“Expect $25 Ang Pow”: M’sian Newlyweds Go Viral For Holding Country’s “1st Haidilao Wedding”

Could Haidilao weddings be a new wedding trend in Malaysia?

Netizens seem to think so.

Recently, newlyweds Sek Jia Wen and Isaac went viral for holding their wedding banquet at the popular hotpot chain’s restaurant in George Town, Penang.

Tiktoker Bryan (@bryanxjean), who attended the nuptials, shared snippets from the couple’s big day on his socials.

“They say that this is Malaysia’s first Haidilao wedding. That’s lowkey iconic,” read the caption in the video.

“@sekjiawen and Isaac really starting a trend here,” he added in his post.

In the clip, the restaurant was decorated with a red and gold flower arch and photos of the newlyweds. There were also bouquets, napkin lovebird swans and goodie bags adorning the tables.

It was everything you would expect at a wedding dinner and more, like free manicures for guests (no need to get your nails done before the wedding!), and live entertainment in the form of the dancing noodle man, face-changing performance  and dancing waiters.

No word on whether they did the ‘ke mu san’ dance or ‘APT’, though.

Within a day, the video attracted more than 218K views and 7K likes on TikTok, with many calling the HDL wedding a “good idea”. They also praised the couple’s fun and affordable approach to their wedding.

“Attentive service, good food, casual vibes, [guests] get to choose their food. What’s not to like?” commented one netizen on Instagram, while another joked: “Please don’t make this a trend, later all HDL fully booked by marriage ceremonies. No more normal dining.”

Many users were also curious about the cost to hold a wedding at the hotpot restaurant and one warned that couples must “expect ang pow of RM80 (S$25)”.

If you’re wondering, Haidilao has wedding packages for their restaurants in Singapore.

In 2023, a couple made the news for holding their wedding reception at the chain’s Marina Square outlet.