In many parts of the world, there are more celebrations than just the wedding day itself. In some Indian cultures, particularly Hinduism, one of these traditions is the Mehndi party.
At this pre-wedding celebration, all the women closest to the bride come together in celebration of the upcoming nuptials. The bride has Mendhi (or henna) applied to her palms, the back of her hands, and feet, and guests can opt to have some henna done too.
Mehndi is an ancient form of body art, which originated in India and across South Asia and The Middle East. It is often red, after being applied and having set, and the bride and guests can choose from a variety of designs.
The paste used to create the body art is made of a plant which has leaves that contain a dying agent called Tannis.
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The colour and patterns are significant. According to tradition, the deeper the colour of the bride’s mehndi, the more likely it is for her to have a happy marriage. Designs and patterns often symbolise luck, joy, love, and blessings and the bride commonly hides her groom-to-be’s name somewhere in the pattern.
In an interview with Byrdie, henna tattoo expert explains patterns and placements thereof in more detail. She said that henna applied to palms allows the person to receive good luck, adding that the application itself is what helps.
“Henna has a natural cooling effect when applied, which is said to have nerve-calming properties before the wedding day when placed on the hands and feet,” she explained, adding that “Commonly, the designs people get on their palms are the most intricate, and sometimes draw out a story using symbols and illustrations of the bride and groom”
Henna applied to the top of the hand specifically indications protection.
The exact history and origin of this tradition have been difficult to trace, due to migration and cultural integration. It is, however, commonly argued that the application of henna has happened for more than 5 000 years. Some suggest it comes from ancient India, while others say it was brought to India by Egyptians.
According to Aroha International, evidence shows that the civilisation of Babylonia made use of henna to decorate women on special occasions. They claim that the earliest text which speaks of henna, with regards to marriage and fertility, is from the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath.
Others, including the Huffington Post, have reported that its use was made popular by Cleopatra in Ancient Egypt, as she adorned her body with it. According to the publication, henna was used to paint the nails of mummies before they were buried.
Despite its unclear origins, henna is still very popular today. Have a look at some modern henna designs, to help you understand what it’s all about.
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Not one for big designs and loud colours? You might just be a minimalist. This design aesthetic focuses on living with only the things you need and that support your purpose. By removing the distractions of loud design, it allows you to focus on what matters most.
Extending this aesthetic to your wedding day produces a simplified yet stunning finish. Your wedding cake can echo this style by only focusing on one crucial design element, be it a simple bow or a subtle deckle edge. A minimalist cake will never overtake the day, only enhance it.
Here are some simplistic cakes to inspire you:
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Ricky Martin wants to go big to celebrate his marriage with partner Jwan Joseph. The pair already tied the knot in 2018, and are now planning a massive celebration with family and friends that may take place over multiple days.
Speaking to Mexican show Ventaneando, the singer explained that he wants a four-day wedding that will involve all four of the couple’s children. The twins, Matteo and Valentino witnessed their first nuptials but now Martin wants newest additions Renn and Lucía to see their parents marry.
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The couple have been together since 2016 and spontaneously tied the knot in 2018.
“Two madmen have gotten together! Months passed and we said, ‘What are we waiting for? This is meant to be,” said Martin in the interview. “It just so happened that my parents were here in Los Angeles, and his parents were as well, so I said, ‘We have no other reason to wait, call the judge!’ It was super improvised.”
They are now passionate about having a large, public event to showcase their love.
“It’s going to be a great event. And people will be talking about it. We’re a modern family, and I think people need to see, and I want to normalise the beauty of our family. That’s why I’m making it public and I’m going to share my wedding with the world.”
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While at first you may think that choosing a wedding venue is as simple as finding the one that you consider the most beautiful, unfortunately, that is not the case. There are quite a few other things you need to take into account before you pay the deposit.
Wedding venues are quite expensive as it stands. The last thing you’d want is to run into extra, unexpected costs because you didn’t take the time to think of all the little things that you would need out of a venue.
Here are some things you should consider before committing to a venue:
– The basics
Of course, things like availability for your preferred date should be top of mind when venue hunting. Find out about all the dates available around the time you’d like to get married.
Other things you should look into are seating capacity, the exclusive use of the property given to you on the day (so that strangers are not lurking during your wedding reception), and the availability of accommodation on the property.
Additionally, find out how many hours are included in a basic rental of the venue and whether they charge extra for after-hours use.
– Saving your bank balance
Find out about the deposit, cancellation policy, and final payment due dates. This will help you to budget better.
Further, you should ask the venue owner what is included in the total, so that you don’t get hit with an unexpected service charge or cleaning fees after the fact.
– For your guests
If you have guests with special needs, for example, some who may require the venue to be wheelchair friendly, you should take all of those things into account.
Make sure to also find out about the availability of a generator, on-site parking, noise restrictions, bathrooms, and other things that may affect your guests.
– More about the venue
It’s important to take into account what the venue provides so that you know if there are extra items you need to cater for.
For example, if you want an outdoor ceremony, will there be facilities for sound equipment? Consider whether chairs provided for the ceremony and reception, if cutlery and crockery is provided, if the venue comes with waiters and staff, and so forth.
Furthermore, many venues charge extra if you outsource a caterer or bring your own wine. If you’re planning on any of these, find out about kitchen charges and corkage fees. In the same breath, find out about catering options such as halal, kosher, vegan, or vegetarian.
Venues may also not allow certain decor or items, such as candles. If you want to make use of these types of decorations, ask them about it specifically.
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