In green Kochi, two fashion designers wed in blue

What happens when you send two fashion designers on a blind date? In the case of Priya Mittal, founder of clothing label Yam, and her husband Siddhant Yadav, of the brand Oziss, the result, is an intimate wedding in Kochi that had elements of both their individual design languages.

Mittal and Yadav were set up by their friends in December 2022, and the two NIFT graduates (NIFT Mumbai and NIFT Ahmedabad, respectively) bonded over their shared love of travel and design, each with their own dreams of building a fashion label. “We’re talking about work most of the time—the changes we want to make to our brands, how to expand further, grow more,” says Mittal while she speaks to me over Zoom from her studio in New Delhi.

Two years later, they were ready to tie the knot. “There was no proposal; it was more a mutual agreement,” she reveals. “We were both really focussing on our careers, so not really thinking about this big Indian wedding with multiple events. But at the same time, both of us just knew that this was it. Plus, my parents were already after my life to get married!”

The two decided on Kochi, the site of their first holiday together, as the venue for the celebrations. “We had travelled together for the Kochi Biennale, and I personally really love it. I even do a Yam pop-up there once a year,” she adds.

After scouting the area for properties, they settled on Gokulam Grand Kumarakom, a scenic resort facing the backwaters. “Siddhant lives in a joint family where there are around 13 younger kids. So, we were looking for a place where they could also have fun and be entertained. There was kayaking, boating...all within the resort itself, which was perfect.”

For the two designers, the clothing was, of course, paramount. “Siddhant was very clear about how he wanted us to look together—our outfits had to match, to make sense. So, once I chose what I was wearing, he himself made all his outfits accordingly,” says Mittal, who opted for a mix of labels that included Anita Dongre and Delhi Vintage Co for the various functions.

For the main wedding ceremony, however, the decision was an easy one for the bride. “When I was in college, my friends and I would visit designer boutiques and just be in awe of Sabyasachi. It was like a dream to see his store and what he was making. So of course, I always thought that if I ever got married, I would like to wear Sabyasachi.”

But Mittal wasn’t going to wear a cookie-cutter lehenga-choli. “I just did not feel like I was a red-lehenga bride. Instead, I found this sari that I really loved—it was almost a sky blue. And the floral prints and the colours felt like an extension of my label Yam. It felt like me.” The groom designed his own contemporary take on the dhoti-kurta set in a similar shade of grey-blue.

Even the bridesmaids were outfitted in matching all-white Yam saris in pastel poppy prints, a new launch by the label. “Initially, I didn’t want to tell them what to wear, because they’re my closest friends and they were already really excited about their outfits. But then I just thought, if I don’t ask now, when will I ever? Once I did, everyone was so happy about it,” she adds.

When it came to the decor, the pair were equally invested. They detailed the design and layout for each function and then shared the specifics with an on-site team from Eventers Planners for execution. “I’ve always wanted to get into interiors and home decor, so I really enjoyed the process,” says Mittal. “We did things like hand block-printing the cushions and the drapes of the tents in fun new prints. I would have done much more but it couldn’t be entirely a Yam wedding!”

Even the programming was customised by the pair. One evening the guests were invited to a movie night under the stars, while the haldi function was themed as a Holi party.

“Design is such a versatile field,” adds Mittal. “Now we’ve just moved into a new home, so the next step for us is planning the space. It all flows together—from one’s personal style, to a shaadi, then the house, even the work we do, our stores. Design is part of our lives.”