Alternative wedding venues in Singapore

Tie the knot on a beach

Swap the puffy gown for a breezy one at Sand Bar, where rustic wood decor is juxtaposed with white and ocean blue giant umbrellas – but the clincher here is the stunning view as lovebirds exchange their vows on the beach. Those with a flair for the dramatic can release helium balloons at the end of the ceremony. Sand Bar holds up to 250 guests, with a minimum spend of $50 per person on weekdays and $88 on weekends. 

Photo: Awesome Memories Photography

The Happy Couple
Benjamin Ong and Sheryl Ang, married in January 2015

Why this venue ‘We only took two months to prepare for the wedding, and Sand Bar caught our attention as we thought it would provide an intimate setting for our 150-strong guestlist. It was free seating for all and our guests could move around freely.’

Their top tips ‘Check out the wide variety of menus they offer. The buffet provided was good, and the alcohol was reasonably priced, too. Entertainment-wise, there are fireworks three times a night because Songs of the Sea is just next door!’

Love in a theme park

Let’s be honest: we’re all kids at heart. And what better way to live out your childhood dreams than to say ‘I do’ in the mother of all (local) theme parks? A wedding at Universal Studios Singapore is like starring in your own Hollywood flick. A red carpet will be set up at USS’ entrance, and you and your guests will mingle in the cordoned-off New York Street. There’s also exclusive access to the show Lights, Camera, Action! Hosted by Steven Spielberg and meet-and-greet sessions with up to three USS’ characters included, too. Wedding packages start from $1,988 and can hold up to a maximum of 250 guests. 

Photo: One Eye Click

The Happy Couple 
Javen Lin and Rhonda Tan, married in April 2015.

Why this venue ‘We wanted a theme park wedding. Plus, USS was where we became “official”, so it gave us an additional reason to have it here. The whole experience was unforgettable.’

Their top tips ‘Because it’s going to be outdoors, avoid the rainy season and request for the cooling system in advance. Also, skip the plated dish option – their buffet line was exceptionally good and our guests had so much to eat.’

Go Green

Humidity aside, Open Farm Community’s lush greenery – lined with fairy lights, no less – is every nature lover’s dream come true. This 35,000-square-foot urban oasis has three areas to cater to all wedding party sizes: an outdoor café terrace, a sheltered outdoor deck and an indoor air-conditioned restaurant – they seat a total of 108 guests. Depending on the date and time, the minimum spend to book out the whole venue starts from $5,000.


Photo: Sam Wong

The Happy Couple
Alex Lee and Chloe Cheng, married in January 2016

Why this venue ‘We were already going to have a banquet in Hong Kong, so we wanted something casual and intimate in Singapore. Open Farm Community had just launched at the time, and it had the vibe we were looking for. Oh, and the food is great, too.’

Their top tips ‘The venue itself is already gorgeous as it’s filled with natural greenery; take advantage of that and save on decorations. The outdoor patio is great for the solemnisation ceremony, but it can be really hot or rainy depending on the time of the year, so choose your date wisely.’

Chill out above Chinatown

Taking over the former car park at People’s Park Complex (yes, that iconic green and yellow building in Chinatown), this rooftop restaurant and bar is a great spot for groups to hang out at, taking #OOTDs and, y’know, throw a really chill wedding bash complete with party poppers and sparklers. Lepark accommodates up to 300 seated guests and offers full F&B catering options starting at $50 a person.

Photo: Samuel Goh Photography

The Happy Couple
Gabriel Chong and Clara Wan, married in September 2016.

Why this venue ‘People are important to us – we wanted to take the chance to thank our family and friends for their love and support all these years. Besides hosting our family to a traditional Chinese dinner banquet, we decided to hold a party for 100 of our friends. It had a live music corner, great food and drinks, and was spacious enough for all our guests to mingle freely.’

Their top tips ‘Always check with your guests on any dietary requirements before confirming the food menu. The folks at Lepark made special arrangements to bring in Halal-certified food separately for our Muslim guests.’

Get hitched with fish

Belt out ‘Under the Sea’, if you must, as you get hitched under the watchful eyes of over 50,000 marine animals in the world’s biggest oceanarium. The Ocean Gallery can host up to 200 in a banquet and 350 in a standing cocktail reception (from $1,988). Couples looking to extend the aquatic experience should also check into an Ocean Suite – it comes with floor-to-ceiling ‘windows’ so you can, uhh, sleep with the fishes?

Photo: Multifolds Photography

The Happy Couple
Choo Dong How and Joyce Tan, married in November 2015.

Why this venue ‘The main reason why we chose this for our solemnisation is because of Joyce’s dad. He’s a huge fan of marine life, and being his only child, she wanted to dedicate the occasion to him. Turns out, most of our guests haven’t visited the aquarium, either, so it was pretty unique.’

Their top tips ‘Decorating the place with props and lightings will make it “pop” out in photos. It’s a good idea to have maps prepared for guests, especially if they haven’t been to the aquarium before. Also, get an experienced photographer as the blue lighting within the space requires the right touch, and ours managed to capture all the intricate details.’

For a purr-fect wedding

How cute is that cat trying to chomp on the bride’s bouquet in the photo above? Feline lovers can get up-close and personal with adorable furballs when they get hitched at Cat Café Neko no Niwa. Never mind that no alcohol is served here – guests will be drunk on cute kitty cuddles in any case. The location holds a maximum of 20 guests and a 2-hour affair starts from $350. 

Photo: Albert and Dione Chen and Cat Café Neko no Niwa 

The Happy Couple
Albert Chen and Dione Aw, married in March 2015

Why this venue ‘Dione and I are cat lovers. We were very excited when Neko no Niwa opened, and, after visiting a couple of times, we knew it was an ideal place for our solemnisation ceremony. The café is cosy, has delicious cakes and drinks, and, of course, our guests can play with the cats.’

Their top tips ‘Morning is the best time to do the ceremony as there’s plenty of natural light in the café. Some simple decoration can be done the night before; the owner Sue was extremely helpful and flexible with the seating arrangements and decor.'

For an orchid garden wedding

Once mistaken to be a black-and-white colonial bungalow, the 156-year-old Burkill Hall has now been restored to its original white palette as the region’s – and possibly the world’s – last Anglo-Malayan plantation-style house. It overlooks the National Orchid Garden and is available for rental in 4-hour slots ($561.75/hour). The ground level accommodates up to 80 while the second level up to 100.


Photo: A Little Moment Photography

The happy couple
Bradley Andrew Barker and Yan Min Bin, married in May 2015

Why this venue ‘We fell in love with the pictures and when we visited the beautiful orchid garden, it blew us away! Burkill Hall is an antique masterpiece and is perfect for a wedding. We had our ceremony in the garden and a cocktail-style lunch reception on the second floor.’

Their top tips ‘The venue has tonnes of flowers so don’t worry about getting your own for decor. It gets really hot at noon, so it’s best to book the morning time slot and start early. Parking spaces are also quite limited. Remember to get a group shot taken from the second floor overlooking the garden – we forgot and really regretted it!’