Mehndi, Nikkah, Baraat, Walima: Who to Invite to Which Event
Every family hits the same question: if the Walima is for 600 people, does everyone also come to the Mehndi? Usually not — and they don't need to. Here's a simple way to think about who comes to what, so your budget holds and nobody feels left out.
Think in circles
Draw three circles:
- Inner circle — immediate family, grandparents, chachas, mamus, phuphos, khalas and their families, and the couple's closest friends.
- Middle circle — wider family, family friends, neighbours you're close to.
- Outer circle — colleagues, parents' business contacts, community and mohalla, acquaintances.
Then match circles to events.
A typical split
| Event | Who usually comes | Typical size |
|---|---|---|
| Dholki | Inner circle, mostly women and cousins | 20–60 |
| Mayun / Ubtan | Inner circle of the bride's or groom's side | 15–40 |
| Mehndi | Inner and middle circles, both sides | 100–300 |
| Nikkah | Inner circle; often part of the Baraat | 50–150 |
| Baraat | All circles from the groom's side, hosted by the bride's family | 250–600 |
| Walima | All circles from both sides, hosted by the groom's family | 300–800 |
These are common ranges, not rules. Some families keep the Mehndi tiny; others make it the biggest night.
Who hosts whom
Traditionally the bride's family hosts the Mehndi on their side and the Baraat, and the groom's family hosts the Walima. Each family invites its own guests to the events it hosts, and the two lists are shared for joint events. Agree early on numbers per side so nobody is surprised at the venue.
How to keep it from getting awkward
Give each guest only their events
If one shared card lists every event, a Walima-only guest will see the Mehndi and wonder why they weren't asked. With personal invitation links, each family sees only the events they're invited to, so the question never comes up.
Be explicit about seats
"Mr and Mrs Ahmed and family" means different numbers to different people. Decide the seats per family and show it on their invitation. It's polite and it protects your headcount.
Plan for the extra 10%
Even with RSVPs, a few more people arrive than replied — a driver, an unexpected cousin. Tell the caterer your confirmed number plus about 10%.
Use your replies, not guesses
Once replies arrive per event, you can see exactly how many are coming to the Mehndi versus the Walima, export the list for each caterer, and chase only the families who haven't answered. That's the difference between planning with numbers and planning with hope.
Ready to set it up? Create your invitation free and add your events in a few minutes.