Grand weddings no longer a priority for many Singapore couples as demand falls 30%, planners say

SINGAPORE: The demand for large and luxury weddings has fallen by about 30% over the past three years, according to wedding planners, as couples have prioritised long-term plans over lavish celebrations.

Wedding planners told Channel News Asia (CNA) that unlike before the COVID-19 pandemic, when Chinese weddings used to have around 300 guests, the number has fallen to about 100. Spending on larger weddings has also halved, from the usual S$80,000 to S$40,000.

Some couples have also opted for destination weddings in nearby Bintan, Batam, and Bali, to save 20% or more on costs compared to having the wedding here.

In fact, The Wedding Guru Singapore founder Alex Tan said that Singaporean couples are going to China for a wedding package they can never get in Singapore—a three-day-two-night package where they settle everything from gowns to photographers to hotels, for less than S$2,000.

Malay wedding venue operator Lagun Sari director Trina Ng added that couples are now spending more on “other aspects of marriage”, which could include housing and their honeymoon, as they have realised that a smaller, more intimate wedding would still generate a memorable experience for them.

Last year, Singapore recorded only 24,687 marriages, the lowest number since the pandemic and below pre-pandemic levels. This has led to a smaller pool of potential customers for businesses in the wedding industry. And now, on top of that, couples are choosing to spend less instead of celebrating lavishly.

Online discussions in r/singapore reflected similar sentiments, with users supporting the trend as they shared that even the grandest weddings they had attended did not necessarily lead to long-lasting marriages.

Still, wedding businesses remain optimistic, as the shift towards more intimate weddings has opened doors for demand for social-media-focused services, videography, photo booths, live food stations, and other experience-focused offerings.

Experts said that while wedding budgets may be shrinking, couples are still willing to pay, as long as businesses are able to clearly position their value.

As Lagun Sari’s Ms Ng noted, it is not that couples no longer want a beautiful wedding, but that they are now leaning towards a “more aesthetic, meaningful and financially sensible kind of wedding.” /TISG

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