An Indian bride is like none other – she sparkles and shines beyond comparison on her special day. Thanks to our culture and traditions, there are many little things that have been adding glamor to our bridal looks for centuries. Over the years, these traditions have been molded to fit into modern ideas of aesthetics, but still remain largely in their original forms. From the bright red wedding dress to heavy gold jewellery – everything has its special place in an Indian wedding. Bridal mehandi designs or henna is an equally important aspect of bridal make-up and accessories. The intricate bridal mehandi designs cover the bride’s hands and feet in a network of patterns that have been passed down from generations to generations.

Mehandi ki Raat’ is just one of the many pre-wedding ceremonies in traditional Indian marriages. It is not just a fun ritual to dress-up the bride, but has very important cultural significance. Bridal mehandi designs are not just reserved for the bride, but for the groom and the bridesmaids as well. For the groom, it is just a mark of good omen and he can get away with a small dot on his palm. But for the bride, the process is much more elaborate and essential. There is also a tradition where the groom’s name is intricately hidden within the detailed mehandi designing the bride’s hands and later he is asked to find it.

Usually mehandi designs for brides include mehandi designs for hands as well as legs.

Bridal mehandi is representative of the bond between two people and their families. There are several beliefs that are connected to bridal mehandi. Most popularly, it is said that the deeper the color of mehandi on the bride’s hands, deeper will be the love and affection between the newlyweds. It is also associated with the affection between the bride and her mother-in-law. A symbolic representation of fertility, the longer the bridal mehandi retains its color, the more auspicious it is. Also known for its medicinal properties, bridal mehandi is applied on the bride and groom to keep stress under control and diseases away.

The mehandi ceremony is a fun affair that is usually held a day or two before the wedding. It is almost always accompanied by the sangeet ceremony. Both ceremonies have rituals and customs, but mostly it is time to sing, dance and celebrate the would-be couple’s new lives. More than one bridal mehandi designer who creates detailed mehandi patterns on arms and feet usually tends to the bride. Other family member also join in and get their hands tattooed with the mehendi. This is accompanied by dancing and feasting.

Today’s modern designs are more detailed than ever before. Rajasthani and Arabic styles are currently the most popular bridal mehandi designs for quite some time now. While Arabic designs are loved for their simple yet appealing looks, Rajasthani mehendi designs are complicated patterns that require a lot of skill and patience. Ornaments, crystals and sparklers are also being added to bridal mehendi designs nowadays.

Let’s take a look at Some of the best Bridal Mehandi Designs

A simple yet elegant traditional Rajasthani bridal mehandi design for hands that stands out with the detailed representations for the bride and groom. The simple mehandi design for hands is topped with some color too. The best wedding mehandi designs are intricate and detailed, but not overwhelming enough to cover your whole hand or feet.

This is a mix or Arabic henna styles and Indian mehandi patterns. The black henna is popular in the Arabian world and stands for fertility and good omen. The bridal mehandi design that covers half the hand and leaves the rest as it is, is typical of Arabic mehandi designs for brides. But geometric and floral patterns are native to India.

The latest mehandi designs for hands are popular with patterns that are formed when you bring your palms together. This is a good example of this bridal mehandi design trend. See how the simple mehandi design forms an intricately designed flower in the middle.

The paisley pattern is typical of Indian bridal mehandi designs. It is used extensively in this stunning mehandi design for both hands and feet. See how the design has been used to fill the palms, but is aesthetically left to stand out on the feet.

This is a very simple traditional Indian bridal mehandi design that uses popular patterns and design elements. Notice the peacocks in the center – did you know that animal and human forms are used only in Indian mehandi designs. Arabic mehandi designs do not use patterns with forms of living things.

The latest trend in bridal mehandi designs for full hands is to add more glamor with crystals, sparklers and other ornaments. Here, an already intricate bridal mehandi design is being dusted with pink glitter to add that extra shine.

The best bridal mehandi designs are also traditional and simple. Here simple dots and floral patterns have been used to create a stunning bridal mehandi design for hands.

In Arabic mehandi designs, forms are not filled and skin is left naked to be seen through. While in Indian mehandi designs, the whole area is covered in patterns. This bridal mehandi design uses the best of both these styles.

Here’s how the latest bridal mehandi designs are glamorized with colored sparklers and ornaments. It does add more style and sophistication to an otherwise simple mehandi design.

Now, this is as simple as it can be. Neat and easy patterns are used in this bridal mehandi design for hands to keep the brides hands stylishly decorated.

This is a unique traditional bridal mehandi design that is coming back in demand, accompanied by modern mehandi designs for the bride’s hands.

This latest mehandi design for the bride’s hands will make you forget your sparkling jewellery.

Intricate, detailed and clever bridal mehandi design that forms a beautiful pattern on the bride’s hands.

A typical Indian bridal mehandi design that uses floral, paisley and geometric patterns.

Here’s how stunning it will look when you have your whole arm covered in the best bridal mehndi designs.