Somewhere away from central Greece, there’s a secluded haven wrapped in 100 acres of untouched nature. Situated in none other than Folegandros island, a small Greek island in Aegan Sea, the raw beauty of it all was what drew Singapore-based couple Kavin Bakhda and Mia Kang to have their nuptials there—marking the first-ever Indian wedding on Cycladic island. Bakhda who is a Gujarati Jain and a director at Rikvin Capital and Kang, a Korean interior designer at Bud Studio took over Gundari, a minimalist luxury resort in what would be a multi-day celebration blended with two cultures and overflowing joy. “We wanted a venue that felt intimate and spiritual. A well-curated space where we could appreciate each other’s company surrounded by nature,” remarks Bakhda.
A spiritual connection was also what drew the couple to one another in the first place. Kang retells: “I first met him at a dinner party. He was the best friend of my friend’s brother. He found me ‘mysterious’, and I found him ‘intriguing’. It took about four months until he first asked me out, and since then, we’ve been inseparable for the past four years. I never believed in soulmates until he came into my life.”
To honour traditions and customs for both bride and groom, great measures had to be taken. Everything from decor to AV to kitchenware and spices had to be custom-sourced and shipped to the island, from Europe and Asia. Even over at the Athens port, the locals were referring to it as “a big fat Indian wedding happening on Folegandros”. There was even an outdoor kitchen built on-site, with Kang and Bakhda both being vegan. “We brought together chefs from Lebanon, India, Nepal, Thailand, and Greece to create an incredible spread of plant-based dishes for everyone to enjoy.”
With Indian and Korean wedding traditions being so vastly different, the couple knew the celebration had to be one that reflected both of their customs and found a sweet in-between with the help of Grand Weddings. What unfolded in the multi-day wedding was a vibrant sangeet at a boutique vineyard (a 19th century former Magistrate’s Court), followed by a haldi ceremony that honoured both Indian and Korean rituals in their villa courtyard. “We wore hanboks, I performed a traditional Korean dance and we even played old Korean wedding games, which both families loved,” beams Kang. As for the main wedding day? It was a traditional Indian celebration of customs and moving emotions inflected in the couple’s bond. Capturing memories that would last a lifetime was wedding photographer Raabta by Shrey Bhagat. Bakhda adds: “Their team was super professional and we loved their style.”
Below, the couple details the stunning highlights from their big day.
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Mia’s first bridal portrait after getting her mehendi done.
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A quiet moment we shared before the chaos began.
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Welcoming our guests with a touch of Greece.
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Our Greek welcome for everyone.
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Our portrait together before the mehendi ceremony.
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Just the two of us before the sangeet kicked off.
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Our wedding felt soft, calm and relaxing. It reflected the spirit of Folegandros, and in many ways, it reflected us as a couple too.
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An aerial shot of the sangeet venue
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The Greek dance that opened our sangeet night.
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Dressed in 한복 (Hanbok) Korean traditional outfit for haldi.
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A closer look at my 노리개 (norigae), a traditional ornament that symbolises eternal youth, wealth, and many sons. It was gifted from my mum.
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Again, my mum had specially customised our hanboks for the event.
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Our portrait together before the haldi
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A glimpse of the entertainment at our haldi.
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It was time for my solo traditional dance!
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Our guru throwing flowers and chocolate. We incorporated a traditional game where the number of items we catch symbolises the number of our future offsprings. We ended up catching four.
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Our guru giving his blessings.
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Our friends and family celebrating haldi with us.
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Getting ready for the big day.
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Our portrait together before the wedding ceremony.
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For the wedding, it was my dream to wear a traditional red lehenga. I thought it would be so difficult to find “the one”, but when I tried this dress by Kalighata at Pernia’s in Mumbai, the colours and the embroidery were everything I had dreamed of.
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I was the problematic one with my wedding outfit. I actually bought two sherwanis from major labels and hated them both. Then I found a small tailor (MenX Lounge) in Delhi with really well-tailored fits. I asked them to custom-make one based on what I had in mind. They did a really good job.
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Kavin heading to the baarat with his friends.
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My mum doing tilak on my forehead. This represents a sacred bond between the families and seeks divine blessings for the bride’s new life.
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My wedding entry while holding my guru’s hand. The absolute highlight of this wedding
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I envisioned Mia walking down the aisle with our guru a thousand times, but seeing it in person, it was a super emotional moment for me.
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An aerial shot of the wedding venue.
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The sacred red powder moment. Sindoor is applied by the groom, which symbolises a married woman.
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