Having henna at your party is going to make it memorable no matter what, with guests appreciating their beautiful custom-created artwork for a long time after the party itself has ended. It’s kind of a given! It alone is more than you need to make your party extra special.
But some stand-out experiences at different events have taught me some tips and tricks I’d like to pass on for how you can make your party even better!
1) Set a color theme! Picking a color theme is such an easy thing to do that it often gets overlooked for smaller parties. It’s not just for weddings, sweet sixteens, bat mitzvahs, and other such affairs! At an occasion of any size, just picking up colored napkins and decorations (simple stuff – balloons, streamers, etc) is enough to take it to the next level and give the party entrance and main area a special feel.
2) Serve on-theme food and beverage. Are you having henna because yours is an Indian affair? Everyone loves chai – you can go super easy and brew up some Tetley Elaichi chai from single serve bags, or you can do a delicious custom brewed masala chai with specially selected spices. (Real brewed chai, rather than a concentrate or powdered mix, will keep things healthier and more budget-friendly…)
At a Moroccan party, go for Moroccan mint tea.
Every culture has its own favorite and most popular drinks and food. Doing 5 quick minutes of research will tell you what those are!
The two most popular and successful Indian dishes for parties, if you opt to get take out like so many of my clients do, are chicken tikka masala and, to make sure you’re also catering to people with just about any dietary restrictions, chana masala (which is vegan, gluten free, and nut free – oh and *delicious*).
3) Send out invitations – either printed or digital. Having an image associated with your party let’s people know the feel of the party and helps them get excited about it. I’m happy to provide an invitation for any party booked, at no extra cost, featuring any color theme you’d like and a design that is along the lines of what your guests might expect to have done at the party.
4) Take a group photo! Posing for a group photo with your henna once everyone has had theirs applied makes for an excellent memento that will last even longer than your henna. This is also a free service I am happy to provide with any booking!
5) Add a little extra time per person for design consultations. If we have a few minutes rather than the standard perfunctory 30 seconds to discuss design preferences, we can come up with some really stunning, unique, creative ideas based on your guests’ ideas.
6) Add a couple minutes per person if you’d like to have individual photos taken after each design is completed. You’re more than welcomed to take your own photos (please tag @hennabyheather), but if you’d like to have me take them (using my years of photography training at RISD), I’m happy to do that for you. They can be photos of just the design, or fun portraits of people showing off their henna!
7) Pick the perfect playlist! Put a little time into choosing the music for your party to set the mood you’re going for – happy and upbeat or chill and relaxed are two popular ones for henna parties. You can create your own, or use one of the playlists I’ve created on YouTube and Spotify.