Getting married anytime soon? Then it's nearly time for you to start prepping about all the pretty things that would adorn you for your big day, including your chosen set of mehndi designs. It's time to start browsing full hand mehndi designs that convey your sense of celebration and excitement in the best way.
Just like the search for your favoured bridal outfit requires going through an endless set of bridal lehengas, mehndi designs require a lot of research too. These designs have intricate patterns inspired by nature's fauna and flora, personal tales, traditional motifs, minimal patterns, God images and even comical ideas. Paisley and flowers share equal space with peacocks, chains, victorian lace, Morrocan circles and Arabic vines. Though drawing these designs is hard and time-consuming, the result is stunning and pretty.
Henna has been a favourite with brides since ages and for all the right reasons. It's beautiful, looks stunning with Indian traditional attire and has symbolic value as well. Check out some of the most popular ones below.
A. Personalised mehndi tales
Agreed that there are a zillion beautiful mehndi designs out there which look picture perfect and are lying in your screenshot gallery, but why not take some inspiration from personalised patterns and go for something which has never been done before, because they take inspiration from a very unique source - YOU!
Imagine if your chosen full hand mehndi design could be as special and as personal as you - depicting your own tale of togetherness, with details that drive the two of you together. It could have your likeness, your special dates, phrases and quotes that bring the two of you together, et al. Going personal is one of the raging set of mehndi trends these days and that's the reason why you should also consider this unique tinge to your own mehndi designs.
Here are a few inspirations to fuel your choice for your own mehndi designs:
1. Whimsically religious
Image courtesy: Black Tie Project
This full hand mehndi design is a perfect fusion of religious symbology, which romantic whimsy. On the one hand (quite literally!) we have the emblem of love and partnership Radha-Krishna, on the other, we have quite an adorable childhood representation of the soon to be newlyweds. The personalised logo adds another statement to this gorgeous mehndi pattern.
2. For the children at heart
Image courtesy: Amrita Henna
Think Shaadi is all about growing up? Well, 'Dil Toh Bacha Hai Jee'! And no better way to show this childlike side of you than to get your yesteryear favourites inked on your hands. Love the way Mickey Mouse sits pretty amid a pretty ornate set of mehndi designs for full hands here.
3. A Dedication to the groom
Let's hear it for the 'Piya Ki Pyaaris'. Show your love for your significant other with a caricature of him and all of the things that make him so adorable for you - be it his love for fast food, his dressing sense or even the story of your life ever after on foreign shores!
4. Portrait tales
There is nothing as complete as adding his and her images to your mehndi designs for full hands. These full hand mehndi designs provide prime space to the portraits with the rest of the work as detailed, intricate fillers.
5. Jab We Said Yes
Do you remember your 'I said yes' moment and think it befits space among the best proposal ideas ever? Immortalise it in henna and ensure that everyone gets a chance to vow at it (be it on the day or through your wedding album). I know, I would love to gushingly share my tale with my Mehndi artist and sit with bated breath while they etch it all out!
6. Boy + girl = love story
We met, we fell in love. Let that Pehla Pehla Nasha moment be transcribed in your full hand mehndi design. Bonus points for names and even a save the date reminder like we saw the artist at Jyoti Mehndi do for this very smitten bride.
7. Let's Heart It!
Image courtesy: Henna Girl Riya
Once upon a time, there was a maiden fair, who stole a king's heart. Ek Tha Raja, Ek Thi Rani - Dono Sang Hue Bani Kahani.
Heart the entry for yourself with traditional Rajasthani and Mughal miniature feels, smartly done in circles around a heart-shaped Jharonkha. This neat, yet complete full hand mehndi design is a definite yes, if you wish to immortalise your love in mehndi magic.
B. Dulha-Dulhan images in henna
No bridal mehndi is complete without an ode or nod to the marriage ceremony. And there's no better way to do this in your full hand mehndi design than to get a set of Dulha-Dulhan motifs in them. Get the blushing bride or the dapper groom adorned on your hands, either sitting at the base of your palms or high up on your arms.
Dulha Dulhan designs go as far back as mehndi patterns, and with time they are turning out to be better and better. With talented mehndi artists who keep practising their art, more and more realistic figurines are adorning the hands of the bride's of today. At this rate, time is not far that you could get your own caricatures or life-like image on your hand.
Here are a few ways in which you can draw inspirations for Dulhan mehndi or even a set of Dulha Dulhan images as part of your mehndi designs for full hands:
8. The Jaimala moment
Image courtesy: Mayuri Mehandi Artist
This bridal mehndi goes one step ahead than just adding the couples name to the mix. There are wedding symbols aplenty in this design, from the Jaimala moment to Mangalkalash and Shahnai. Love the interplay in which the artist has placed the bride on one hand and the groom on the other, making them each a part of a matched set. A good allegory for their life as a married couple - when you look at each hand individually both are complete in their own way, but when the hands come together the design is complete and the beauty (of life) is increased tenfolds.
9. Portrait relief
Image courtesy: Henna for all
What's better than a precision perfect bridal makeup artist working on your full hand mehndi designs? One who has their finger on the pulse of all of the latest henna trends - reverse mehndi, portrait mehndi, Jaal mehndi and floral mehndi designs. And can do them altogether in one! Whew! The final effect is visually stunning and definitely one of a kind.
10. Let's heart it!
Image courtesy: Divya Henna by Prashanta
Wow! Make the Dulha-Dulhan image your own, with subtle plays on your faces and details that are intimately and personally you. In this case, the details are the obvious location references for this Ram-milayi San Fransisco meets LA jodi. Delicate flowers in reverse mehndi, interspersed with whorls make it match with traditional sensibilities too.
11. The wedding ceremony story
Imagine the complete wedding ceremony nestled on your full hand - how wonderful! From the arrival of the groom, exchange of garlands during the Jaimala ceremony, the Saat Phere and Bidaai with the bride in the bridal Doli. Even as you wait for your own nuptials, let your full hand mehndi design take you on a romanticised journey of what lies ahead.
12. Banne Raja
Waiting for that moment when your eyes would meet and be together as one? Do it now, by smiling down to his visage that's enmeshed in full hands mehndi design. It will surely reach him and tug at his heartstrings too. The demure mehndi shot adds to this beautiful bride's Mehndi look and we wish her the best of everything in her new journey.
13. The arrival of the Baraat
Image courtesy: Shades Photography
Yes, he's here with a Baraat to take you away. Tell the Mehndiwala to capture that scene for your bridal henna with the groom planted straight on your palms, while the rest of the Baraat marches down your arm. Patience, girl! The baraat would take as much time as sitting down for these full hand mehndi designs.
14. Romantic inclinations
What's better than just one set of the two of you sitting pretty on your palms? Obviously two of them! What works for this princess in canary yellow is deep, dark black mehndi that captures two very special moments together. Now, you only need to recreate them as part of your first wedding night - get my drift?
15. Tie the knot
The Sindoor ceremony is the moment that marks the two of you together as one from now to forever. If the Dulha-Dulhan way is the direction that you want your full hand mehndi design to go, then nab the chance by depicting this moment in your henna.
16. Besotted together
We love the delicate, clean and spaced out way in which the Dulha-Dulhan and the pretty florals and curves mirror each other. And OMG! Look at the sheer detail in which these full hand mehndi designs have been etched out - from the curly moustache to her elegant bridal Nath, the vines on the thumbs, to the conches underneath the portraits. It's so, so beautifully there!
C. Full hand paisley patterns
Paisley is a timeless classic. You can see this design in Indian, Pakistani and Arabic designs. The shape is easy to draw and you can fill it up in numerous ways. This makes it versatile. Often, while drawing a bridal mehndi design, artists first place the paisley and then make a pattern around it. It doesn’t have to be a centrepiece.
It can be anywhere on the palm and yet, it fits perfectly. Another advantage is, paisley can be big or large yet, it doesn’t look bad. That’s why the trend of using paisleys in design is on the rise. You can ask the designer to create bridal mehndi designs for full hands using only paisley design.
Here are a few inspirations:
17. Modern and traditional
Image courtesy: Divya Henna by Prashanta
In the midst of traditional motifs and patterns like paisley, flowers and vines you see modern loves of the bride slipped in quite subtly. The bridge and the car definitely points towards the wanderlust of our kickass bride, don't you think?
18. Be covert about it
Image courtesy: Morvi images
Let your paisleys be a part of the pattern by asking your mehndi artist to place them covertly into the design. Disguise these comma-like motifs into blank design cut-outs, waves and conches to get an ethereal look from them.
19. Add an Ambi to it
Image courtesy: Divya Henna by Prashanta
Mango madness take centrestage with most of the lovely henna designs you find from Divya Henna by Prashanta, and this is no different. There are ambis in reverse on fingertips, on the smaller fingers, around the heart-like set of peacocks and up the arms. And what's more, these peacocks look like a set of paisleys too.
20. Paisley patterns
Image courtesy: Henna Lounge
The bigger, the better - that's the way our love for paisley goes. Find your own by feasting your eyes on these fist-sized 'Ambis', offset by tiny ones on the tips. Bonus points for the fact that this would barely take any of your special time. So, after this set of full hand mehndi design is done in a jiff, get ready to jump onto the dance floor for your Mehndi party.
21. Leafy mirrors
Image courtesy: Henna Lounge
The best part about opting for full hand mehndi designs with paisley patterns is the sheer versatility with which you could ask your henna artist to draw them on. They can be shells, leaves, peacocks, mirrors and even Jaal prints, if that's what you want them to be. We've even seen skilled artists who are able to turn them into portraits!
Case in point, these intricately done-up leaves.
22. Preening paisley peacocks
Image courtesy: Divya Henna by Prashanta
Coy peacocks on an all-out Bindaas bride! Oh behave! We love how these look coyly from lowered lids, even as they sit on a perfectly drawn up Jaal on the palms and high up on the elbow. And if you take a minute to look away and come back, you'll see how all of them are just carefully placed paisleys. Now that's a perfect full hand mehndi design!
23. Precisely placed paisleys
Image courtesy: Henna by Fariyal
Yes, there's no such thing as too many Ambis. Can you spot the 20+ paisleys drawn into these mehndi designs for full hands? Go ahead and count, while we sit back after our own exhausting take through it. Brownie points and patience indeed!
D. Bold and Beautiful Designs
If you are a person who has small hands or if you don't like to get an intricate pattern on your pumps that will cover the entire hand then Indo-Arabic designs are the best choice for you. These designs strike the balance between Indian intricate patterns and bold and beautiful lines from the Arabic style of mehndi art.
Here are a few inspirations:
24. Vines and arches
Image courtesy: Henna Paradise Brisbane
The use of arches and vines is quite prominent in all Indo-Arabic mehndi designs. Here we see a beautiful pattern of clean and well-spaced leaf vines, intricate arches and swirling flowers on the fingers. They are coming together seamlessly without crowding the hand and yet, at the same time, it doesn't look like the hand is empty.
This full hand mehndi design manages to cover the hand without making it too complicate and thus we can appreciate each motif in its own right.
25. Phoolon Ka Chaman
Image courtesy: Henna for all
Think bold, beautiful henna designs and you'd have to begin with a set of blossoms on your hands. The perfectly mirrored set of hands work beautifully if you have floral ambitions, mirror designs or tattooed perfection for your digits on your mind.
26. Encircled vines on arms
Usually, the designer draws an intricate pattern of flowers, leaves and net to fill up the palm. At times they fill up the net pattern with some design as well. These designs will make your hands look more graceful. And if you are going for a bridal mehndi design for full hands, make sure that the designs on both the hands are in sync.
27. Pop art flowers
Image courtesy: Aman Gupta
Pop art is all about ballooning patterns in bright shades. Imagine your crimson henna to be the palette for these trippy flowers and strands, which would barely take an hour of a sit-down, after you've confirmed your full hand mehndi design with your chosen mehndi artist. And while you're at it, go through this gentleman's Instagram profile - it's worth the inspiration!
28. Reverse your prints
Image courtesy: Aman Gupta
Ever since #SonamKiShaadi, lotus patterns in reverse mehndi designs have become a staple for any fashion-forward bride. Enjoy their trails on your own arms alongside other full hand mehndi design biggies like filled-up Ambis, large size flowers and teardrops. Really, really worth the effort and the time.
29. Bold IS beautiful
Image courtesy: Aman Gupta
Get the magic of a detailed and intricate set of Rajasthani mehndi patterns at half the time, when you ask your Mehndiwalla to draw it in this big, Arabian mehndi-style. Such mehndi designs for full hands will ensure that your henna is visible to every one who comes to wish you for your big day. Satisfaction guaranteed!
30. Floral inspirations
Image courtesy: Mehnaz Mehndi
Phool Khilen Hai Gulshan Gulshan, anyone?
Let flowers work their magic in this heavy set of mehndi designs for full hands, from the tips of your fingers to up your palms and snaking across your wrists to your elbows. Look closely, as this magically done hand is actually a set of five flowers that work wonders across your arms. I'd recommend getting your henna artist to work on it in two different shades so that the design pops!
E. Pakistani Designs
Pakistani mehndi designs are great for bridal mehndi designs for full hands if you want to try something different than usual Indian and Indo-Arabic designs. Pakistani style of bridal mehndi design is unique as they use two colours in the design. Usually, the henna artists use black coloured mehndi to create a basic outline of the simple mehndi design and red mehndi to fill in the shapes created with black mehndi.
As it has two colours, you can switch them according to your skin colour. These designs are suitable for any bride that is looking for a unique style of henna art which would really stand out in her wedding pictures.
Here are a few inspirations for the style:
31. Mandalas and lattices
Image courtesy: Divya by Henna
Lattices are very prominent in all the Pakistani mehndi designs. Combining that with concentric Mandalas has come together beautifully. As beautiful as the back of the hand is, you really need to appreciate the beauty of the full hand mehndi design achieved using a multitude of techniques and motifs.
32. Miniature art
Image courtesy: Henna by Divya
Mehndi miniatures are a work of art, agree?
While we're so obviously in love with Henna by Divya and all of the magic that she does on her blank canvas palms, this one indeed took our breath away. The two talismans in reverse - the Toronto skyline and the four-pawed friend are such a refreshing sight, that it makes me sigh!
And then there's the geometric precision with which she drew the vines and the lines. Wow!
33. Two-toned geometrics
Image courtesy: Natasha Salon
It's there - plain and symbol - geometric shapes like triangles, circles, squares and arches? Check. Two distinct henna shades? Check. Perfect coordination with this bride's red Sharara and crimson nails? Check. Lavish gold to encompass it all? Double check.
Get it done and you'd have a timeless set of mehndi design for full hands, which would work with a blood red bridal lehenga or red saree equally.
34. Arabic delights
Image courtesy: Henna Paradise Brisbane
Gather your senses as we move into a curvy overdrive. This set of mehndi designs for full hands has two distinct colours, twisting and undulating to form these new patterns, which effortlessly spreads itself till the crook of the elbow. Now, ask your mehndi design artist - Ab yeh karke dikhaao!
35. Of darker shades
Darker designs mark a set of full hand mehndi designs as those with an Arabic inspiration. Choose this way, if you want the best of both the worlds - intricate patterns and darker mehndi. It's also time to invest in tips to make mehndi darker, which will make you ace the game, without fail.
36. Spacing it out
Image courtesy: Henna Bella
Jaals and florals make up the world for this set of effortless full hand mehndi designs, done in a rich, chocolatey brown. The darker hands patterns would stand in perfect contrast with a pastel or golden bridal lehenga. They would also work beautifully with Indo-western outfits.
37. Minutely done set of hands
Image courtesy: Henna by IBKA
Combine your love for intricate full hand mehndi designs with the practical realities of your outfit. In this case, for example, the bride wears a full sleeve garment, which would make applying a mehndi upto her arms an odd task. She chooses a wrist-length design to work her magic now.
F. Moroccan Designs
Moroccan mehndi is a contemporary take on traditional Indian mehndi designs. The design pattern in Moroccan mehndi art is inspired by Indian mehndi but they are more structured. These designs have geometrical patterns and symmetry in the design on both the hands.
Though Moroccan designs are not the first preference when it comes to bridal mehndi designs for full hands, these days, brides are demanding for this minimal style that offers the best of Indian style with a modern take on it.
Here are a few more inspirations:
38. Dual shades
Image courtesy: Henna House of Angela
You've heard of regular Henna and you've heard of Black henna, but have you ever seen the two together? Well, here you are and we have to say this combination is really making us want to pick our henna cones right away to start experimenting.
39. Squared styles
Image courtesy: Afsara Inspirar
A freehand take at Moroccan mehndi designs, this set of diagonal squares represent a set of soothing motifs for the eye and the soul. Like it? We know you do.
40. Geometry kit, please
Image courtesy: Toko Mehndi
Get a ruler, please! These squares have been plotted with precision and that means these full hand mehndi designs will work with equal aplomb on wonder for both the bride and the groom.
41. Jaali inspiration
Intricate details, geometric grids and a gold foil overlay? Yes, these mehndi design for full hands cover all of this and much, much more.
42. Bejewelled designs
Image courtesy: Nazi Mehendi
While Morroccon mehndi designs for full hands are all about straight lines and square styles, it's also about a sense of balance and space. And that's what comes through in this bejewelled henna design.
43. Morroccon inspirations
Image courtesy: Wedding Documentary
What happens when these Morroccon sensibilities become a part of Indian henna designs? A marriage of sheer perfection. See the magic come alive when Jharokhas and arches join straight lines and bands. This style of full hand mehndi designs has become all the rage and is being cherished across the board.
44. Intricately done
Image courtesy: Henna by IBKA
Often bridal mehndi designs for full hands tend to feature absolutely filled in hands till the wrists, especially if the bride-to-be is from Morrocco, Pakistan or Dubai. Let the length of the design not bog you down as you can still have a fill of your world within such a space.
G. Modern Touch
Millennial brides are unafraid from trying out newer trends and fashions. They are on-board with experimenting with their bridal outfit and bridal mehndi is no exception. From Mehndi only dedicated to enamour just fingers to a mandala pattern, the possibilities are endless.
45. Abstract love
Image courtesy: Aman Gupta
Abstract art with traditional Indian mehndi patterns coming together to make this gorgeous full hand mehndi design. You know what you need to do the next time you want to look a bit Hatt-ke from the crowd.
46. Florally yours
Image courtesy: Sarra Hannah
Though you might have seen many, many floral vines, we like the way it's been shaded in for perfection. The curves undulate from the front side of the arms to the back, making it part and parcel of the shining bride within. Mehndiwalle bhaiya, try to do this one!
47. Shaded minimalism
We're awestruck by the work, the sheer work that was done to get the design just right! Floral mehndi elements happened first, followed by darker outlines in the petals. Then came the pillars, the finger mehndi designs and the string of parrots. Love, thy name is mehndi!
48. Henna scriptures
Invoke the blessings of the Almighty and ask them for guidance and support on your big day.
Isn't that what you're told to do when the anxiety builds up, so close to your wedding day? Invoke their favour (as per your own religious and spiritual inclinations) and add it to your literal sleeve. Share your texts with your Mehndi artist and see how they're able to bring them alive on your palms, arms and hands.
We've seen brides choosing the Gayatri mantri, texts from the Rig Veda, Aayats from the Quran and even the Ek Omkar in full hand mehndi designs. We've also seen special love quotes in the same space.
49. Get your girls on it
Now, we've seen it all! While getting your girls inked in henna is a done thing since time immemorial, this bride decided to own the trend by getting her bridesmaids these identical 'Team Bride' henna designs. Get your own set for your girls and even think of the possibility of converting them into full hand mehndi designs.
Here are a few more ideas to pique your interest -
i) Mirror patterns
Get a central, quirky motif - it could be circular design, a dialogue box or even a creature-feature (and no we mean peacocks, parrots and even elephants here). Then, add a statement item to it. Try your hand with words like Patakha, Ladkiwale or even Team Dulhaniya. You could even garnish it with a nath to get the message across. And then request (or bully) all of your bridesmaids into donning the henna print.
ii) Broken pattern
Get an ornate pattern (like a set of wings, leaves or even flowers), broken across the hands of all of your bridesmaids and keep your own full hand mehndi designs as the centrepiece. This requires some patience. Then, get ready to clicked with all of your hands coming together to bring the henna to life.
We assure you, these ideas will look as perfect as this click by Picture Perfect.
50. Neat and squared
Geometric grids like the thin set of lines which cover the back of the hands here, work as excellent mehndi fillers, neatly covering up space without a sense of clutter or overkill. These go perfectly with modern sensibilities and can be good addition to your own mehndi designs for full hands.
51. Mandala magic
And then, there are the Mandalas, perfect concentric circles, flowers and geometric shapes (as some can be even hexagons or octagons), that fill the centre of palms and back of hands in modern full hand mehndi designs. These shapes are soothing to the eye and the soul, from the moment when your mehndi artist plants one on your hands, to the time when you raise them to the public eye.
52. Highlight with sequins and stones
While glitter mehndi and stone (or sequin highlights) may just be a thing for the mehndi party, wear yours with pride and absolute joy, especially if that's what you've dreamed about for your wedding day. Choose your wedding saga to be bedecked in some much-needed shine as you hold your darkened designs over your head and choose to go into a trance watching the pretty lights.
Mehndi has seen a resurgence in terms of style and design over the years. From traditional to contemporary to a mix of both, nothing no longer is out-of-the-box and unexpected.
There are more styles and patterns of mehndi designs that you can play around when it comes to using them for bridal mehndi. While an engagement ring can never leave a bride’s hands, using henna to replace jewellery items like Payal and Haath Phool is another trend that is on the rise nowadays. You can try all the patterns listed above for a perfect bridal mehndi design for full hands or you can mix and match and create your own patterns that will look stunning even as wedding invitation card designs.
Have a design or two to add to the list? Write to us through comments and share your design through snapshots.
