Registering your marriage can be an expensive affair, especially since for most of us, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience we'd want to splurge on. 

But one couple refused to do so and instead had a more wallet-friendly ceremony that in total cost just $52. 

The bride, who goes by the name Yi Tsing, documented her special day in a post on social media platform Lemon8. 

Speaking to AsiaOne, the 27-year-old shared that her husband, Jason, 29, proposed to her in December 2021 and that even her engagement ring was less than $1,000 — a steal compared to other diamond rings sold in jewellery shops. 

The couple then registered their marriage last July but didn't share it with anyone except close family and friends. 

"The registering of marriage (ROM) was never meant to be costly because we had always planned to do a separate, proper wedding. We just did the ROM first to enjoy our work perks for spouses sooner," Yi Tsing told AsiaOne. 

"[My husband] had already proposed and we were already set on getting married anyway, so we figured it made sense to ROM first since we wanted more time to plan for a wedding." 

$9.50 dress and Super Ring wedding rings 

So, what made up the $52 cost? 

Definitely not the groom's outfit, which was technically free as he had simply just put on something that was already in his wardrobe. 

On the other hand, Yi Tsing bought herself a red dress from Shein for the occasion, but this set her back by only $9.50. 

"I just bought a simple red dress without much thought put into it, to be honest," she told AsiaOne. 

In fact, if not for her mother, she may have even saved more money on her outfit. 

"My mom is rather traditional and she insisted on having a new red dress. If it were up to me, I would have just worn something that was already in my wardrobe," explained Yi Tsing. 

What was really interesting and quirky were their wedding rings, which cost just $1.20. 

How were their rings so cheap? It's because they weren't real rings that we would expect at a wedding — they were Super Ring snacks. Yes, that powdery, orange snack that most Singaporeans would have eaten in their childhood. 

The idea actually came from Yi Tsing's brother. 

"I was too lazy to source for a wedding ring while my husband forgot. As he was panicking the week before, my brother joked about using Super Ring and we loved the idea!" Yi Tsing said, adding that this all happened because the ROM was an impromptu decision. 

"We're a silly couple, so it was apt. Who doesn't love Super Ring!"

As for photos, they didn't feel the need for a professional photoshoot as they were content with simple photos to remember the day by. 

So, they enlisted the help of a close friend to do so and this was free of charge. 

The bulk of their cost went into registering for the marriage itself, and this set them back by $42. 

"It's actually cheap to get married in Singapore if you're not particular," said Yi Tsing.  

While it was an unconventional ROM, Yi Tsing and her husband got their family's full support. 

"Both our moms shook their heads jokingly and commented it's fitting that two crazy people are coming together — it wouldn't have worked out if either of us wanted something more serious," she recounted to us. 

Saving on their pre-wedding photoshoot and actual wedding 

The couple also plan on saving cost or their pre-wedding shoot and actual wedding day too. 

Yi Tsing told us that she also got her pre-wedding shoot dress on Shein. 

"It was relatively straightforward since Shein offers free returns. So, I bought a bunch [of dresses] – around five – tried them on and returned those I didn't like," she shared.

 As for their wedding, they plan on making it "more budget-friendly than the average cost of a wedding in Singapore".

This will consist of a simple lunch at a restaurant and not have extras like gatecrashing or an outfit change. 

"Because we want to sleep more, take it chill and leave the budget to our honeymoon, which is our priority. We both love travelling!"

ALSO READ: Getting hitched? You can register your marriage online from Sept 25

melissateo@asiaone.com 

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