FAQs

Question

What is a Mehndi?

Answer

For a Mehndi ceremony before a wedding, mehndi—a dye commonly known as "henna" in the U.S.—will either be actively or very recently applied to the bride-to-be's arms from fingertips to shoulder in intricate designs. Additionally, guests smear a bit of a paste known as Ubtan, made from sandalwood, turmeric, and various herbs, on the bride's and groom's hands to wish them luck on their fresh start as husband and wife. Besides these traditional rituals, there will be plenty of dancing and singing to celebrate the upcoming Baraat. And of course, traditional South Asian fare will be served, including entrees such as chicken tikka masala and masala fish and desserts like laddu and gulab jamun. A tentative program is available here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wiIUdWwsTBPluBaxIdH_QXVgNhg9BzYg/view?usp=sharing

Question

What is a Baraat?

Answer

A Baraat is typically the second and most important day of any typical Desi wedding. On this day, the couple signs the Nikkahnama, or marriage contract, formally committing to one another in marriage. This event also marks the formal union of the two families, with the bride's family receiving the groom's family at the door and participating in a few rituals to signify their newfound bond. This day is also marked with much food (just like the mehndi) as well as singing, dancing, and colorful clothing. The closest Western analogue is the wedding reception. We anticipate incorporating some Western traditions, like speeches and cake-cutting, into the events this day. There will likely be a short period, during the religious ceremony, when it is traditional for women to cover their hair. If that might apply to you, consider bringing a light scarf or shawl. We will also have extras for anyone who doesn't have one. A tentative program is available here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZtxKMePDVcDwsmOrBtnGQqyppVIcP874/view?usp=sharing

Question

What's the dress code?

Answer

The mehndi is less formal, and colorful clothes are common. Consider incorporating a yellow or green element (those are traditional colors) into your less-formal outfit! The baraat is more formal — think suits, ties, nice dresses, etc. No specific colors here. Women should bring a light scarf/shawl; see the note on the baraat above. However, neither of us are sticklers for any dress code, so don’t consider any of this binding. Wear what you’re comfortable in! Relatedly, we have gotten questions about whether you should wear Western-style clothing, South Asian-style clothing, a mix, etc. The answer is the same as above: Wear what you’re comfortable in! And to clarify, if you want to wear South Asian clothing as a Westerner or vice versa, go for it. That’s totally in the spirit of our wedding, bringing two cultures together.

Question

What's the food/drink situation?

Answer

Dinner both nights will include a full buffet of South Asian options. There will be plenty of options for folks to mix-and-match, and all food served will be halal. Because of this, no alcohol will be served at wedding events.

Question

When should I book my travel?

Answer

We suggest doing so as soon as possible. June is travel season, especially in the PNW, so the sooner you book, the better rates you'll get.

Question

What if I can only make it to one night?

Answer

That's okay! We know a lot of folks are traveling in, are busy, and may have limited time. Feel free to RSVP to each separately.

Question

Why is the RSVP function not showing my whole family/party?

Answer

Some couples/families are in the system as individuals, while other are in the system as groups. Try RSVPing for each name separately. If that does not work, email us at khanmullinswedding (at) gmail (dot) com or otherwise get in touch!