S'pore wedding venue calls out influencer for asking for free Christmas Eve anniversary sponsorship worth up to S$15,000

The Secret Haven, a picturesque, restored 1960s chapel perched atop Mount Sophia, is usually known for its romantic weddings and intimate celebrations.

But the serene hilltop venue recently found itself at the centre of an unexpected discussion revolving around entitled influencers and sponsorships.

In late November 2025, the small business posted a TikTok revealing that an influencer had approached them to request for a full sponsorship for their 20th wedding anniversary celebration, scheduled for Christmas Eve.

The request, which included complimentary venue rental, styling, décor, catering and audio equipment, quickly captured online attention as netizens rallied behind the small business.

The influencer’s request

In the description, The Secret Haven elaborated that sponsorship requests from influencers come in “every once in a while”, though large-scale freebies simply are not feasible for a small business.

The TikTok also included a screenshot of the influencer’s email, with identifying details blurred, laying out a proposal for a fully sponsored event.

Based on the email screenshots, the influencer’s manager had requested:

• Free use of the venue from 4pm to 8pm on Dec. 24
• Complete event styling, including ceremony setup, florals and lighting
• Audio support for live musicians (mixing console, monitors, microphones)
• Space for 50 to 80 guests

The Secret Haven estimated that fulfilling the request would have cost them S$10,000 to S$15,000.

Why venue declined sponsorship

Speaking to Mothership, the team said that what stood out the most to them was not just the scale, but the tone and timing.

They said the very first message arrived with a detailed list of demands, despite no prior relationship.

The event date, Christmas Eve, was also one of their peak days, and their venue manager had been repeatedly pressed for a response due to the short timeline.

They also noted that the influencer’s audience demographics did not align with their typical wedding clientele, making the collaboration a poor fit even from a marketing standpoint.

@thesecrethavensg Replying to @kwatehsuya ♬ Originalton - ETERNAL ☀️

The team later received a request from the influencer asking for the TikTok to be taken down.

They weren’t rattled, noting that they had intentionally censored names and key details and that the intention was to raise awareness, not to bash any particular person.

Why post about it?

The Secret Haven explained that their TikTok content is intentionally lighthearted.

They described the post as simply sharing “a day in the life” of running a small business, similar to earlier TikToks where they joke about unusual client queries or messages.

They did not expect the post to blow up, or for TikTok users to attempt to identify the alleged influencer.

The Secret Haven explained that the post was meant to shed light on the pressures faced by small venues, from rising costs, limited manpower to the loss of a valuable Christmas Eve booking.

More importantly, they wanted to underscore fairness.

Their paying clients “trust (them) with their hard earned money”, and it wouldn’t be fair for someone else to receive the same treatment “for zero dollars” just because they’re a public figure.

“Self-centred” influencer sponsorship requests

The team shared that they typically receive eight to 10 collaboration or sponsorship requests a year.

Most are far smaller in scale and come from creators they already know or who approach them respectfully.

They emphasised that they do enjoy working with influencers and have had positive experiences, especially when promoting special pop-up concepts.

The team mentioned that even global brands with large followings who have worked with them still paid standard rates for food and space usage, and not just through the promise of exposure.

In contrast, they said people often get upset at influencers when the ask appears “self-centred” or when it feels like they’re trying to “extract maximum benefit for themselves” without considering the business’ costs.

After the TikTok went viral, the venue was surprised by the number of messages from other wedding vendors, photographers, videographers and decorators, saying they had received the same type of email from influencers asking for complimentary services.

Many told the owners of The Secret Haven they felt “validated” seeing someone speak up about the issue publicly.

Other businesses chimed in on their TikTok as well to voice their support.

Online commenters backed the venue

TikTok users overwhelmingly supported The Secret Haven, criticising the influencer’s request as “unbelievably entitled” and “crazy”.

Some commenters expressed disgust that anyone would demand a fully free event on Christmas Eve.

Reflecting on the unexpected attention, the team told Mothership that they hoped the incident would give people more insight into what small businesses deal with, especially those in the wedding and events industry.

They also hoped it would reinforce the importance of supporting local businesses that are trying to offer “good, honest products and services”.

Top image via Google maps, thesecrethavensg/TikTok