The bride’s house was the focus of attention in the run-up to a wedding. Two or three days before the ceremony, all of her fingers and just one of the groom’s little fingers would be covered with henna for luck at the henni party, when the inner circles of both families gathered. Following that, discreetly, another more personal ritual would take place with the visit of the heffafa, who had come to epilate the bride, leaving her body hairless and smooth. The beautification process was efficient but painful, as she used nothing more than strong thread.