Game for love: Singaporean couple tie the knot at Timezone arcade, where they shared many dates

When it comes to exchanging wedding vows, the venue of choice for couples would often end up being a hotel banquet hall or chapel.

But Chua Yuhan, 31, and Nicole Chai, 29, chose a less conventional route.

The couple opted for a more fun and unexpected venue — Timezone. 

Their wedding was held on Nov 22 at the arcade's Jurong Point outlet. 

In an interview with AsiaOne, the couple, who met through mutual friends and have been together for five years, shared that the entertainment centre has been a constant in their lives.  

It all started with one of their earlier dates in 2019. 

They had just finished dinner and were roaming around Jurong Point when they spotted a Timezone outlet.

It soon became a routine and the couple started visiting the arcade fortnightly.

Despite having busier schedules now as working adults, they still make time for Timezone dates every two months or so. 

While they have their go-to games like Basket Ball, Pearl Fishery and Connect 5, Yuhan and Nicole are always are eager to try new ones. 

In fact, each Timezone visit is carried out in the same systematic way. 

"Every Timezone has slightly different game offerings so we usually roam an entire round around the arcade to check everything out before deciding on what we want to do," explained Nicole. 

Hitting the jackpot (in love and real life) 

While every trip to Timezone is memorable for Nicole and Yuhan, one particular incident will stay etched in their minds for a long time. 

That fateful day, Yuhan and Nicole hit the jackpot on the Pearl Fishery machine for the first time.

Back then, Timezone still issued physical paper tickets, so the couple had to patiently wait for these to be dispensed.

"The machine just kept printing the paper tickets non-stop until it ran out of tickets," Nicole recounted with a laugh. 

Even after the machine was refilled, tickets continued to be dispensed and the couple had to patiently wait for it to be finished. 

"There were so many tickets that we had to take a basket. That was the first time we had ever needed a basket in Timezone!" said Nicole. 

It wasn't just amusing to the couple — other arcade-goers were fascinated by their enormous ticket haul. 

"All the old uncles and aunties were standing around us and watching the tickets being printed. They were in awe," Nicole shared with a chortle. 

$20,000 for the wedding location of their dreams  

Prior to deciding on Timezone for their wedding venue, the couple had considered other more traditional locations to tie the knot, like hotels and restaurants. 

But they eventually agreed on going for something more fun.

So, they brainstormed other more quirky venues and even considered a McDonald's outlet. 

"We ended up choosing Timezone because it was the most interactive compared to a sit-down restaurant and there were more chances for us to talk to and play with our guests," said Yuhan. 

Yes, those invited to the wedding will actually get to play all the arcade games there. 

When the couple first told their family and loved ones about the decision, they were shocked. Some even asked: "Can meh?" 

But scepticism soon turned to excitement, and they all got together to help Yuhan and Nicole prepare for their big day. 

"They've been very helpful, especially because they know it's being held at somewhere that is important to us," said Nicole. 

In total, the couple pumped around $20,000 to book the venue for four hours, and another $3,000 on food catering. 

The solemnisation ceremony took place in the Drift Zone arena, and after the ceremony, the couple took their first "just married" ride in one of the bumper cars.  

As the couple are huge fans of claw machines, Timezone had also arranged for their framed photos to be placed inside a claw machine on top of plushies. 

However, while exciting, the entire set-up did bring about some challenges. 

As the venue is a novel one in a location that is not designed to hold such events, it did not come with a wedding package. 

"Generally, when people do weddings at a hotel, there is a whole package that includes things like your gown and flowers," explained Nicole. 

"But with Timezone, there is no such thing so we had to DIY everything ourselves."

This made the planning process more stressful, but the couple took it one day at a time, said Nicole. 

The couple also realised that Timezone may not be a suitable venue for their more elderly guests. So, they held a separate, more intimate family lunch the day after on Nov 23. 

Timezone Singapore's head of operations, Jasmin O' Hara, shared with AsiaOne that she and the team were excited to host the couple's big day. 

"We're thrilled and honoured to play a significant role in the couple's journey and to celebrate this important milestone with them," she said.

While another Singaporean couple did have their pre-wedding shoot at Timezone last year, Jasmin revealed that Yuhan and Nicole's wedding is the first that the arcade has hosted in Singapore. 

Globally, quite a number of couples have opted to hold their weddings at the entertainment centre. 

"Timezone is quickly becoming a popular wedding destination, having hosted over 30 weddings and receptions globally, primarily in our Australian venues," shared Jasmin. 

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melissateo@asiaone.com