Two Cultures, One Island, and Infinite Memories For Kavin and Mia

Some weddings make history for their sheer scale, others for their originality. For Singapore-based couple, Kavin Bakhda and Mia Kang, it was the latter. Their three-day celebration in Folegandros, Greece, marked the island’s first-ever Indian wedding. The unprecedented feat even had the locals at the Athens port whispering about “a big fat Indian wedding happening on  Folegandro”. But this wasn’t a wedding about grandeur for its own sake. For Kavin, a Gujarati Jain, and Mia, a South Korean wedding was about weaving together cultures, traditions, and values in a way that felt authentic.

Their story began at a dinner party in Singapore, where sparks flew quietly. “He found me mysterious, and I found him intriguing,” Mia recalls. Four months later, he asked her out, and she discovered just how thoughtful he could be. Their first date involved jazz in the car, a pitstop at a Korean restaurant, and a surprise dinner at sunset. “He had planned a romantic dinner on the rooftop of his place. We climbed up the long ladder with dinner in hand, in my very long dress and heels. We had a lovely meal by sunset, with a breathtaking view. Definitely the most creative date I’ve ever been on,” recalls Mia.

Years later, in Paris, what seemed like a casual photoshoot for Kavin’s 30th birthday turned into a surprise proposal. To outwit Mia, who admits she had scoured the luggage for a ring, he hid it in his shoe. “It was completely unexpected,” she says.

When it came to planning the wedding, the couple knew they wanted something intimate—and venue that embraced nature and spirituality. They discovered Gundari Resort in a design magazine, visited the place, and instantly fell in love with its dramatic cliffs and raw beauty. “We wanted a space where we could appreciate each other’s company, surrounded by nature,” says Kavin.

The celebrations unfolded over three days. The sangeet, held at the Paliomilos Winery, became a theatrical affair called ‘Mama Mia’, staged like a musical of their relationship. Guests danced alongside local islanders, blurring the line between performance and party. The haldi ceremony the next day reflected Mia’s heritage as much as Kavin’s—the couple wore traditional Korean hanboks, played traditional Korean wedding games, and Mia even performed a Korean dance.

The wedding day itself was not without drama. Originally planned beside Gundari’s infinity pool, the mandap had to be relocated just hours before the ceremony, when strong winds threatened to sweep it away. What might have been a disaster became a blessing. The new sheltered spot, framed by rugged stone walls, created an atmosphere of intimacy and groundedness.

Their values also shaped every element of the celebration. As committed vegans, they curated a menu that was entirely plant-based, created by chefs flown in from India, Lebanon, Nepal, Thailand, and Greece. They even shipped oat milk from Singapore to ensure every guest was accommodated. The music was deeply personal too, a playlist crafted by their closest friends, which Mia still listens to. Beyond the spectacle, what stayed with them were the moments of stillness. For Mia, it was the sunrise on her wedding day. “As the sun was rising, I stepped out onto the balcony to get some fresh air. The vibrant colours of the sky, the quiet sea, and the chilly air all felt so perfect. At that moment, it hit me that this was the day I had been dreaming of for the past year. I felt so blessed to have come this far, and that sense of peace has stayed with me.

I still think about it to this day. For Kavin, it was watching Mia walk down the aisle. “I envisioned it thousand times, but seeing it in person was a super emotional moment for me.” Looking back, they wouldn’t change much, save for reminding themselves to pause more often. Planning was a year-long process and the “biggest project” of their lives, but it also taught them how well they complement one another. “We didn’t have a single fight throughout,” Mia says. “We discovered new layers of patience, teamwork, and compromise.” As they look forward to the next chapter, their vows extend beyond love: to keep travelling, discovering, and growing together. Their wedding was proof that when two worlds meet, magic happens.