Wedding Special in New Delhi

Haldi, Maiyan and Mehndi Decoration in Delhi

A Delhi wedding isn't one event; it's a week-long festival. Before the baraat and the pheras or the anand karaj, there's the haldi, which Punjabi families call the maiyan or vatna, when the bride or groom is covered in turmeric paste by laughing relatives; the mehndi, a long evening of henna, dholki songs and dancing; the sangeet; and in many Punjabi families the late-night jaggo. Bengali families in CR Park hold the Gaye Holud, and Muslim families in the old city the Manjha and mehndi. Many of these happen at home, on a rooftop or at a farmhouse, and Funtook's wedding function decoration in Delhi is designed for them.

Designs range from ₹8,499 to ₹13,999, each with a backdrop, a decorated seat for the bride or groom, and marigold, drapes and balloon work, all itemised on the design page. Book the design and a slot, and the setup will be ready before the family starts arriving.

Designs for Each Function

Haldi or maiyan at home. The ₹8,499 Haldi Setup Home and Haldi Ceremony Decoration suit a courtyard, lawn or rooftop. In a builder-floor flat where the function stays indoors, choose the ₹9,999 Indoor Home Haldi Decoration. For fuller flowers and drapes, the ₹10,999 Simple Haldi Decoration Home. Browse all haldi decors.

Mehndi night. The ₹13,999 Indian Mehndi Decoration is our fullest mehndi setup; see mehndi decors.

Both on one day. Haldi in the morning and mehndi at night? One setup does both: Haldi Mehndi Decoration at Home (₹10,999) or Haldi Mehndi Ring Decoration at Home (₹12,999).

Sangeet or family night. The ₹10,999 Colorful Haldi Backdrop Decoration gives a bright photo wall.

Prices

From our catalogue, September 2026.

The Punjabi Maiyan

In a Punjabi wedding, the maiyan is pure joy. The bride or groom sits on a low stool, often under a phulkari held up by four relatives, while married women rub a paste of turmeric, gram flour and mustard oil onto their face, arms and feet, singing all the while. Cousins make sure nobody escapes the haldi, and the whole courtyard ends up yellow. For the decoration, that means a low, sturdy seat; a clear floor with generous protection; a backdrop set back far enough to survive the splashing; and space for the women to gather around. Marigold, yellow and green with a touch of pink looks wonderful against a phulkari, and the photographs from this hour are often the most joyful of the entire wedding.

Mehndi, Sangeet and Jaggo

The mehndi is the long, happy evening: the bride sits for hours while the artist works, the dholki thumps, and aunts and cousins sing and dance. Give the artist bright, even light and a comfortable seat beside the bride, lay out mattresses and bolsters for the singers, and keep a dance floor clear, away from the backdrop. Many families combine mehndi and sangeet, with choreographed performances; share the stage layout so the backdrop doesn't clash with the performance area. In some families, the night ends with the jaggo, a procession with a decorated pot of lamps, so keep the path out of the house clear, and the decoration well away from the flames.

Venues: Rooftops, Farmhouses and Flats

Rooftops of builder floors across South and West Delhi host countless haldis. Check with the other families in the building, plan for the staircase, and arrange a shamiana if there's no shade. Farmhouses in Chhatarpur, Sainik Farms and along the city's edges are favourites for mehndi nights; send a map pin and the caretaker's number, and confirm entry timing. Kothis in Greater Kailash, Defence Colony, Punjabi Bagh and Model Town have lawns and courtyards made for the purpose. Society flats in Dwarka, Vasant Kunj or Mayur Vihar usually use the indoor design, or the clubhouse with permission. Old city homes have courtyards but narrow lanes, so share the nearest point a vehicle can reach.

Delhi's Wedding Season, Weather and Rules

The main wedding season runs from roughly November to February, with more auspicious dates in spring and early summer. On the busiest dates, the whole city seems to be getting married, and venues, caterers and decorators fill up weeks ahead. November can bring poor air quality, so keep functions indoors or under cover on bad days. December and January mornings are foggy and cold; start the haldi later, once the sun is up, keep warm water for washing and shawls for elders. From April to June, the heat is intense; hold the haldi by 9 am or indoors. Remember too that loudspeakers and DJs in residential areas generally have to stop by 10 pm, so plan the mehndi's loud part for the early evening.

The Chooda Ceremony and the Morning of the Wedding

In Punjabi weddings, the chooda ceremony often takes place on the morning of the wedding, when the bride's maternal uncle gives her the set of red and ivory bangles, and relatives tie kaleere to them. It's usually a smaller, emotional gathering at home, sometimes combined with the haldi. The same setup can serve both if they're on the same morning; place the bride's seat so the maternal uncle and aunt can sit beside her, and keep a low table for the chooda, which is often kept in a bowl of milk and rose petals before the ceremony. Soft pink and ivory flowers against the marigold look lovely in these photographs.

Gaye Holud and Manjha

Bengali families in CR Park, Kalkaji and Greater Kailash hold the Gaye Holud, when the turmeric blessed at the groom's home is carried to the bride's, along with gifts and sweets, and married women anoint her while conch shells sound. Red, white and yellow with marigolds suit it, and the bride usually sits on a low wooden piri. In the old city and in Muslim families across Delhi, the Manjha sees the bride dressed in yellow and anointed with turmeric, with women singing; the mehndi follows. Tell us the ceremony in your order notes and we'll plan the space accordingly.

Music, Food and Layout

A Delhi wedding function is loud and generous. Decide early where the dhol, dholki or DJ will go, ideally along a side wall with its own power points, so cables stay out of the photographs. Put the food, whether a chaat counter at the mehndi or a full buffet, at the opposite end of the space. Lay mattresses and bolsters for the women singing, facing the bride. Leave a clear dance floor away from the backdrop, because once the bhangra starts, nothing near the dancers is safe.

Budgeting the Home Functions

Delhi weddings are expensive, and the home functions often get whatever is left after the venue, the caterer and the outfits. Spend where the camera will be busiest: the maiyan for many Punjabi families, the mehndi night for others. A combined haldi-and-mehndi design lets one setup serve two functions, which saves money and a second early morning. And a well-lit, uncluttered backdrop on a rooftop often photographs better than an elaborate one crammed into a small room.

NRI Relatives and Destination Guests

Many Delhi weddings bring relatives from Canada, the UK, the US and Australia, who plan their trips around the functions. They often arrive jet-lagged a day or two before the haldi, so a slightly later start helps. Keep a quiet room where they can rest between functions, and seat the elders among them close to the rituals; for many, it's their first family wedding in India in years, and the photographs matter enormously. If some can't travel, set up a phone or laptop on a stand near the seat for a video call during the haldi.

Parking, Neighbours and Noise

A function at home in a Delhi colony affects the whole lane. Parking is the first issue: tell neighbours in advance, ask guests to carpool or use the metro where possible, and keep a spot free for the decorator's vehicle in the morning. On shared rooftops, agree the timing with other families. Keep the music reasonable, respect the 10 pm cutoff, and send a box of sweets round to the neighbours; in most colonies, that goes a long way.

A Winter Haldi Timeline

1. Weeks ahead: book the design once the dates are fixed; send venue, floor and access details.
2. Night before: clear and cover the space, arrange a shamiana or heaters if needed.
3. Morning: the decorator arrives about three hours ahead; on foggy days, set the start for 10:30 or 11.
4. Just before: photograph the fresh setup and the bride or groom on the seat.
5. After: warm water for washing, chai for everyone, and floors mopped quickly.

A Roka or Engagement at Home

Before the wedding week, many Delhi families hold a roka or a small engagement at home, when the two families formally meet, exchange gifts and sweets, and sometimes rings. It's usually an intimate gathering in the drawing room, and it deserves a graceful backdrop for the first photographs of the couple together with both families. The colourful backdrop design, or a softer balloon arch in ivory, gold and blush from our balloon range, works well. Keep seating for elders from both sides, a low table for the thaals of gifts and sweets, and good light for the photographs.

Protecting the House From Turmeric

Delhi homes are full of marble and polished stone, and turmeric stains both. Carry out sofas, rugs and cushions the evening before, cover a wide circle around the seat with plastic sheeting and an old durrie, and keep the backdrop well back. Buckets, mugs and old towels should be close by, and on a rooftop, check where the water will drain so it doesn't run down a neighbour's wall. Ask guests to wear yellow, or at least something they don't mind ruining; the heavy lehengas and sherwanis can wait for the evening.

Colours and Photographs

Marigold, yellow and green are the classic haldi palette; a pastel yellow with white and mint looks fresh and modern. For the mehndi, green with hot pink, or emerald with gold. Punjabi functions often go bold with fuchsia and orange. Photograph the bride or groom on the fresh seat before any haldi is applied, the first stroke from the grandmother, the cousins' group shot straight after, and a wide shot from the stairwell or terrace edge. Share the design with the photographer in advance so they can plan angles and light.

On the Morning

Clear and cover the space the night before, and sort out parking or lane access. Our team arrives about three hours ahead; for a 10 am haldi, around 7. Keep one family member free to answer questions. Photograph the fresh setup first. Afterwards, turmeric-stained flowers and fabric are usually discarded; ask at booking if you want anything set aside for the evening.

The Couple's Room and the Car

There's no separate wedding-night design in our online catalogue. Couples usually book a romantic room from anniversary decoration in Delhi, such as the Romantic Room Decoration. Bridal car flower decoration isn't listed online; call us. For a playful surprise later, see car boot decoration in Delhi.

After the Wedding

Newlyweds often come back for their first Lohri and first anniversary, and later a godh bharai and newborn welcome. For smaller gatherings in the wedding week, balloon decoration in Delhi costs far less, and our post on engagement balloon decoration has ideas for a roka or ring ceremony. Everything we offer is on the Funtook Delhi page, with real setups on our recent work page.

A 30% advance or full online payment confirms your date. Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund; later, a fee may apply, and printed boards aren't refundable. See the cancellation policy or reach us via the contact page.