Henna night
The women's party before a North African or Middle Eastern wedding, when the bride is hennaed.
Also: leilat al-henna, laylat al-hinna
The henna night is a celebration, usually held the evening before the wedding, in which the bride's female relatives and friends gather to paint her hands and feet with henna. Songs are sung, often teasing and tender, and sweets are passed round. The bride wears traditional dress, which in Morocco includes a rich caftan and in Tunisia a regional costume, and sometimes cries, as she is leaving her family home. The groom's family may also hold a henna event. It is a farewell as well as a blessing, and the pattern is meant to bring luck and protect against the evil eye.
Region: North Africa