Magic In Marrakech

When Yumika Hoskin first met Robert Pachter in 2018, she wasn’t looking for love. “Rob was navigating a breakup, and I’d sworn off all men,” she says. “I wasn’t interested in dating whatsoever.” Still, fate, helped along by well-meaning friends and colleagues, had other plans. Yumika had been invited as an influencer on a retreat for a fitness company where Rob was one of the founders. “His colleagues kept trying to set us up,” she recalls. “Then months later, my roommate, who happened to work across from their office, joined in on the matchmaking.” By October, after a string of rather persistent ‘you two should meet’ suggestions, they finally crossed paths at a friend’s farewell party. “Rob started messaging me on Facebook,” Yumika laughs. “Those cute little messages will live forever in Meta’s data history.”

There was, however, a catch. “I was on a three-month raw vegan diet and not drinking. So his wine-and-dine strategies were useless,” she says. “He had to actually think about what kind of dates I’d enjoy.” Their first outings were delightfully unconventional: virtual reality zombie shooting, long walks and nights up late laughing. “I’d show up without makeup and my hair in a ponytail,” Yumika tells me, “I didn’t care about impressing him.” Despite her initial resistance, the connection deepened. “Every morning and night, even when he was in New Jersey for the holidays, Rob would text and call. It made me realise what real love looked like when the superficial traits didn’t matter anymore.” She pauses, “when he passed the test of being my best friend, that’s when I understood what love actually meant.”

By January 2019, they were inseparable. Two months later, life intervened again and they found themselves in a long-distance relationship between Singapore and New York. “It was challenging, but compatibility was at the heart of everything,” Yumika reflects. “When COVID hit and travel became impossible, we decided to close the gap.” The move to New York was a leap of faith. “I had launched my business, Peco Bag, a year earlier and was living my dream life in Singapore,” she says, before continuing, “to start over at 32, leaving my friends, my independence, everything, was one of the hardest things I’ve done. But those three years in New York became a testament to our bond. The stronger our relationship got, the softer it became.”

Their engagement story, as Yumika tells it, feels lifted from a rom-com: equal parts chaos, coincidence and perfect timing. “My Japanese mother actually announced my engagement before it happened,” she laughs. “She texted me ‘congratulations’ after Rob wrote to my dad asking for his blessing.” The actual proposal came days later, following a Thanksgiving marked by family gastro, a last-minute cabin booking and Rob heroically battling illness. “He was pale, clutching Gatorade, insisting we go because he couldn’t get a refund,” Yumika tells me with a laugh. “The next morning, I woke to the first snowfall of the season. It was magical.” On a quiet path outside their cabin, Rob began recounting what he had told his mother about her. “Then he said, ‘Well, if you give me a second and come over here…’ and got down on one knee. Everything went blank.” Yumika pauses, remembering. “Even when you know it’s coming, the moment steals your breath.” The ring was a dream: an antique old-miner diamond flanked by three Japanese vintage stones on each side. “It was perfectly imperfect,” she says. “And just as I was trying to catch my breath, a photographer popped out of the bushes. Apparently, we were booked for a one-hour engagement shoot.”

By the time October 2024 arrived, the couple had spent more than a year and a half planning their celebration with the help of Claimy Anthonissen of The Souk Department. "She's originally from Amsterdam, and when I found her page on Instagram, it was an instant yes," Yumika tells me, explaining how Anthonissen's aesthetic perfectly aligned with her vision. “We wanted our wedding to feel like a retreat," she says, "a collection of our lives and friends from all over the world in one place. I called them our ‘little treasures we collected’ — people we were proud of and wanted everyone to meet.” For the destination, they chose Marrakech. “I fell in love with Morocco years earlier,” she says, “the colours, the craftsmanship, the chaos, it felt alive.” The celebration unfolded across four days: an opening night in the desert, a day of exploration in the city, the wedding itself at Casa Abracadabra, and a closing meditation ceremony beneath the olive trees. The first night set the tone, a sound-bowl ceremony under a sky full of stars, followed by a rave in the desert, with friends DJ-ing until dawn. “It was the perfect way to open hearts and shake off travel fatigue,” Yumika tells me.

For the wedding itself, the couple embraced sustainability and simplicity. “No flowers,” Yumika says. “The pink walls, olive trees and wandering cats were enough.” The tables were lined with grapes, and plates hand-painted with floral motifs. “It was everything I wanted, earthy, alive, and full of character.” Her dress — a shimmering, iridescent pink gown by Hermione de Paula — was an unexpected masterpiece. “I’d never imagined wearing pink. But my Obāchan, my Japanese grandmother, used to say I reminded her of pink roses. Wearing that colour was my homage to her.” The gown transformed from floor-length to a mini, paired with her hair slicked back and adorned with thirty gold flower clips. “I did my own makeup,” she says proudly. “After years of dealing with a skin condition, I wanted to show up as myself, so I practiced every day in the lead up, and I felt so proud of myself on the day..” As the night unfolded, Rob’s friend (an opera singer) serenaded his mother with a Sicilian ballad, and DJ Alex Cruz — flown in specially — took over the decks. “The dance floor was wild,” Yumika says. “They really were the best days of our lives.”

"You’ll never be in the same room with all your favourite people ever again. So when you are, swim in it. Every second of it."

Now based in Miami, and having just celebrated their first anniversary, Yumika and Rob are reflective but certain of what grounds them. “Through sickness and in health isn’t just a vow,” she says, “it’s something we’ve lived.” She continues, “even when I felt unrecognisable during my worst health moments, Rob made me feel beautiful.” Rob, for his part, smiles. “I’m in constant awe of Yumi’s childlike spirit,” he says. “She finds happiness in the smallest moments. She’s always present and full of light.” For Yumika, the secret to their marriage is simple: friendship first. “Our relationship was built on compatibility. We keep each other young and we’ve learned that you don’t stop having fun, you just learn new ways to do it together.” As they look to the future, the next chapter hopefully holds an exciting expansion. “We’re trying for kids,” Yumika shares. “We had a miscarriage earlier this year, which was heartbreaking, but it also reminded me of how strong we are. I’m excited for this next journey with him, with my body and with whatever comes next.”

She pauses. “If there’s one thing I’d tell anyone getting married, it’s this: you’ll never be in the same room with all your favourite people ever again. So when you are, swim in it. Every second of it.”