Weddings these days are lavish, expensive affairs.

But for some couples, custom-made designer gowns and five-star venues aren't enough.

Brides and grooms now want their special day to be unique, something that guests will talk about for a long time afterwards.

Wedding planner Anna Lim, of Spellbound Weddings, tells The New Paper on Sunday: "Wedding planning is not just about logistics any more. People are looking for a holistic concept and design."

Wedding and event consultant Tan Weiwei from Chere Weddings & Parties says: "Couples are moving away from the package deals provided by hotels and going 'a la carte', holding dinners at venues which mean something to them, such as the restaurant where they had their first date."

One couple wanted to share their passion for musicals with their guests, so they wrote, directed and performed one at their wedding banquet.

Another pair wore their secondary school uniforms (yes you read right, uniforms!) as they exchanged their vows.

A couple re-enacted the bride's favourite Hong Kong period drama on their big day.

The love birds clearly didn't mind enduring the hassle just to inject a heavy dose of their personalities into their wedding ceremonies.

Take, for instance, Ms Jo-Ann Teo and Mr Godfrey Foo.

For their nuptials last year, they decided to relive their school days.

The couple, both 37, met when they were Secondary 3 students at the Mount Vernon Secondary School, which doesn't exist any more.

But they lost contact after leaving school.

Then in 2009, Mr Foo, a recruiter, re-connected with Ms Teo, a customer service officer, via Facebook.

The two began dating soon after.

And when they were planning for their big day, they decided to go back to school to remember how they first met some 20 over years ago.

They eschewed the traditional gown and tuxedo as wedding attire, opting instead to wear white and green school uniforms, complete with school tie and badge.

But naturally, after two decades, their old school uniforms couldn't quite fit them any more.

Ms Teo says: "We had to buy clothes which closely resembled our school uniforms."

On the wedding day, most of their 70 guests - with the exception of elderly family members - gamely turned up in their old school uniforms.

With a laugh, Ms Teo, who gave birth to their first child two weeks ago, says: "Usually people have to spend money to buy formal attire to attend weddings.

"For mine, they didn't have to spend a cent."

She adds: "We attended many traditional Chinese weddings, and we were sure that we wanted to stay away from the very typical sort.

"We wanted something modern, an occasion which our guests could participate in."

Instead of assigning numbers to the dinner tables, they were named after academic subjects, such as English, mathematics and history.

The wedding, held at restaurant One Rochester, cost the couple about $30,000, and was organised with the help of a professional planner.

Guests entertained themselves with children's games such as five stones, checkers and Connect Four.

Party poppers and colour pencils were strewn across the tables.

And the door gifts for guests were party packs of snacks reminiscent of childhood: Mamee noodles, playing cards, lollipops and colourful biscuits.

This article was first published in The New Paper.