hey eyelashes
i just read the thread you set up. I am inshallah getting married this summer in pakistan, and my mehndi is going to follow the same process. We are going to have two mehndis on the same night [as only live 2/3 minute walk from each others house in faislababd] and i wont go to my finaces mehndi and he wont come to mine. It is sooo family tradition and has to be followed even though i really wanted it to be together.
Basically as far as i know this is what happens:[ol]
[li]The grooms side come to your house with thaals of mehndi and you all welcome them, so girls family mainly with flowers thrown over them. The aim of them coming is to bring the brides to be yellow jora [so her mehndi clothes]. Basically when they bring that the bride to be so me will run off and get ready. [HOWEVER WILL HAVE PICKED THIS OUT BEFOREHAND AS WILL GO SHOPPING FOR IT WITH MY IN LAWS TO BE!][/li][li]While i am getting ready everyone else sits and is playing songs on the dholki in the main room where we will have the stage set up.[/li][li]Once i am ready my sisters, bhabis and friends bring me out to the stage under a nice colourful dupatta which my mum has just brought. It is red with lots of really beautiful work on it.[/li][li]Then they seat me on the stage. Then as far as i know my oldest bhabi to be from grroms side will put fresh flower based jewelery on me. Then everyone will take turns and come to do the following to the bride to be: Put oil in your hair, put mehndi on your hand[i will already have my mehndi done from parlour beforehand so ensure whole hand is covered with a HUGE GREEN LEAF so NONE of the mehndi goes on your actualhands, also feed you methiay[ensure you only have tiny bits as by the time everyones had a go you feel sick of mithai] then they circle money round your head and thats aboout it[this is dependent on individuals].[/li][li]While individuals take those turns, the dholki is being played and friends and sisiters are going to coregraph dances for my mehndi, so just the girls and they stay for a few hours. [OH BYE THE WAY YOU ALSO FEED THEM FOOD - generally starter dishes in pakistan and drink][/li][li]NOW.... its our turn and we take mehndi to my fiancees house. Piece of advice to you is if you have sisters ensure that they are leading the way to the mehndi with your mum and ensure they have a huge A4 MEHNDI PLATE with space for mehndi, oil and ubtan to put on the groom [It looks really good!] - you can get really nicely decorated ones from pakistan and heart shapes. The same sort of thing happens at the grooms house and hear my sisters and brothers will probably be dancing away......HOWEVER I WILL BE AT HOME, but its okay inshallah the next day we will be married![/li][li]Piece of advice is just chill out watch a DVD, or just head to bed as it will be a long day the next day.[/li][/ol]Anyway hope this is useful eyelashes, as this is all i am aware of.
tk care
zeebs100