Top 12 Ways To Entertain Your Guests During Mehndi Ceremony
Make your mehndi ceremony an event to remember with these fun and entertaining ideas.
JoAnn is a Master Wedding Planner, a Certified Professional Wedding Consultant, a Certified Green Wedding Planner, and a Certified Sandals Specialist. She has 25 years of experience and has also authored a book titled “Laughing All the Way to the Altar.
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If you are planning your big fat Indian wedding, learning about how to entertain your guests during the mehendi ceremony should be one of your top priorities.
Many ceremonies make up an Indian wedding. While every religion has their own wedding ceremonies and customs, one ceremony that is common across them is the mehndi ceremony. The application of henna designs to the hands and feet carries some cultural significance. Mehndi symbolizes love and fertility, and the darker shades of henna indicate a stronger bond between the couple. As people apply mehndi to their hands and feet, relatives dance and sing, making the whole ceremony a memorable celebration. The mehndi designs often include traditional motifs such as flowers, peacocks, and more.
Grandly organizing your mehndi ceremony can take a lot of planning. It is not just about adorning yourself with henna but also about your close female relatives. You may want to have a proper ceremony for everyone to have fun. Of course, food and refreshing drinks are a must, but they may not be enough for an Indian wedding ceremony where everything is done with pomp and show. There has to be a lot of music, dance, and games to satisfy everyone. The mehendi is the ceremony where the bride and the guests have fun together. That is why you may have to plan several entertainments for your guests.
Singing and dancing are common practices for mehndi ceremonies. But if you want to do something different, you should not shy away from doing it. Why go with the ordinary? If it is your big ceremony, think of taking it to the next level! Plan games that most of your guests can participate in and have fun with. Games are sure to grab more attention than a group of friends and family members singing and dancing. Keep scrolling for a few new mehendi ceremony ideas that can pay off!
Keep In Mind- Attire: Attire Two different colors can be worn by the bride’s and the groom’s side of the family and friends. This can make the whole party seem more colorful and fun.
- Mehndi Application: Attire Bridal mehndi takes more time so it can be applied a day before while the guests get to enjoy the application process.
- Mehndi Gifts: Attire Make sure to set up a gift basket, personalized or otherwise, for your bridesmaids in which you can include bangles, anklets, makeup, and more!
In This Article
Top 12 Engaging Activities To Entertain Your Guests During Your Mehndi Ceremony
Though the mehndi ceremony was originally practiced by a few religions, most Indian weddings today seem to be including the ceremony. If you have decided to include it too, start with the planning now. You can create your own games to keep your guests entertained as you get inked with intricate engagement mehndi designs. If you host competitions, make sure you arrange gifts for the winners to encourage participation. Also, do not forget to stock up on the endless snacks supply. You can choose from the list mentioned below.
TriviaHere are the top 12 Indian mehndi ceremony games that you should plan for the big day.
1. Since singing is a major part of the mehndi ceremony, try to create games that involve singing. You can ask your guests to form groups. Then you can pitch the groups against each other. Let them enjoy Antakshari or karaoke competitions which are popular activities at Indian ceremonies. You can even show them pictures of various movie stars and ask them to sing popular songs from their movies. This can help create an entertaining atmosphere that encourages laughter and memorable conversations, allowing the guests to open up.
Quick Tip2. For the more boisterous set of guests, have a dhol or dholaki playing competition. You can ask the musicians, whom you have hired, to lend their instruments for the games. Then you can ask the guests to stage performances and try beating each other at drumming.
3. Dancing is again a big part of the mehndi ceremony. You can use this too as a game. You can ask the guests to dance to the drum beats. Those who fail to follow the beat can be eliminated. So, your guests can dance and enjoy the event.
Tip: Invite or hire a dance instructor to provide a brief lesson to assist those who aren’t familiar with the dance moves or need assistance to improve their moves.
Katherine Elaine, a blogger, celebrated her mehendi ceremony dancing to Bollywood songs with her family, friends, and guests. She choreographed a short dance with her friends to show it to the rest of the guests. She writes, “My female friends and I decided that, while our henna was drying, it would be fun to choreograph a short dance to show the rest of the guests.” She ends with reminiscing about how successful their plan was, “Our dance performance was well-received (Amrit’s family even made us perform an encore!), and it kicked off a fantastic night of music and dancing with our guests (i).”
4. Nothing is more important in these ceremonies except the bride-to-be. To make it a truly memorable and special day, set some time aside for storytelling sessions. Take this opportunity to relive old memories and express your gratitude to everyone who is putting in the effort for the upcoming wedding. From funny episodes to emotional testimonies, these stories can entertain everyone and encourage them to share their favorite memories with you as well.
5. Since the day is bound to see an excess of mehndi, you better put it to good use. Use the extra mehndi to ask your guests to try their hand at drawing mehndi. This can be entertaining and some can go home with a fancy design. Heart henna designs are quite loved by those who are in love.
6. Most guests may be coming just to eat. Well then give them plenty! Have an eating competition. Have a sweets-eating competition or a golgappa-eating competition. This is sure to entertain even the uninterested guests.
7. The advent of technology makes it easier to invent new sources of entertainment. Ask your guests to take pictures of the event using their phone cameras. The best photo will be declared the winner – the bride-to-be’s choice. Or, you could set up a photo booth for those who do not want to get the mehndi done but have arrived to do the event dolled up in traditional dresses nonetheless.
8. You can use flowers to create games as well. The flowers can be used to ask the female guests to create flower garlands or flower decorations.
Tip: Set a table with all the needed materials for the games as well as someone to keep things stocked and assist when needed.
9. Marriage is all about balance. Make your guests balance before you balance your marriage for the rest of your life. Get a rectangular beam and ask your guests to walk on it!
10. A popular game that is also played at many events is charades. You can play charades by dividing the guests into groups again. This can be a very good entertainment source
11. An upbeat wedding shoe game is something you can never miss in the mehndi ceremony! Put up chairs facing back-to-back and ask your guests to sit as couples. Make sure they are not able to see each other. Ask some fun questions, and the guests should respond by raising their respective footwear, not by speaking.
12. Paper dance also makes for a great mehndi ceremony game. Ask your guests to stand in pairs. Hand them a large sheet of paper and ask them to dance on it. As soon as the music stops, ask them to get off the paper and fold it in half. Likewise, continue the game until the couples can dance on the tiny piece of paper. Those pairs who fall off the sheet will be disqualified and the last payer dancing on the smallest piece of paper will be the winner.
Key Takeaways
- Singing games are one of most popular activities to include in the mehndi ceremony and are a sure-shot way to keep the guests entertained.
- Dancing is a given in any Indian ceremony, but to make it more fun, you can plan a dancing competition with the guests having to groove to the drum beats.
- Nothing beats a food competition, especially if it includes sweets or golgappas.
- Another fun activity can be created using just flowers—simply ask your guests to make beautiful flower garlands or decorations.
Infographic: 5 Unique Ways To Keep Your Guests Engaged During Mehndi Ceremony
Your mehndi ceremony has to be unforgettable. To ensure your guests have a memorable time, you must make them feel like an essential part of your big day. From having a dance floor set up and getting everyone involved in the celebratory spirit to setting up a DIY henna station for guests, there are many fun ways to create an engaging atmosphere for your guests. Check out the infographic below to learn more!
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
The mehndi ceremony is not just about putting on simple mehndi designs and having food. But, it is the day of celebrations, dancing, singing, and enjoying to the core. To make the event more fun and entertaining, you can include some new additions, like games and competitions. Mehndi drawing, dancing, singing, and eating can all be conducted as competitions where your guests can participate. We hope the competitions and fun games mentioned in the list will help you entertain your guests during the mehndi ceremony and make the event memorable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you wish the bride at a Mehndi ceremony?
Congratulate them on their nearing wedding and wish them a prosperous and happy life ahead. Give them your blessing and best wishes. Complement their mehndi designs.
Who is invited to the Mehndi ceremony?
Only women from the bride and groom’s side can attend and are invited to the mehndi ceremony, including family members and friends.
What is the importance of a mehendi ceremony?
A mehendi ceremony is an important pre-wedding ritual as the application of mehendi signifies the bond between the bride and groom and is considered a sign of good luck and prosperity. It also has a relaxing effect that helps to calm the nerves of the bride and groom during the wedding festivities.
Are there any modern games that can be played during a mehndi ceremony?
Yes. Find the hand, dance battle, tug of war, antakshari, beer pong, and dodgeball are some modern games that can be played during a mehndi ceremony.
What are some ideas for a mehndi ceremony photo booth?
A rustic photo booth, a wedding card-inspired photo booth, an Instagrammable photo booth with vibrant props, ornate frames, and floral backdrops, or a scooter-themed photo booth are some ideas for a mehndi ceremony photo booth.
How can I incorporate cultural traditions into my mehndi ceremony?
You can do this by incorporating design elements, music and dance performances, and food and drinks that reflect your cultural background. You could even add traditional rituals, like the groom finding his initials in the bride’s mehndi design to make the event even more meaningful.
How long should a mehndi ceremony last?
The length of a mehndi ceremony depends on the varying customs and traditions of the different families and cultures. Usually, the mehndi ceremony takes place a day or two before the wedding ceremony and can last for several hours to half a day.
Should I provide food and drinks for guests at a mehndi ceremony?
Yes, it is customary to provide food and drinks to guests at mehndi ceremonies as a way of showing hospitality and respect for their attendance. Some popular options for food and drinks include fruit-infused drinks, chaat, samosas, kebabs, and other delicious traditional Indian snacks and sweets.
Illustration: Ways To Entertain Your Guests During Mehndi Ceremony
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
Let’s make your mehndi party fun and exciting with these amazing party game ideas provided in the following video! Get ready to have a blast!
Personal Experience: Source
StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Bridal Adornment and Bollywood Dancehttps://mydelhiadventures.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/bridal-adornment-and-bollywood-dance/
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