Fewer couples are getting married, and it has affected the sales of the Chinese Wedding Shop
Marriage has long been considered an important bond between two families in all cultures. But in Singapore, few couples choose to tie the knot.
Newly released statistics show that marriages in Singapore will drop by about 6.2 percent, from 26,328 in 2024 to 24,687 in 2025. This decline follows a broader decline after the country reached a peak of 29,389 marriages in 2022.
But the trend doesn’t just reflect a shift in the city’s societal priorities—it’s forcing Singapore’s wedding industry, from banquet services to bridal studios, to rethink their strategies. And for niche marketers alike Chinese Wedding Shopthey need to find a way to balance culture and stay relevant in a market where few people say “I say it.”
Vulcan Post talks to founder Michelle Neo about how Chinese Wedding Shop, a specialist in Chinese wedding products, is tackling the wedding crisis.
The Chinese bridal shop has been around for almost 20 years
Michelle started the Chinese Wedding Shop with her husband in 2009, investing S$400,000 from their savings to open their first shop in Ang Mo Kio. From the beginning, they positioned the store as a one-stop destination for couples looking for traditional Chinese wedding items.
One example is Guo Da Li (过大礼), a ceremony where the groom’s family presents wedding gifts to the bride’s family as a sign of respect as well as loyalty.
Meanwhile, the co-founder shared that there is a strong demand for such products.
“At that time, many of our friends who were getting married were very stressed trying to find traditional Guo Da Li items,” said Michelle. They had to run from shop to shop, often unguided, and worried about ‘not doing the wrong thing’ in front of the elders.”
Apart from sales, the business also guides couples through traditional wedding rituals. Each visit begins with an interview to understand the couple’s background, including details such as:
- A village group
- Family expectations
- Marriage timeline
- They want the event to be traditional or modern
After gathering this information, the team guides customers step-by-step through the custom process, explaining the essentials and options, and how certain processes can be simplified or changed.
“Our focus is to ensure that couples feel confident and validated, rather than frustrated,” emphasizes Michelle. These conversations helped his business gain credibility and eventually grow to five locations across Singapore.
Adapting to a shrinking market
But changing wedding trends over the past few years have forced the business to adapt.
Despite the decrease in the number of weddings, it has become more expensive to perform weddings in Singapore. Wedding prices, for example, are set to rise by 10% by 2022 amid inflation, prompting more couples to opt for smaller, more intimate celebrations.
Although she did not disclose the statistics, Michelle shared that these trends have gradually reduced sales prices. Customers are also more intentional about spending their money, carefully weighing what is important and what is not.
“In the past, couples were more concerned about strictly following the traditions.” Today, it focuses more on why certain cultures exist and how to harmonize them in a meaningful way without being unnecessarily complicated,” says Michelle.
To combat the decline, the store has gradually introduced new strategies: diversifying its traditional wedding selections, offering the rental of individual items such as wedding baskets, and creating flexible packages that allow couples to personalize dowry sets and other important ceremonial items.
As many consumers change their online shopping habits and appreciate the convenience of finding products, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the business has also started selling its products online in 2020, both through its website and e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Lazada.
“This new distribution has helped reduce traditional transactions,” Michelle said, adding that the change has pushed the business to “innovate faster” and “serve couples better” rather than relying on tradition alone.
Apart from these programs, this store has adopted a non-stop wedding approach, aiming to position itself as a destination where couples can find more than just traditional items.
For example, the company also caters for wedding cake orders and cakes through collaboration with local bakeries such as Baker’s Brew, Tong Heng, and Thye Moh Chan.
Another way the store positions itself as a one-stop wedding destination is by expanding beyond sales into an advisory and educational platform. Social media has become an important business channel for educating young couples about traditional wedding customs.
“The goal is to reduce the stress on the couple while keeping the rituals meaningful, not burdensome,” he added.
Diversity is the key to survival, but marriages remain bread and butter
Since renewing her donations after the pandemic, Michelle shared that they have been well received by couples and parents alike, although she did not elaborate.
Still, the decline in the number of marriages means the overall market is likely to continue to contract, raising the question of whether the company should branch out beyond marriage.
Michelle and her team have tested this capability, considering expansion into other Chinese traditions—such as selling festive banners and red packets for Chinese New Year—but the plans are not yet solid, and any move to new areas will require the same level of cultural sensitivity, knowledge, and compatibility.
Weddings continue to be the bread and butter of the business as of now, as the loyalty they have earned over the years has allowed them to establish a niche in Singapore’s bustling wedding scene.
“For now, our priority is to deepen our wedding-related offerings, such as rental sets for specific uses and modern solutions, before moving on to other areas.”
- Read more about Chinese Wedding Shop here.
- Read more stories we’ve written about Singapore businesses here.
Featured Image Credit: China Wedding Store
