Sellers hawk wedding banquet packages online to avoid hefty cancellation fees, but lawyers say penalty clauses could be unenforceable
«Looking to let go of a lunch banquet at Caroline Mansion (at The St Regis Singapore) on March 1, 2025, Saturday. $10,000 will be absorbed on my end. Only for serious couples, thank you,» reads the pitch on one post.
Another promises cheaper table rates and a slew of perks from The Westin Singapore.
These posts, on discounted wedding packages at hotels here, have transformed online platforms like the Singapore Brides forum into a bustling marketplace for couples trying to offload their banquet bookings.
They include packages that come significantly discounted — one such post offered a 20 per cent discount on a $44,200 banquet for 250 people at The Westin Singapore's Grand Ballroom.
Those who sell their packages told The Straits Times that they were driven to do so after wedding plans went awry and they found themselves facing cancellation fees that could sometimes amount to tens of thousands of dollars.
However, lawyers said these fees, which can kick in the moment a banquet agreement is signed, could be deemed unreasonable and unenforceable under Singapore law.
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