Henna/Inai is actually a must for a muslim bride. It can be just a simple henna on each finger or it can be a very nicely drawn, decorated henna that covers the whole hand/palm and feet. We even have a special ceremony for this tradition, we call it  Malam Berinai.

 

"The Henna Night is very similar to a bachelorette party, where the Bride's Female Friends, and relatives join her at a house party called Henna, it includes food, drinks, and a lot of dancing, the bride changed dresses constantly, almost on each song, a band of females takes place, playing Arabic Music, and sometimes Islamic Music, all the girls would Belly dance on these music, a women draws Henna, a temporary form of skin decoration, on the Bride and the Guests. It is usually drawn on the palms and feet, where the color will be darkest because the skin contains higher levels of keratin which binds temporarily to lawsone, the colorant of henna."

 

Taken from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_wedding

 

For Malay, we dont have the dancing,  we replace it with 'bersanding malam berinai' but the rest is more or less the same. We have 2 occasion actually : mlm berinai besar, mlm berinai kecil. From my experince, mlm berinai kecil is held the nite before akad nikah.. and bride-to-be bersanding alone. For malam berinai besar, is normally right after akad nikah ( nite )...and the newly web 'bersanding' together.

 

Sample of decorated henna :

 

 

 

Nowadays we have so many talented ladies who can do this artistic work. :). Some of them even provide home service.. meaning they can go to your house to do the henna the nite before your wedding.

 

 

Sooo..........to all ladies out there who do provide such services... feel free to drop your website link down below and also your contact no.

TAKE NOTE : do not put the http://www .. only your webdomain like : shajaratuldesign.com

 

Till next article... take care everyone..