Mehndi during Covid19

One of every brides favorite part of her wedding is getting her mehndi done. If you are a lover of the simple designs or even if you like the more extravagant patterns and shapes mehndi is a must for every bride. So what to do now that we are in the midst of a pandemic? We chatted with mehndi expert Neha Assar to get her take on all things mehndi during Covid19

Mandala Weddings Magazine – What safety precautions do you take during Covid19
Neha Assar – As a mehndi artist during COVID19, I think it is crucial to take all precautions necessary to keep yourself and your client safe. Hand sanitizer and a mask is a must. As of recently, I have added a face shield to my accessories. I have also made it a point to only take on bridal mehndi appointments. I would rather sit with one bride for 6 hours than do mehndi for the bridal party which involves multiple people. While doing mehndi, close proximity is inevitable so it is better to be safe than sorry.

MW – Does my mehndi design get effected since I changed the time of year I am getting married in? (would Summer flower design still look good for a Winter wedding?)
NA – Seasonal mehndi is a thing, believe it or not. Living in Los Angeles, the weather is pretty consistent all year round, but my brides that get married in the Fall/Winter really want to embrace elements from the fall and winter seasons. I am often asked to incorporate leaves for fall and snowflakes representing the winter. However, a lot of my brides are super focused on the personalized elements of their mehndi that depict their love story with their partners.

MW – Is it safe for your team to come and do mehndi on myself and my family?
NA – I think its up to the client and artist to come up with a plan to make it safe for a team of artists to service a group of guests. As I stated above, I have limited myself to strictly concentrate on the bride to limit my exposure. For me, its important to take all precautions so that I don’t put my own family at risk.

MW – Do you provide mehndi cones just incase some of my guests feel more comfortable doing their own mehndi?
NA – I do sell mehndi cones on my website and I think it is a great idea for clients to have extra cones on hand for guests to experiment on their own. I feel like there are so many tutorials available on social media these days that the guests are able to follow along and make a fun experience out of it.

MW – Would you recommend doing a smaller design on my hands and feet so that you aren’t in contact for such a long period of time?
NA – Contact is contact. I don’t think the duration of application matters when it comes to contact. Already, my clients are facing challenges during COVID19. They have had to compromise their plans just to move forward with their lives. So many have cancelled their destination weddings and are opting for backyard weddings. Guests list have been cut down from 600 guests to 13. Yes, 13. I don’t think bridal mehndi needs to be compromised as well. They should do what their heart desires and go all out even though plans have changed.

A little bit about Mehndi Artist Neha Assar

With artistic flare flowing through her veins, Neha Assar is destined to live and breathe art. Combining her limitless creativity and talent, Neha Assar has been adorning brides across the nation with bespoke ornate mehndi and body art since 1994 and is now opening doors to many opportunities that are leading to creative collaborations and bound breaking projects. Her mehndi art is now being translated onto canvas to create dimensional wall art that encompasses the traditional artform and significant elements of Indian culture.

The concepts used are original and the designs are expertly applied freehand, through inspired improvisation and alacrity. Neha Assar has become a celebrated and much sought after figure in the industry. Her artwork has been recognized via various media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, DuJour Magazine and South Asian Bride Magazine to name a few. Neha Assar’s artwork has also been exhibited at LA Fashion Week, The Oscar Awards, The Emmy Awards, MTV Movie Awards, and The Grammy Awards. Her list of celebrity clients is ever-growing, already consisting of such names as Kylie Jenner, Drake, G-Eazy, Shaunie O’Neal & family, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Jessica White, Nazanin Mandi, and Asa Soltan.

Neha Assar’s invaluable experience and eclectic aesthetic for producing flawless custom designs are sure to leave her clients speechless!