Mehndi invitation wording: 10 examples for the henna night

The mehndi is the night before the night before: henna for the bride, singing, dholki, sweets, and a dress code of yellow, green and orange. It is the most relaxed of the wedding gatherings and the one whose invitation is most often a voice note. Here is how to word it properly, with ten examples.

What a mehndi invitation needs

• Whose mehndi it is, and that it is the mehndi, not the nikah. Guests dress very differently for each.
• Who is hosting. The bride's family, traditionally, though a joint mehndi for both sides is now common.
• Ladies only, or everyone. Say it plainly. It is the first question anyone asks.
• Date, time, place. Mehndi nights start late and run late; give a start time and a rough end.
• Dress code. Yellow, green, orange, or "bright and festive". Tell guests if henna will be offered so they can plan what to wear on their hands.
• Food. Dinner or snacks, and when.
• A reply-by date, or at least "let us know if you can come", so you know how many to feed.

Mehndi invitation wording examples

1. The classic, ladies only

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Nurul Islam and Asma Khatun request the pleasure of your company at the Mehndi of their daughter Amira on Tuesday, 26 October 2027 at 7pm at their home, 14 Linden Road, Ilford

Ladies only · Dress: yellow and green Dinner will be served · Please reply by 12 October

2. Joint mehndi, both families

The families of Yusuf and Amira invite you to a joint Mehndi night Tuesday 26 October 2027, 7pm until late The Willow Suite, Ilford Ladies and gents welcome · Bright colours, please Dinner at 8pm

3. From the bride and her sisters

Amira's mehndi! Tuesday 26 October from 7pm at ours (14 Linden Road). Ladies only, wear your brightest yellow, bring your voice for the dholki. Dinner at 8. Tell us by 12 October if you're coming x

4. The short card

Mehndi of Amira Tue 26 Oct · 7pm · 14 Linden Road, Ilford Ladies only · Yellow & green · Dinner served Reply by 12 Oct

5. Groom's side mehndi (the "haldi" or "ubtan" night)

Ansar Meah and Rahima Begum warmly invite you to the Mehndi of their son Yusuf on Wednesday 27 October 2027 at 7pm at their home, 3 Elm Avenue, Barking Family and close friends · Dinner to follow

6. Dholki, a week or two before

Join us for a Dholki evening for Amira Saturday 16 October from 6pm 14 Linden Road, Ilford Ladies only · Bring your dholki songs · Snacks and chai

7. A mehndi at a venue, with a programme

The families of Yusuf and Amira invite you to the Mehndi Tuesday 26 October 2027 · The Willow Suite, Ilford 7:00pm Arrival · 7:30pm Entrances · 8:00pm Dinner · 9:00pm Dances and dholki Ladies and gents in separate halls · Dress: bright and festive

8. Warm and simple, from the parents

We would love you to join us for our daughter Amira's mehndi on Tuesday 26 October at 7pm at our home. It is a ladies' evening, with dinner and henna for anyone who wants it. Wear something bright. Please let us know by 12 October. Asma and Nurul

9. For a small, family mehndi

A small mehndi for Amira with close family, Tuesday 26 October, 7pm, at home. Ladies only. Nothing formal: come as you are, eat with us, and make dua for her.

10. The WhatsApp version

Assalamu alaikum Sara! Amira's mehndi is on Tuesday 26 October from 7pm at 14 Linden Road, Ilford, ladies only, yellow and green if you can. Dinner at 8 and henna for whoever wants it. All the details and the reply form are here: https://yusuf-and-amira.invalia.io/mehndi — let us know by 12 October x

The practical lines

Dress code

Yellow, green and orange. Nothing you would mind getting henna on.

Bright and festive. Traditional or Western, as you like.

Henna

A henna artist will be with us from 7:30pm. Come early if you want a full design.

Timing

From 7pm until late. Dinner at 8pm; the dholki does not stop.

Gents

Ladies only, please.

Gents welcome from 9pm for the dances.

Ladies and gents in separate halls.

Mehndi, nikah and walima on one website

If you are sending a nikah invitation anyway, the mehndi can be a section of the same page, or its own invitation in the same account with a separate guest list. The second is usually right: the mehndi list is shorter, ladies only, and should not see the walima's seating notes. Give the mehndi its own link and its own reply form. Our guides to nikah invitation wording and walima invitation wording cover the other two.

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On RSVP Websites, a mehndi gets its own invitation with its own address and reply form, in the same account as the nikah and the walima. Guests tap yes and say how many are coming, and you know how much biryani to order.