The Wedding Planners Who Chose a Dinner Party Over a Banquet: Inside Yirong & Jordan’s Celebration Philosophy

After years of crafting glamorous hotel banquets for countless couples in Singapore, Yirong and Jordan, founders and wedding planners from The Wedding People, finally asked themselves a question they usually ask their clients: What do we really want for our own wedding?

The answer might surprise you. Instead of a lavish ballroom affair, they envisioned a chic, intimate dinner party.

Breaking the Mould: Their Vision for a Meaningful Celebration

Both Hokkien Chinese, Yirong and Jordan always pictured a simple, meaningful day. But as any Singaporean couple knows, once the wedding conversation begins, family expectations and cultural traditions quickly follow. Like many of their clients, they found themselves balancing two things: honouring their roots and staying true to their own vision.

Their solution was to keep the parts that mattered and reinvent the rest.

Tip: If you want a more personal wedding, prioritise what genuinely brings you joy instead of completing a checklist of traditions.

How It All Unfolded: From Ceremony to Celebration

For their big day on 15 November 2025, Yirong and Jordan divided their festivities into two parts: a private solemnisation ceremony with close family, followed by a sophisticated dinner party with close friends. The setting was a stylish lounge, not a hotel ballroom.

Yirong shared, “We specifically opted not to do a traditional wedding banquet, aiming for an intimate, upscale celebration at a lounge focusing purely on connection and great food & drinks.”

The smaller guest list allowed them to invite only their closest people, a refreshing shift from the familiar 200-plus banquet format.

Family Conversations and Finding Middle Ground

After years of planning traditional Chinese weddings for clients, their families naturally expected something similar. The couple approached these conversations with openness, sharing their reasons for doing things differently and finding meaningful ways to include their loved ones.

“We’re super open and upfront with them, making sure they know our reasons, and finding fun, meaningful ways to include them so they still feel totally honoured,” Yirong says.

They included important traditions like the Guo Da Li (traditional betrothal rites) and a tea ceremony to honour their elders. But every choice was intentional, not obligatory.

Tip: Open, honest conversations can lead to beautiful compromises that honour both your roots and your vision.

Keeping What Matters, Letting Go of What Doesn’t

What stayed:

• Cultural rituals that unite families
• Quality food and beverage
• Time for real conversations with every guest
• An upscale but authentic vibe

What went:

• The massive guest list
• The formal, seven-course banquet
• Stiff march-ins and scripted traditions that didn’t resonate

“We’re keeping it beautifully contained,” Yirong says simply.

For a couple who have seen every wedding format Singapore offers, their clarity comes from experience. They know the difference between moments that create genuine joy and moments that simply look impressive.

Experiencing Their Own Wedding Journey

Planning their own wedding gave Yirong and Jordan a fresh perspective on what their clients go through. During their pre-wedding shoot, they experienced the anticipation and emotions they usually witness from the sidelines.

“Even as people who watch these things happen all the time, the excitement of the days leading up to the wedding leaves butterflies in our tummies; it’s something that you’ll only feel when it’s your turn!”

But more than just feeling the emotions, the couple realised something crucial: while they’ve spent years designing weddings for others, on their own day, what mattered most was being present and sharing genuine moments with the people they care about. That insight shaped their choice of an intimate dinner party over a traditional ballroom banquet – a format that allowed them to connect, converse, and celebrate with guests, rather than simply perform for them.

“Choosing a dinner party wasn’t about breaking rules; it was about making sure every moment felt authentic and meaningful to us,” Yirong explains.

This firsthand experience reinforced their belief: weddings should prioritise genuine connection over spectacle, and that clarity informs both their own celebration and how they guide their clients.

Even the Pros Need Help

In a funny twist, these accomplished planners found themselves procrastinating on their own wedding planning! They got engaged in February 2023 “just before a vacation to Japan. But classic planner style, we came back and plunged straight back into client work.”

Serious planning began only about a year ago, after they settled on the date and venue. Their trick to overcome procrastination: treat the wedding as any other client project, rope in colleagues for admin help, and stick to scheduled planning sessions.

The approach worked. “Surprisingly, it hasn’t been super stressful, largely thanks to having our in-house planners handling the venue liaison and fine-detail management. The little administrative tasks that we delegate to our team are the things that would have become stressors if we were managing them ourselves.”

Tip: No matter how organised you are, every couple benefits from a planner’s calm expertise — even the planners themselves!

What This Trend Means for Singapore Couples

Yirong and Jordan’s story is part of a bigger shift. More Singaporean couples are opting for smaller, more intentional gatherings, focusing on celebrating with people who matter most. While big banquets will always have their place, if you crave connection and memories over spectacle, a dinner party or small gathering might be your perfect path.

As their wedding date approaches, Yirong and Jordan feel surprisingly calm. And this is not because planning has been stress-free, but because they’re confident in their choices.

“Everything went exactly the way we hoped,” Jordan reflects on their vendor experiences so far. “Because we had that trust locked in, we weren’t stressed out or anxious at all.”

Their wedding won’t look like the hundreds they’ve planned. And that’s entirely the point.

For couples questioning whether they need the traditional format, Yirong and Jordan’s story offers permission: you don’t. Not if it doesn’t serve your actual celebration vision.

The Vendor Team

Photographer: Pixioo (@pixioo)
Videographer: Pixioo Motion (@pixioomotion)
Makeup Artist: Raine Yeo Makeup (@raineyeomakeup)
Florist: Bucket Full of Roses (@bucketfullof_roses)
Wedding Gown: Glisten Couture (@glistencouture_sg)

Thinking outside the ballroom? That’s where the real magic happens. Don’t feel pressured by tradition or trends. Your celebration should reflect who you are, what you cherish, and the connections that matter most. Be open with your loved ones, choose a format that excites you, and trust that your wedding can be beautiful — no matter the size or setting!