A bride-to-be visited my studio today. With her Mother. And this is what transpired.

A wedding trousseau had to be made. Saree blouses, lehenga cholis, formal salwar kurta suits etc. The bride was beautiful, a smart and confident young woman, with a successful career in Public Relations. She was a size XL and was on a strict diet cum exercise regime to lose some weight before her wedding a few months later.

Needless to say, the first meeting extended over a few hours. There were many consultations between the groom-to-be, mother-in-law-to-be, Mother (who was a force to contend with), sister of the bride-to-be, BFF of the bride-to-be. Things were descending into anarchy and chaos. But we got through it sanely and safely.

An ensemble of the trousseau was ready and a trial was scheduled. I was ready and armed appropriately with fruit, trail-mixes and cold water. Who knew how long this would go on for!

The bride-to-be arrived with Mother. The stress and the nerves were palpable. Both were barely talking to each other.

The trial did not go well. All the outfits were loose because our to-be bride had lost at least 2 inches all over. But I had a solution. A very simple one! All designers know it. You put an extra seam wherever needed and the problem is solved, usually. Needlessly, the Mother scoffed “Don’t bother to alter anything. She’s going to put that weight back on by the date of the wedding. I know it.”

The row that ensued between mother and daughter was terrifying. I witnessed a confident young woman having a full scale meltdown and an unrepentant unmoved Mother refusing to apologise. Embarrassed as I was, it was left to me to calm the stormy waters. We needed a break.

Coffee was made and we all sat down and discussed the matter civilly. The distraught girl calmed down. Her mother relaxed and let go of her scorn. My sympathies were squarely with the younger woman, but I wasn’t a referee or a counsellor. My job was to provide a solution. I explained that an extra seam would solve the problem. The clothes would fit perfectly and later, if required, we could add another one if she lost more weight. It worked like magic! The girl looked grateful at my vote of confidence. The mother luckily refrained from any comment. Peace had returned. Although I suspected, only momentarily!

– As narrated to Neelu Joglekar