If you’re having this bash at home, jazz up the room to suit the mood! There’s no need to overhaul the decor. Gather a whole lot of colorful dupattas (warm colors work well) and drape them in scallops on windows. Pick up orange, red, yellow and ochre cushions and scatter them on settees .

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Sangeet and mehndi parties can be day long affairs with a full buffet lunch thrown in. For in between times, or if you’re planning a smaller do with high tea, organize a Chaat Corner. Papdi Chaat, Bhel Puri, Golgappas, Fruit Chaat, Samosas...the works!

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Sooner or later, (let’s face it!), everyone’s going to end up dancing to Bollywood hits. But do make the effort to compile music specially composed for this occasion. The music should be lively and lilting and not drown out the conversation.

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Little girls love getting mehndi done on their hands, just like their ‘didis’, but you know how little patience they have! We recommend simple designs for them on the palm: five petalled flowers, animals or birds (a fish, parrot, turtle, and dolphin).

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The ritual of applying mehndi takes place a day before the wedding. Often, the haldi ceremony is combined with the mehndi function, when turmeric paste is ritually applied on the bride’s arms and legs. It’s a fun-filled, women-only affair, designed to help the bride relax and look forward to married life.

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Mehndi is thought to have originated in ancient Egypt. It was used for both cosmetic and healing purposes. It seems to have reached India around the 12^th century. For centuries, this beautiful art was practiced primarily in North India.

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Arabic mehndi designs have been around for a couple of years now. The vegetable-based colors are especially popular with brides since they come mixed with a little glitter. Once the mehndi designs are in place, they have a soft shimmer – extremely attractive on the back or upper arms!

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Folklore has it that the deeper the color of your henna, the more your mother in law is going to adore you! It is quite simple to apply henna if you use paper or flexible plastic cones and squeeze it gently into a pattern.

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It’s worth thinking about the final effect of a mehndi design on your hands. If your hands are square and medium-to-large, go for an elaborate, intricate design, since there’s enough space to show off details. On narrow hands with long fingers, less is more.

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The variety of mehndi designs out there can be pretty mind-boggling, each one prettier than the other. Typically, Indian mehndi designs feature the peacock, the paisley, or perhaps an elephant with a raised trunk. A design with two fish, like the sun sign of Pisces also looks attractive. Want to try something unconventional?

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There are a variety of henna products to choose from for your wedding. There are henna pastes that stain your skin and last up to three weeks. An alternative is using henna tattoos that can be removed at will by vigorous scrubbing. Black henna and red henna are two types of stain henna. Black henna is greenish in color and leaves a reddish brown stain.