, artist arrivals and dinner time, with people assigned to each item. - A menu with dishes tagged veg, non-veg or vegan for your caterer. - Artist and decor quotes kept in one place, next to the mehndi's own [budget](https://www.planme.club/features/budget). - [Email or text a reminder](https://www.planme.club/features/guest-messaging) to guests who haven't replied yet, using RSVP status or a tag like Bride side. [Start planning free](https://app.planme.club/sign-up) - [See all features](https://www.planme.club/features) Free during beta. No credit card needed. Questions ## Mehndi questions Related reading - [Combined mehndi and sangeet: one-night timeline](https://www.planme.club/articles/combined-mehndi-and-sangeet) - [Indian wedding events in order](https://www.planme.club/articles/indian-wedding-events-in-order) - [Guest attendance calculator](https://www.planme.club/tools/indian-wedding-guest-attendance-calculator) - [Indian wedding budget calculator](https://www.planme.club/tools/indian-wedding-budget-calculator) ### What happens at a mehndi ceremony? A mehndi artist applies henna designs to the bride's hands and feet while family and friends eat, sing and dance. Guests can usually get a small henna design too. It is one of the more relaxed events of the wedding. ### How many days before the wedding is the mehndi? Usually one to three days before. The henna stain darkens over a day or two, so holding the mehndi shortly before the wedding gives the deepest color on the day. ### Who hosts the mehndi? Traditionally the bride's family hosts the mehndi. Many families now hold a joint event for both sides, or the groom's family hosts its own smaller one. ### How long does bridal mehndi take? It depends on the design. Simple designs can take an hour or two, while full hands and feet with intricate work can take several hours. Ask your artist for an estimate when you book. ### Is the mehndi the same as the sangeet? No. The mehndi centers on henna and is usually smaller, while the [sangeet](https://www.planme.club/articles/how-to-plan-a-sangeet) is a bigger evening of music and dance performances. Many diaspora weddings combine them into one night. ### What should guests wear to a mehndi? Bright, comfortable clothes. Green, yellow and pink are common. Sleeves that roll up easily help if you want henna. ### Can the mehndi and sangeet be on the same night? Yes. Many diaspora weddings combine them into one evening, with the bride's henna in the afternoon and the sangeet after dinner. Our guide to a [combined mehndi and sangeet](https://www.planme.club/articles/combined-mehndi-and-sangeet) has a sample timeline. More wedding events ## Plan the rest of the weekend - [Roka and engagement: The families agree, the couple exchanges rings, and wedding planning officially starts.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/roka) - [Haldi: Turmeric paste, close family and a lot of yellow, usually the day before or morning of the wedding.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/haldi) - [Garba and raas: A Gujarati night of circle dancing and dandiya, often one of the liveliest events of the weekend.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/garba) - [Baraat: The groom arrives with dancing family and friends, and the bride's family welcomes them in.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/baraat) - [Wedding ceremony: The religious ceremony itself: mandap and pheras, Anand Karaj or nikah, with most of the guest list there.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/wedding-ceremony) - [Reception: The biggest party of the weekend: entrances, speeches, dinner and dancing for the whole guest list.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/reception) - [Walima: The groom's family hosts a feast after the nikah, often the final big event of a Muslim wedding.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/walima) - [Sangeet: Our full sangeet planning guide.](https://www.planme.club/articles/how-to-plan-a-sangeet) Not sure what order they go in? See [Indian wedding events in order](https://www.planme.club/articles/indian-wedding-events-in-order), or [all wedding event guides](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events).