bellydance lessons at a bachelorette party

Engaged and pregnant? Don’t skip your bachelorette night! The bachelorette party is about celebrating friendships and that certainly doesn’t require alcohol. Pregnant bride Justyna’s friends organized a surprise hen night for her, and asked photographer Nadine Jayaraj to tag along. After a quick photo session with the bride, the ladies headed to a belly dancing class (what a perfect way for pregnant Justyna to get in touch with her belly and what’s inside!). The group ended the night with dinner at Zurich’s Maison Blunt and toasted the bride with a touching video tribute. I’m so inspired by Justyna’s choice to celebrate and fully embrace two life-changing experiences at once—marriage and the arrival of her baby!

Photographer: Nadine Jayaraj | Belly Dance Instructor: Julie | Restaurant: Maison Blunt

I very rarely get to share real bachelorette photos, so imagine my joy when I saw these colorful, sassy images from an Arabian Nights theme bachelorette party held for twins Aa’isha and Aneesa by their older sister Raihana at her Cape Town home. The twins’ weddings are only two months apart, so she decided to combine the parties for double the fun. Candlelight and sequined pillows set off the gorgeous jewel-tone scarves and carpets draped into a hideaway to enjoy cakes and a hookah. The best part? For me, it’s a toss-up between the bellydance lesson and those silly and surprisingly sexy fake boobs. Those girls know how to rock a look!

Host Raihana dreamed up the Arabian Nights theme for her sisters and pulled it together with the help of her whole family:

We wanted the theme to be very sensual and sexy—my bachelorette party’s theme was “sexy exotic dancers” and we had a pole-dancing tutorial. We wanted the twins’ party to be as fun and it only made sense to have a belly dancing tutorial. My husband, father and uncle helped me decorate our living room area, and our cousins brought along some sweet treats. I found the fake boobs at a party shop in Kenilworth Centre, Cape Town.

Photographer and friend Shafeeqa captured all the action during the bellydance session…and the surprise dancer who showed up later:

The bellydancer was performer and teacher Tenille Lindeque (Feminine Divine Studios), one of the finest in Cape Town. I did photography for her previously and also joined her dance studio for a while so I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Raihana had asked her for the evening. Tenille gave us a memorable performance followed by a tutorial, having us collapsing in laughter, pain, and breathlessness from her difficult moves! Snake arms, shimmies, hip circles, and more. About an hour later when everyone finally recovered, there was a knock at the door. Surprise, twins! It’s the next dancer, and he means business…

Photographer: Shafeeqa Effendi | Bellydancing Performer and Teacher: Tenille Lindeque, Feminine Divine Studios | Catering: Alhambra Caterers | Decor: Rosy’s Event Design and Decor, and host’s own pieces