The Average Cost of a Wedding in Singapore (2022)

While marriage is a huge step to take, bonding ties wouldn’t only be the big risk to make. Unless you have been well prepared for this event long before, we assume spending wouldn’t be much of a problem for you.

However, your finances matter the most for this celebration because not only it will cover all the expenses needed to make it all happen but your approach for it together will determine how you will work as lifetime partners. Establishing a solid financial foundation before your wedding will start both of you off on the right foot. Preparing way ahead is guaranteed in helping couples avoid conflicts and work toward mutual intentions.

How Much Does a Wedding Cost in Singapore?

Singapore, being one of the most expensive cities in the world, may not be the most ideal place to exchange vows. But Singapore, also being one of the finest sites across the globe, is the destination couples couldn’t help but put into their venue options. A wedding in Singapore can cost somewhere around S$30,000 to S$50,000, although extravagant weddings could range significantly more nearly over S$100,000. Some of its biggest components are the wedding banquet, bridal package as well as the honeymoon.

This is why making a financial inventory is vital. Whether you decide to keep your money separate, it pays to at least have transparency. Each partner should do a complete inventory of their income, debt, bank accounts, and all the assets they are bringing into the marriage.

This also enables partners to determine what and how to pay for the wedding. A well-defined budget is critical for this milestone. Thus, breaking down all the things you wish to achieve on your wedding day is beyond necessary. As a guide, Loan Advisor listed down all the possible wedding essentials in Singapore that you ought to know:

1. Pre-Wedding Photography

Prior to the celebration, you can have a prenup pictorial session as weddings are made even more special with documented pieces. It is great to have fresh shots that follow a particular theme of your choice. This way, you can ensure that your photos are going to match the specific look or peg you two are aiming for. Its photos are best for your invitations, announcements, even giveaways to share.

Ironically, this is also fitting for couples who are a bit uncomfortable in front of the camera. It will allow you to prepare for all the photo ops that will take place on your special day.

Pre-wedding photoshoots can be taken locally or overseas. Generally, shots taken outside the country will cost slightly more expensive than expected. The budget you should set is at least between $3,000 to $6,000. If you are planning to go overseas, try signing packages at roadshows to get great deals.

We highly recommend having the same photography creatives for the wedding day on this. That way, you can feel more at ease posing in front of them and you will be more open to their ideas that can help you have better wedding pictures. You could also save a lot because it’s likely they will have a package deal for that option. Note that prenups can be useful, especially when done with a great team and in an ideal venue.

2. Wedding Rings for proposal or ROM

Wedding rings, may it be bands are given expensive. For a budget-friendly option, you can still get a pair of 18K white gold wedding bands for at least $800. Usually, they are 0.3cm thick plain bands with no customizations. For standard GIA certified ideal cut diamonds with a size of 0.3 to 0.4 carat, it will generally cost between S$2,500 to S$5,000 and above. The higher quality rings will make you pay at least S$10,000 or more. If you haven’t saved just quite for this, rest assured there will still be good ones ranging from S$400 to S$500.

As rings are considered to be a symbol of love and commitment, sacrificing most of what you have may happen in order to get one. However, sinking yourself into years of debt just to buy the flashiest ring would not be practical.

Remember there are plenty of ways to find a meaningful ring that doesn’t range from $10,000 or more. You can consider using an heirloom ring, rich with family history, that doesn’t cost you a dime. You may also find an alternative by getting a less expensive gem than a diamond and work with a local jeweller to create a custom and personal design. If anything, you can use credit cards to immediately buy the biggest diamond you can charge.

3. A Bridal Package: Wedding Gown and Suit

Normally, bridal packages in Singapore could cost from S$3,000 to S$4,500. This deal would automatically be convenient as you get to rent gowns and suits, or even one which includes a pre-wedding photography team all within a single package.

Note that a single custom-made gown could easily cost over S$2,000. With a bridal studio, you get to pick at least four gowns with free altering, and receive a complimentary make-up artist, indoor photo studio, and outdoor photoshoot. The range of costs still depends on your expectations of different factors. It may also differ if you want a premium range of clothes and how many changes of gowns you want. The locations of your photoshoot or the number of photos in your wedding album can also be considered for this.

Sometimes, this kind of deal also offers car rentals. If so, you can save much bigger than planned.

4. Wedding Dowry

While everyone sees a picture of modernity in Singapore, most Chinese families in the region still adhere to its traditions. For those doing a Chinese wedding will definitely have to provide a dowry to get for the bride. Also known as Pin Jin 聘金, or the bride’s price is a practice in which the groom’s family offers the bride’s family an amount of money as a symbol of respect and sincerity.

Usually, the bigger the amount the better. Thus, it could go as high as you want but are usually mounting with figures like 6s and 8s. The most common amount given ranges from $1,888 to $8,888. It is encouraged for the dowry to be at thousands. If not, it may seem like the girl is deemed cheap. However, quoting a figure too high will also leave the impression that the bride’s parents are selling out their daughter.

There will be traditional wedding gifts and cakes among a few others where you have to present along with your Pin Jin. This is part of the Betrothal Gifts 过大礼 Guo Da Li process. Be prepared to spend at least $3,000 to as high as $25,000 or more. Remember that for some in Singapore, the dowry is seen as a token sum used to foster goodwill between families.

5. Solemnization

If you are like most Singaporeans who are holding a solemnization because you need to be married first before collecting your Build-To-Order HDB flats, this could be a little bit expensive.

ROM solemnization does not usually cost that much, as it is the rental of the venue and buffet lunch or dinner catering that may value a lot. If your solemnization will be carried out in a church, it will be just around S$300 to S$500 for the place and a couple of hundreds for the florist and other decoration needs. Check out the wedding venues Singapore.

If you are planning to hire a choir or band to perform, it may cost from $150 to $1000, depending on who you hire and the duration of their sets. For the food, there is normally a minimum number of a hundred packs. A S$15 to S$20 per head budget would be just right.

Remember that in Singapore, the majority of people will have their gatecrash prior to taking vows at church and then moving onto their banquet. Selecting a church wedding can be a low-cost alternative for the ROM Solemnization. Solemnization in hotels where you hold your banquet could incur extra cost yet, for some, it is already included in the banquet package.

Nonetheless, you can simply get a simple location or even hold it at the registry for a minimal fee of about S$1,000 by getting caterers or at fancier venues with floral arches and lunches for about S$5,000.

6. Actual Wedding Day Services: Photographer, Videographer, and Montage

As most couples want to capture the beautiful memories of the day, hiring a specialized wedding photographer or/and videographer for the day would be significant. Normally, the actual day photography team will be charged depending on the duration of their work all throughout the celebration. The cost can go between S$2,500 to S$4,000 and it’s highly likely adding videography will add extra cost.

You can try negotiating for a package if you are planning on having the same-day video documentation. As we have mentioned earlier, it would be more achievable if you have the same pre-wedding day photography team for the actual wedding day as well.

We recommend that if you look for the creatives, ensure that they also offer montage, edited video for gate crashing as well as photo booth services. That way, you can save a lot more time and money.

7. The Wedding Banquet

Depending on the preference of the location, the wedding banquet’s prices vary. If you choose not to spend too much on for it, you can consider local restaurants where you can get good food at a cheaper rate compared to extravagant hotels.

And while wedding banquets represent the most significant bulk of a wedding cost, its costs really depend on its customization and the premium menus. Should you prefer someplace more luxurious, then you can select the hotel banquets. Assuming you will choose a 7-course set menu option, you can easily get approximately a S$1,000 per table of 10 guests. However, note that the average cost per table of the same number of guests for weekend dinners could cost over S$1,400. In total, that could be estimated to be around S$37,000.

Dates are important when booking for this kind of occasion. Whichever fits, we suggest you still consider days wherein you can avoid spending more. It’s best to prepare early for this because usually, people book hotels a year before the wedding date, and the longer you hesitate, the higher the prices per table are offered.

8. Other miscellaneous costs

Aside from the seven wedding essentials we have tackled, there are more factors you could never forget.

• Although this is optional, having a wedding planner can save most of your time and energy during your preparations. Aim to find reviews on any potential wedding planner, and look for commentaries that have proven they actually helped people pull off a great wedding at a reasonable price. Remember that venue you have been wanting, for example, could cost over $15,000 or around 45 per cent of your wedding budget alone, and an ideal wedding planner must help you save thousands on the event venue alone.
• Keep in mind that the ceremony won’t be like it without flowers. Weddings are thought to be more heartwarming depending on the decorations. If you ought to save bigger, sticking only with flowers could be more practical. Unless you have booked a package that already covers this arrangement, you’re good to go. However, if you haven’t, take note that normally, bridal bouquets range from S$150 to S$250, the boutonnieres and the corsages for the groom and family can be around S$10 to S$20 each. Meanwhile, the bridal car decoration could be at S$100 to S$200. The prices will depend a lot on the flowers you will get, on the season it’s available, the supply most especially its florist.
• Hiring a wedding or bridal car could also be an issue. If you’re that extra and is hoping not to use a personal vehicle for the ceremony, renting could be between S$300 to S$600 for a day. Unless you have booked the event in a hotel, you can easily negotiate for an extra night’s stay. This allows the bride to stay at the same hotel the day before the wedding. Thus, you won’t be needing something to rent.
• With the photos you have taken on the pre-wedding shoot, you can easily make your invitations. Depending on the number of your guest lists, it wouldn’t be much of a hassle. It will normally cost about S$1.50 to S$3 per invite, making the budget for about S$150 to S$450. You can look for designers to create this. But if you have creative or artist friends, there is no need in finding one. Just make sure you pay them depending on their rate. As a tip, we can recommend you to make e-invitations instead- those you can send virtually. That way, you only have to print sheets only for yourselves to keep.
• The cost of your wedding entertainment for your reception will depend on whoever they are and how long they will perform because they are paid depending on the rate and the duration of their performances. On the other hand, you can still make use of your talented friends and relatives for a song or a dance number. Video presentations made by your friends and families can also be an option to consider.
• Have we mentioned the wedding cake is normally out of the usual packages, requiring you to look for a baker to create yours for the event? As it is one of the highlights of the celebration, the cake is something couples wouldn’t want to miss. Never forget to note the prices of wedding cakes will vary greatly depending on the complexity of the desired sugar flowers, sculpted figurines, and other fancy decorations, even the size of the cake tiers. It’s advised you let the baker know how many servings you want from your cake, instead of asking for a quote by weight, as the size and shape differs. A single-tier three-layered cake good for 16-20 pax may range from S$125, a two-tier round cake that can serve for 12-18 pax may be at S$165, while a three-tier round cake that is good for nearly 65-80 people could be at $650 and above.
• Remember that there will be quite a number of red packets to be given out on the day, such as to your bridesmaids and groomsmen for helping out. You will also have to prepare approximately between S$2,000 to S$3,000 for an ang bao, which is meant for the wedding helpers, gate-crashers, and other services such as the driver and emcee cost acquired during the wedding day.
• While giving your guests wedding favours is a nice way to thank them for joining you for the celebration, apparently, they are not required. However, if you’re eager to give them something to keep following your sweet exchanges, consider Thank You cards, homemade cookies, tea towels, mini champagne bottles, handmade soaps, the same old keychains, or even garden seeds. It would also be great if the giveaways are something personal- something that would remind the guests of you two. You can create something that does not necessarily require much of spending on this.
• Lastly, the honeymoon. After a long time of preparations, it is certain you are going to want to go on a honeymoon, even if it is just a little break. Most couples will likely take a 2-week holiday to somewhere far and exotic or adventurous. This may require you to pay at least S$5,000 to S$8,000. For those looking for a more affordable option can certainly plan exciting DIY trips for just S$1,000 to $2,000.

How Do We Really Do a Cheap Wedding?

From the entire breakdown for each essential, we have summed the total of a potential wedding costing from S$50,000 to S$90,000. If this includes the miscellaneous expenses expected, it may range to nearly $100,000.

Like anything else in Singapore, weddings are really quite expensive in the country. This is primarily because most brides and grooms have unrealistic expectations of what they want in their wedding celebration versus how the whole occasion actually costs. Only careful research, proper balancing, and budgeting for the wedding expenses would help lighten all the load.

The bottom line is that there are many strategies that you can consider to actually save on your wedding costs. Some of the easiest ways include using various credit cards for rebates, making use of credit card deals with hotels and venues for your wedding banquet, and trimming the extras. You can also try applying for Singapore personal loans as it tends to charge sufficient wedding loan interest rates well below the credit cards.

We would also like you to try visiting different local wedding expos as conferences like it invite and gather a variety of experts and organizations that are focused on catering to the needs of future wedded couples. There, you may be able to get reasonable and budget-friendly deals and packages so you can plan way ahead of your wedding day.

While a wedding is unavoidable spending for most people who want to start a new and important chapter in life, a clear and detailed plan is indeed necessary. It requires a long time and effort to successfully create a well-thought celebration. It will test the relationship between both parties even just because of a single factor. It would also weigh how partners work and bond together.

As you write down your potential expenses, never forget to focus on the necessities first and to purchase what you can only afford. When borrowing, be responsible enough to pay when it is due. As needed, compare different options until you get the best choice that will fit your preferences.

With hopes you have had a broader financial perspective on what it is like when preparing for marriage, check more of Loan Advisor. We are one of the most trustworthy loan comparison sites in Singapore. We’ll be there to accommodate you on your financial advice needs in just a click away.