Erin + Jesse's Sangeet / Mehndi Party! (E+J Part 1 of 3)!

Weddings

Jan 10

Erin + Jesse’s Wedding celebration spanned three days and two cultures. This post covers their hybrid Sangeet/ Mehndi / Vatna Party at GoodCity Brewing on Milwaukee’s East Side! This was my first Sangeet and Mehndi Party, so I had to read a little to understand what I was photographing. Jesse and Erin incorporated their Vatna Ceremony as well - so I had lots of amazing first experiences!

The Sangeet:
The Sangeet is where Sikh couples get the party started! It is an occasion which is solely to swim in the love and joy of the soon-to-be-married couple. While these used to last up to 10 days, many are now a single celebration. There are also performances of dancing and singing for the couple, and lots of raucous fun is had!
The Mehndi (Henna):
Traditionally a pre-wedding event for the bride where her bridal henna is applied to her hands and feet. In addition to looking cool, henna is believed to have medicinal properties that calm the bride’s nerves. One additional benefit - the bride is exempt from household chores until the Henna fully fades. In modern observance, often the bride will have her Henna done ahead of time so she can have fun with the guests! It is common now for the groom and his entourage also takes part in the celebration.
Maiyan Ceremony / Vatna Blessing :
A Punjabi beautification ceremony where family and friends surround the couple and take turns giving blessings and applying a cleansing paste of turmeric powder and mustard oil to the bride and groom. This is also a great opportunity for siblings and cousins to be extra generous in how much paste they use and where they apply it!

It was a blast to spend three days with the couple and the whole mass of celebrating people who surrounded them, and it all started with the Sangeet / Mehndi Party! Erin chose to get her henna done ahead of time, so she could be present to her guests and perform a few numbers with Jesse. Erin’s incredible Henna was done by Henna Craze Chicago, and she also brought in Hands of Henna by Anita for her party so guests could get custom henna done too.

It was an absolute blast to see the couple perform a song and a dance - and the other performance we hilarious too. the Vatna ceremony was such a highlight, with everyone present smiling and laughing until it hurt. I hope I get to shoot a lot more Henna Mehndis - it was just so fun!

There is more to see: Part 2 and Part 3

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