Average wedding cost in Singapore 2021: A thorough overview

You want your wedding day to be one of the best days of your life. You’re celebrating a new chapter, making memories with friends and family, and publicly showing and sharing your love. And none of it comes cheap.

If you’re starting to plan your wedding budget, you’re in the right place. Every wedding is different - and the amount you spend can vary widely depending on your personal choices and preferences.

This guide breaks down the main costs of most Singaporean weddings, with a range of options - and the price tags attached - for illustration.

We’ll also take a look at smart ways to save money without sacrificing your dream day, such as using Wise to pay for international purchases.

Table of contents:
Average wedding cost in Singapore Registry of marriage (ROM) and solemnisation Wedding venue and banquet Wedding rings Betrothal gifts and dowry Photography and videography Wedding invitations Ang bao gifts Flowers How to save money on your wedding Cut the costs of international transactions

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Average wedding cost in Singapore

OK, so nobody wants an average wedding. Every couple is different, and so every wedding - including the costs involved - is unique. From a small, simple and elegant affair, to a lavish celebration of the finer things in life - it’s your day, and you can do it all.

However, for budgeting purposes it can help to take a look at the common high ticket items involved in planning your wedding - and the price ranges you’ll need to consider. We will walk through the main big ticket costs in this guide - but don’t forget there will always be extras, so it pays to budget a bit more for those unexpected expenses.

In total, wedding costs can run anything from S$30,000 through to S$50,000 - or significantly above that if you choose to hold an elaborate ceremony with large numbers of guests. Here’s a breakdown of some key costs.

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Registry of marriage (ROM) and solemnisation

Marriage in Singapore can include several elements. The civil process of registering and solemnising your marriage is mandatory for your wedding to be legally binding. You may also have a religious or customary element to proceedings, either at the same time as the civil process, or separately.

The ROM fee is S$42 if one or both of the couple are Singaporean citizens or PR, and S$380 if both parties are foreigners.

Under normal circumstances you’ll need to give 21 days notice of your planned wedding, but if there is an urgent reason to proceed quickly, you may be able to apply for a special marriage license for S$280 if at least one of the parties is Singaporean or PR. This means the wait time is waived.¹

If you decide to hold your solemnisation ceremony in a church or other religious building there may be fees to pay, although donations are also accepted in some cases. Other venues may also charge fees, or have a requirement for the wedding banquet or party to be held there - including a minimum spend on food and drink.

The costs of solemnising your marriage depend entirely on how you choose to celebrate. It’s fairly common to hold this stage of the wedding process separately to the main wedding banquet and celebration. In this case, a simple ceremony with a relatively small group may cost around S$1,000 - but you can easily spend S$5,000 or more if you’re planning a bigger occasion.

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Wedding venue and banquet

The wedding banquet is probably going to be the main expense involved in planning your wedding. Typically prices are advertised by the table of 10, with minimum table numbers and fixed menu packages. The price range, and what’s on offer, can vary widely.

Booking a hotel will usually cost more, but can come with a bigger range of extras including a room for the night, wedding favours, alcohol for guests and more. Choosing a restaurant banquet instead will cost less, but may not come with all the perks.

Here are a couple of examples to get you thinking:

Intercontinental Singapore:²

• Weekday dinner - SGD1,508++/table, minimum of 15 or 20 tables
• Weekend dinner - SGD1,888++/table, minimum of 30 or 32 tables
• Package includes food and canapes, unlimited soft drinks and a limited amount of alcoholic drinks
• Wedding stationery and favours included
• Champagne for toasting, and a model cake for cutting
• Bridal suite for the couple of one night

Cost total - weekday dinner for 150 people, SGD22,620. Weekend dinner for 300 people - SGD56,640 (Spring 2021 prices - subject to change)

Tung Lok Seafood³

• Menus from SGD588+/table to SGD888+/table, minimum 15 tables
• Package includes food to a set menu, unlimited soft drinks and a limited amount of alcoholic drinks
• Some special offers on further alcohol purchases
• Flowers for the VIP table

Cost total - from SGD8,820 for 150 people, through to SGD13,320. (Spring 2021 prices - subject to change)

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Wedding rings

Both wedding and engagement rings can be pricey. However, like everything wedding, the cost is down to your personal preferences and choices. Even simple wedding bands are going to set you back around S$1,000 - and there’s no upper limit to what you can pay if you’re looking for something from a well known designer.

If you’re hoping to stretch your budget, shopping around for rings is a must. Buying vintage, or going with a ring you select online from a reputable jeweler can be a good way to get a lower price.

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Betrothal gifts and dowry

In a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony there will be some formalities, including betrothal gifts and a dowry. However, some couples prefer these to be more symbolic gestures than expensive outlays for the families involved.

Traditionally there would be a betrothal ceremony in which the two families meet and gifts are presented. This takes place a few weeks before the wedding on an auspicious date, and is also when the dowry is passed over from the groom’s family.

Different couples choose to take different elements of this tradition into their wedding. If you’re looking to carry out the traditional betrothal ceremony, there are stores where you can buy all you need from S$100 to S$200 or so⁴. Dowry rates are very varied, and tend to focus on using lucky numbers. Dowry amounts often run from around the S$500 mark up to thousands of dollars.

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Photography and videography

You’ll want as many ways as possible to preserve the memories of your big day - and this can mean a pre-wedding shoot, wedding day photography and videography, or even an exotic location shoot as part of a trip away.

Photography and videography professionals are skilled and in demand - which means that prices can be high.

There are different ways to arrange your photography, including buying a package with one photographer or studio, using freelancers, or even asking friends to help with photos before, on and after the wedding.

Getting a package with a photographer is probably the lowest stress approach. You’ll find pre-wedding packages which include gown and suit hire, make-up, hair and some prints. You may even be able to choose multiple locations to make sure you get the perfect shot.

Wedding day photography and videography can vary on price, depending on the type of package you choose. Getting a photographer alone comes at a lower cost, but of course you’ll pay more if you want to also gown and suit hire, hair and makeup.

Pre-wedding photo prices - package examples include S$999 for makeup, gown rental, 3 hour photoshoot and 20 prints. Or, go higher end and have a full day of photos, multiple looks and locations, 50 prints as well as a range of photo books and accessories for S$3,699.⁵

Wedding photographer and videographer - S$600 and upwards for a photographer, or S$800 up for a videographer⁶ ⁷. In this case you’ll need to arrange and pay for your own gowns, suits, make up, hair and so on.

You’ll pay significantly more if you want the photography as part of a broader package. In this case, expect your costs to be more like S$2,000+.

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Wedding invitations

Custom made wedding invitations are the perfect way to let your guests know about your wedding. You can get your own beautifully made invitations here in Singapore, or consider buying online to get a better deal. You’ll even be able to buy digital files of a personal design and have them printed yourself, to get the best of both worlds.

We’ll look at how to save costs when buying from overseas sellers a little later. Alternatively, some hotel packages include wedding invites as part of the banquet packages, which means you have one less thing to think about.

Buying online, you could spend S$50 and above on invitations - or budget S$200 to S$400 for invitations from a specialist provider locally.

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Ang bao gifts

You’ll need to prepare a few ang bao packets for the people who help you out in preparation for the wedding and on the day itself. That could include your bridesmaids and groomsmen, the solemniser, staff from the venue, caterers and so on.

Don’t forget though, this works both ways, and you can expect to receive ang bao gifts yourself, which will help significantly towards the costs of the wedding overall. There are extensive etiquette guides available online for guests who are unsure about how much to gift, making this a somewhat standardised process.

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Flowers

Flowers can be a big part of your wedding decoration, from the bouquets and corsages, to table decorations and car decor. Flowers aren’t cheap at the best of times, and when you’re buying large quantities and want the finished look to be impactful, you can bet they’ll cost.

Smart ways to save include focusing on foliage with fewer statement blooms, buying flowers which are more locally grown, or going for dried or faux flowers which will last longer.

Bouquets which use more common flowers could cost S$45 and up, with more exotic choices costing more like S$200+.

It’s good to know that there are some florists which offer package deals on simple bouquets, decor items and corsages for the party, which can represent a great saving.

As an example, S$400 could buy you a small bouquet for the bride and one bridesmaid, boutonniere for the groom and one groomsman and a car decor piece.⁹

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How to save money on your wedding

Budgeting for your wedding is a big deal. You want your money to go as far as possible, and getting a bargain where you can will leave you with more at the end to spend on those little extras. Here are a few tips for saving money on your big day, so you can cut the costs without cutting corners.

• Be clear on what’s really important for your day - if you can’t afford it all, it’s time to prioritise the things which matter to you in particular.
• Think carefully about the day and timing of your wedding. The banquet is the major cost for most people, and choosing a weekday or lunchtime celebration can mean significantly lower costs.
• Negotiate with your suppliers - for example, if you’re buying a package from a venue but don’t want all the standard items, you can ask to switch out the things you don’t require.
• Check and double check the small print on all suppliers, venues and big ticket purchases.
• Get a cashback credit card and use it for major purchases to benefit from the rewards later.
• Shop around for everything - buying outfits for your bridesmaids and groomsmen in the sales for example can mean your money goes further.
• Look for local social media groups and pages which share tips and advice for people planning weddings - there will always be more great money saving ideas out there.
• Shop online and benefit from lower costs on cross-border purchases with the Wise multi-currency account. More on that in a moment.
• Stay organised with your own wedding website - this is a smart place for guests to RSVP and ask questions, so there are no surprises and no no-shows

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Cut the costs of international transactions with Wise 💡

Excessive bank fees will push up the costs of your wedding. Whether you’re buying a perfect dress from an online retailer based abroad, heading off on honeymoon, or expecting guests to travel to Singapore for the big day, cutting the costs of currency conversion can help.

Thats’ where Wise comes in. Send money overseas using the real mid-market exchange rate, and you could save 7x compared to using your normal bank. You’ll be able to shop online using your Wise debit card, and benefit from the lower prices available without being stung by foreign transaction fees.

Save your money for the things that really count, with low cost international transfers from Wise and the Wise multi-currency account.

Start saving today with Wise

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No matter what your personal style, your wedding day is all about you, your family and your loved ones.

Budgeting for - and planning - a wedding is no mean feat. But it’s worthwhile for the memories and the opportunity to spend quality time celebrating your relationship. Use this guide as a starting point to set your own personal budget - and don’t forget that you can save when shopping online with international retailers, or planning your honeymoon, with Wise.

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Sources

1. Registry of Marriages Singapore
2. Intercontinental Singapore - Wedding Packages for 2021
3. Tung Lok Events
4. Singapore Chinese Wedding Shop - Shuang Xi Le Wedding
5. BV Wedding - Pre Wedding Photography Packages SG
6. The Wedding Boss - Actual Day Photography
7. The Wedding Boss - Actual Day Videography
8. Etsy - Wedding Invitations
9. Floral Garage Singapore - Wedding Flowers in Singapore

Sources checked on 26 March 2021