In brief: what is the henna ceremony?
The henna ceremony is a celebration held before the wedding in Mediterranean and Muslim cultures. The bride’s hands — and often her feet — are decorated with henna by a specialist artist known as the Nekacha, to draw down the Baraka (blessing), ward off the evil eye and show that her heart is spoken for. It usually takes place a week before the religious ceremony — sometimes the night before — at the bride’s parents’ home, surrounded by the women of both families.
- When: a week before the wedding, or on the eve of it, depending on the family.
- Where: traditionally at the bride’s parents’ home, among women.
- Who applies the henna: the Nekacha, once two candles have burned down, as the ritual requires.
- What it means: protection, prosperity and blessing (Baraka) for the marriage to come.
An age-old tradition in Mediterranean and, in particular, Muslim culture, the henna ceremony still carries real weight today and remains firmly fixed in the minds of brides-to-be, for all that Muslim weddings have modernised.
Is the henna ceremony genuinely different today? And how has the custom adapted over the centuries?
What is the henna ceremony?
A symbolic plant credited with many virtues, henna is bound up with a great many beliefs, and is said to bring protection, peace and prosperity to whoever wears it.
The word comes from the Hebrew Hen, meaning “to find favour”. By having her hands and feet adorned with henna, the bride hopes to obtain the Baraka — the blessing — for her marriage. And in “tattooing” her hands and feet, she also keeps jealousy and the evil eye at bay.
The symbolism holds that, after the ceremony, the young bride will find lasting favour in her husband’s eyes, and that all other suitors will give up hope: the designs on her skin announce that her heart is taken for good.
How does the henna ceremony unfold?
When and where does it take place?
Custom puts the ceremony a week before the religious wedding, though some families hold it on the evening before the wedding itself.
The celebration takes place at the bride’s parents’ home, and brings together all the women closest to her — the women of her own family and her friends — along with the women of the groom’s family.
The festivities, from tradition to the present day
Traditionally, the bride was kept apart in another room until the end of the meal, only then joining the guests.
These days, brides-to-be commonly join in from the very start of the evening. Food, tea, traditional pastries, music: the henna ceremony has become an intimate evening spent among the people closest to the bride.
Applying the henna
According to the ritual, two candles are lit at the beginning of the ceremony, and only once they have burned down can the bride receive her henna designs.
It is a Nekacha — a henna artist — who applies the paste to the bride’s hands and feet.
The paste is made by grinding dried henna leaves to a powder and mixing it with water and an essential oil, often rose or orange blossom. The aim is a smooth paste that is pleasant to apply.
In the past, every motif on the hands carried its own meaning. Today, the look of the design counts for a great deal, and the fineness of the line sometimes matters more than what it stands for.
Once the bride is covered in her finest designs, the Nekacha can invite the other women present to have henna applied too.
The henna ritual is usually the moment when guests leave their gifts, which the bride opens once the henna has been applied. Her praises are sung, quite literally, in song and in offerings.
What should you give the bride for the henna ceremony?
Several traditional offerings may be brought by the family, or by the groom himself:
- Eggs, a symbol of fertility
- Sugar, a symbol of good fortune
- Orange blossom water, a symbol of purity and fertility
- Milk and rose water, symbols of purity
For everyone else, there are no hard rules: the gift is above all meant to please the bride. Flowers, cakes, a beauty product — anything she’ll enjoy.
What are the traditional outfits for a henna ceremony?
Beyond the henna itself, what the bride wears is very much part of the ceremony.
Traditionally, she wears a green kaftan — green being the colour of henna before it is applied.
As for fabric, brides tend to choose something rich, such as velvet or silk. Many kaftans carry gold embroidery, which lends the whole outfit still more elegance.
Today, though, other colours are entirely usual, and some brides choose turquoise blue or pink instead.
For guests, there are no particular rules. A traditional kaftan works beautifully, but so does something simpler that you feel comfortable in.
