Turkish Henna Night: What Kına Gecesi Means and How It Works

Candles circle the bride while the girls around her sing about leaving home. She is expected to cry. That is the Turkish henna night, or kına gecesi, held just before the wedding. It looks like a party, and it is one, but at its heart it is a farewell to her family home. Here is what happens and what it means.

What happens at a Turkish henna night?

Customs change from region to region, but a traditional Turkish henna night often follows this order:

1. The guests arrive. Traditionally, the women gather at the bride’s home in the evening, although men now often join.
2. The bride comes in. She wears a red veil, and often a bindallı, a velvet dress with metallic embroidery.
3. The songs begin. Unmarried girls circle her with candles and sing about leaving her parents’ home.
4. The henna arrives. An elder carries it in on a tray set with candles, mixed in a copper bowl.
5. The closed hand. The bride keeps her fist shut until her mother-in-law places gold in her palm.
6. The wrap. Henna goes on her palm, and her hand is wrapped in cloth for the night.

Then the mood lifts, with food, sherbet and dancing. In many places, guests also take a little henna on their fingers for luck.

What does the Turkish henna night mean?

The night marks a change of home. So the tears are part of the ritual, not a sign that something is wrong. The songs speak of loneliness, of longing for a distant home and of hardship, which is why a joyful evening turns sad for a while. Once the bride has wept, the party can begin.

The woman who applies the henna is often one known for a happy marriage. The gold is the henna gift from the groom’s side, and only then does the bride open her hand.

Who else gets henna in Turkey?

Henna is not only for brides. In Turkey, it also marks young men leaving for military service, boys before their circumcision and even sacrificial animals. In each case, it marks a turning point. In some regions, a groom has a henna night of his own, and some places sing hymns in place of folk songs.

Can you have a Turkish henna night as a visitor?

Yes. You can add a Turkish henna night to your wedding week, even when the rest of the wedding is modern. For the whole wedding, from asking for the bride’s hand to the pinned gold, read our guide to Turkish wedding traditions.

We can plan the night with you, from the red veil to the musicians. Start with our wedding planning service, or ask about our bachelor and bachelorette evenings. Tell us your date, and we set it up.