SINGAPORE — When it comes to weddings, there may be traditions and social norms to follow, but the celebration can arguably be anything that a couple wishes it to be.

Recently, two couples in Singapore chose to break the mould by holding their wedding banquets at unusual venues — a coffee shop below a public housing block and a Haidilao hotpot restaurant.

In an online video posted by Singapore Incidents on Monday (Aug 7), a bride and groom, fully decked out in a white wedding dress and black suit, were seen walking to a coffee shop at 55 Lengkok Bahru in the Redhill area.

The place was festively decorated, with gold streamers and balloons spelling out the couple’s names as well as colourful tablecloths adorning the round tables.

People seated at the tables were seen drinking beer while several others approached the wedding couple to offer their good wishes and red packets of cash gifts.

It is not clear when the banquet took place or who the bride and groom are.

In less than a day, the video has attracted more than 70,000 views and 200 comments on Facebook and Instagram, with most of the users lauding the couple’s “fuss-free” and economical approach to their wedding.

One Instagram user wrote: “It doesn't matter where the wedding took place. Most importantly, the couple must feel happy and comfortable about this venue and good food flows!”

Another person commented: “Proof that weddings are cheap, pride is what makes it expensive.”

Some online users said that they preferred “down-to-earth” weddings such as the one in the video, compared to the typical ones at hotel ballrooms because guests would not feel pressured to fork out a big hongbao (red packet) or monetary gift.

A Facebook user quipped: “More fun than a stuffy dinner reception. The food was probably better.”

A few days earlier, another couple had gained attention online for having their wedding reception at a Haidilao restaurant in Marina Square mall.

The hotpot restaurant shared a short clip of the wedding on its Facebook page last Friday (Aug 4) with the caption, “From hotpot buddies to life partners”.

The couple named Yao Zhong and Ya Tin reportedly booked the entire restaurant branch at Marina Square specially for their guests. Fashion and lifestyle website Zula quoted one of the couple’s bridesmaids on this.

The couple also had to get special permission from Marina Square’s management to place wedding decorations at the mall’s entrance.

In the video, guests are greeted by standing displays of "YZ" and "YT", initials of the couple’s names that are illuminated in purple. On the other side is a huge heart-shaped balloon with the words “for the rest of my life, it’ll always be you” written in Chinese.

To enter the reception venue, guests walked down a bright pink carpet that led to a floral arch. 

Pictures shared by the bridesmaid showed tables brimming with hotpot ingredients and Haidilao’s well-loved soup bases, a unique menu that set the wedding apart from the usual hotel banquet.

While several online users tagged their friends to suggest Haidilao as a possible wedding venue, a few people pointed out that dining at the hotpot restaurant may result in a higher cost for each guest.

TODAY has reached out to Haidilao Singapore for more information.