The night before, drawn by hand.
Fifteen years, hundreds of brides, every line freehand and every design yours. From the first conversation to the morning you wake up with the stain at its deepest.
Five steps, and none of them rushed.
Enquire
Send the date, the venue and a little about the wedding. Saarah replies within a day with availability and a first idea.
Consult
A call or a visit. Your outfit, your jewellery, the motifs that matter to your family, and what you would like hidden in the design.
Book
A quarter deposit holds the date. The design plan is agreed so there are no surprises on the day.
The session
Natural paste, drawn freehand at your venue or at home in Upper Hutt. Music on, family welcome, no clock-watching.
Aftercare and reveal
Sealed and wrapped, with a card telling you exactly what to do for the next 48 hours while the stain deepens.
Choose by coverage. Everything else is drawn for you.
Prices are a guide and are confirmed in your written quote. Names and prices will be finalised with Saarah.
Wrist
- Both hands, both sides, to the wrist
- Design consult by message
- 2 to 2.5 hours
- Natural paste, sealing balm, aftercare card
Mid-forearm
- Both hands, both sides, to mid-forearm
- Design consult call before the day
- 3.5 to 4.5 hours
- Natural paste, sealing balm, aftercare card
Elbow
- Both hands, both sides, to the elbow
- Consult call and one design revision
- 5 to 6 hours
- Complimentary simple design for mother or sister
Above elbow
- Full bridal arms past the elbow
- Consult in person or on video, full design plan
- 7 to 9 hours, can be split over two sittings
- Two complimentary simple designs for family
If your design sits between two tiers, it is priced between them. Custom elements such as names, dates, portraits and pets are $60 each. A design consult is included in every tier.
Feet to match the hands.
Ankle
- Top of the foot to the ankle
- 1 to 1.5 hours
Mid-shin
- Foot and lower leg, matching the hands
- 2 to 2.5 hours
Knee
- Full lower leg
- 3.5 to 4 hours
Mothers, sisters, friends, and the aunty who insists.
The bridal party is booked by the hour, before or after the bride, at $170 an hour with a two-hour minimum. Roughly six to eight simple designs an hour, four to five detailed. For a sangeet or mehndi night with more than twenty guests, a second artist can be arranged.
Guest designs use the same natural paste as the bride. Nobody gets the cheap cone.
Ask about a mehndi nightEvery set of hands here was drawn freehand, on the day.
When should bridal henna be applied?
One to three days before the ceremony. The stain is orange when the paste comes off, and darkens to its deepest red-brown over the next 48 hours. Saarah will suggest the timing that suits your outfit and photographs.
How long does a bridal session take?
Between two and nine hours depending on the collection. Tier three, the most chosen, takes five to six hours. Larger designs can be split over two sittings.
Is the paste natural?
Yes. Saarah mixes her own paste from henna powder, essential oils, sugar and lemon. Nothing else. She does not use black henna, which contains a chemical dye that burns skin.
Can my family and bridal party be done on the same day?
Yes. The bridal party is booked by the hour, before or after the bride. Tier three and four include complimentary simple designs for family.
Do you travel to the venue?
Yes. Travel is included within 25 km of Upper Hutt, which covers Lower Hutt, Wellington city and Porirua. Kapiti, Wairarapa and further afield are quoted.
How far ahead should I book?
Summer weekends and the weeks around Diwali fill months ahead. Six months' notice is comfortable. Shorter notice is always worth asking about.
Tell Saarah about the wedding.
Date, venue, and the collection you are leaning towards. A firm quote and a first design idea come back within a day.