Yikes, trying to blog about the wedding is more daunting than I thought it would be. So I wont blog about it for now. Instead I’ll blog about henna! 
For a Malay wedding, it was a custom for the bride to have their hands and feet decorated with intricate henna drawings. Unfortunately, because of how tight Cart and my schedule was – with the registry of marriage interviews, the embassy, the ministry of of foreign affairs et all, I missed the appointment with the henna artist.
So prior to the solemnization, my mum decided to decorate my hand, herself.
She crushed fresh henna leaves into a paste and pressed it on the tips of my fingers and feet and commanded me not to move the entire night as I slept on the floor. This was so that the henna would last longer (and it did because my toe nails still have the henna mark now) as well as not stain the bed.
That was probably the most uncomfortable night that I’ve ever had in a long time. I think I was probably a little bit stoned the next day for my solemnization. 
But in any case, the lady who did my henna came back to finish the decoration.
I did a livestreaming over on ustream but I think thats its better to have it sped up from 2 hours into 10 minutes!
Putting on Henna from rinaz on Vimeo.
Isn’t it pretty? What do you think?
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Marina the henna painting is nice, but I really don’t have the patience for it. I envy people like you who have the patience to go through the painstaking time during and after the henna painting itself. But I guess no pain no gain right. Veramente bellissimma !!!!!!
Hi sis, salute you…
i don’t have the patience to sleep thru the night with henna. That’s why on my wedding day … my henna not red at all.
btw do you happen to know where your mom got the fresh henna leaves from? I prefer fresh leaves compared to powder version…
i love doing henna drawings! the skin is the best canvas! 😛 i love the design u have on!
Daphne Maia
Its so pretty isnt it? Too bad that it didnt last too long. My mum’s henna on the other hand … 😛
Lina Lucchi
Once in a lifetime experience what 😀
After that, just sit on the sofa watching tv for two hours, everyone can do it 😛
Liza
My mum found a henna tree that her friend planted and asked for it. Luckily for her, the friend let her.
Actually there is a number of henna trees in Singapore, so I think it shouldn’t be of a problem to stumble on one 🙂
Hi Marina,
First of all, congratulations on your upcoming wedding =)
I’m Ros, a librarian from National Library Board and I happen to stumble upon your blog. Love your writings by the way.
Anyway, if you want to find out more about the significance of henna on brides, perhaps you’d like to check my post on our ASK! blog.
http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/ask/adults/1042
Enjoy your wedding day!
That’s incredible! I never knew this custom existed. The artwork done on your hands looks great! You have a lot of patience to sit through that and deal with sleeping on the floor for the night.
Ros
Thanks for the link and the comment 🙂
But I’m already married … ehm, unless you meant my second wedding? Hehehehe!
Brad
Its either that, or messing up the bed with the henna stains. Thank goodness for make up! It covered up my groggy look perfectly 😛