Every couple who dreams of tying the knot should thoroughly prepare. Wedding is a big day. Weddings are always special and there is nothing wrong in spending some money to turn your dream wedding into reality. However, weddings in Singapore can incur high costs.
If you plan to enter a wedded life, then it may not be wise to put up all of your savings for a Singapore wedding. Practical couples recognize this and make it a point to stick to a budget wedding. However, a budget wedding need not to be forgettable. A thorough wedding planning can result in a spectacular wedding day.
You can still whip up a good plan with a perfect wedding venue, beautiful wedding invitations, skilled makeup artist, and elegant wedding bands without breaking the bank. Just make sure that proper preparation and planning is done and you are up for a wedding day that is as beautiful as the one that you have been dreaming of.
Below is a guide for all of the things that you need to prepare for in planning a Singapore wedding.
Registration & Solemnization
For registration, Singaporeans and permanent residents can get registered at a cost of SGD 42. The cost of registration of foreigners getting married in Singapore is SGD 380. Marriage does not really cost that much when looking at these prices.
What couples have to be more prepared for in terms of budget is the reception. The place of solemnization is typically different from the wedding banquet that requires separate payments for venue booking and lunch reception. There are different options for the venue of solemnization. Some couples opt to hold their wedding solemnization in a church.
At times, you will have to pay for a booking fee. However some churches just encourage the couple to give a donation. This costs a lot less and will cut your expense for your Singapore wedding venue.
Below is the payment range according to the simplicity or grandiosity of the solemnization.
Lower range: SGD 1,000
Median range: SGD 3,000
Higher range: SGD 5,000
While it is usual to have separate venues for the wedding solemnization and wedding banquet, there are a lot of wedding venues that also offer venues for the banquet. Some hotels offer beautiful solemnization, for example. A hotel which can accommodate both banquet and solemnization is a good venue for wedding Singapore offers. This is because of the great variety of good hotels in the country.
This may also be a logistically wise thing to do, since guests would no longer have to move from one place to another since the entire thing happens in one place. However, if you prefer to have your wedding solemnization in a place that cannot accommodate guests for the banquet, then you should look for banquet venues whose costs will make the most out of your budget.
Some couples use up the money from the red packets that they receive in paying for the solemnization and banquet venue for their wedding in Singapore. This is a great idea because red packets can usually subsidize up to 60% of the banquet costs.
Wedding Banquet
Wedding banquet can be one of the highest costs that you will incur in a Singapore wedding. The cost of the wedding banquet depends on the number of guests invited for this big day. Different couples would have different preferences. Some would like a big wedding especially if they come from big families, while others would prefer a more intimate wedding with guests limited to a few close friends and family members.
Whatever your preference maybe, it is important to come up with a guest list and stick to it. Banquets should be computed on the amount of food that will be served per person. This would save you from the headache of getting too little food (which is embarrassing) or too much food (what a waste!).
Guest list is a very important part of your wedding planning. A lot of places offer different wedding packages. The estimate of the price of a wedding banquet is indicated below according to the size that you have determined for your budget.
Lower range: SGD 18,000 (SGD 1200 x 15 tables)
Median range: SGD 29,000
Higher range: SGD 40,200 (SGD 1,340 x 30 tables)
The estimated amounts were based on the number of tables just to give you a better idea on what is considered as a big wedding. If you have an even bigger wedding in mind, this amount can shoot up to SGD 80,000 to SGD 90,000. At the end, it all boils down to the budget that you have set based on funds available.
A banquet should include at least a 3-course meal and the wedding cake. A high-end banquet venue for weddings in Singapore can charge as much as SGD 95,000 for a wedding with 300 guests. If you want to cut costs on this aspect, there are some tips that can make you save some budget.
One is choosing a weekday for your wedding. Or if you prefer to have it on a weekend, you can choose to hold the banquet as a luncheon instead. If you choose to hold the banquet on a weekday luncheon, you can cut the budget for the banquet to as low as SGD 10,000! A wedding venue in Singapore usually charges a cheaper price at these hours.
Another saving tip is to choose a Chinese restaurant or a three or four-star hotel as the wedding banquet venue. There are a lot of venues that are not very expensive but are good looking. Just make sure that the wedding decoration and set up are nicely and tastefully done.
Wedding Bands
The wedding rings or wedding bands are highly valuable because of its symbolic value. That is why you should not feel guilty for picking an elegant pair for the both of you. After all, this is a piece that you would want to wear everyday to tell everyone that you are happily married.
Different couples will have different ideas about their wedding rings. Some would like to have theirs as simple and subtle as possible, while others prefer signature rings from known jewelry designers. The price range for a pair of wedding rings are as follows:
Lower range: SGD 2,000
Median range: SGD 4,000
Higher range: SGD 6,000
The couple should decide on the design preference together and include it in the details of their plan. Another good thing to note regarding wedding bands is that it is such a good investment.
The wedding rings usually turn into a family heirloom. It is quite sentimental if you are able to pass on your wedding bands to your children after decades. This is why getting a good quality pair should not be out of the question especially if you are thinking in the long term.
Bridal Package
Everyone would agree that the bride is the most important person in a wedding. That is why bridal packages remain to be one of the most important items in that wedding checklist. The appearance of the bride is most awaited in every wedding and choosing the right bridal package can give the bride the wedding looks and glamour that she deserves.
You can find complete packages for the bride in bridal studios. The package should include the wedding gown, the makeup artist, and the hair stylist. Some packages would also include other wedding clothes like suits for the groom and the groomsmen and dresses for the bridesmaids and other services like pre-wedding spa.
You would like the bride to look fresh and rejuvenated on her big day. These packages are often chosen for their convenience. However, some couples also opt to avail ala-carte services. Depending on the quality and the inclusions of the packages, the price range is as follows:
Lower range: SGD 3,000
Median range: SGD 4,500
Higher range: SGD 6,000
Whatever package you choose, the bride will surely be the most beautiful woman on the day of her wedding especially if she knows that she paid a proper amount for the services that she experienced on her wedding day.
Professional Wedding Photography
Needless to say, weddings ought to be immortalized in every couple’s and family’s memory. You would like to keep good quality memorabilia that you can show to your friends and even to your children in the years to come.
That is why each wedding is in need of a skilled team of photographers and videographers who will be in charge of preserving the events of the day. Typically, photo and video services are offered in packages. Each package got different inclusions.
The usual items in these packages are prenuptial photo shoots, wedding day photos, same-day edit videos, and souvenir photos. A lot of studios offering this range of services can be found in Singapore. In order to get the best pictures of your wedding day, it is important to meticulously scout various studios and take a look at some samples of their works.
They usually post their creations on their websites and social media pages and accounts. Each studio usually carries a particular style so it is important to make sure that their style fits in your taste. It is also important to look into the reviews of their previous clients. Reading reviews are essential in ensuring that they give good service or that they treat their clients well. Client satisfaction is the best indicator of a good service.
Another often overlooked aspect in choosing a professional wedding photography service is on copyright. You may want to have your rights reserved for your photos and videos. This is important if you value your privacy and if you are not keen on them using your pictures in their advertisements. Ensuring the rights reserved means securing your privacy.
Below is the range of prices for wedding photography:
Lower range: SGD 3,500
Median range: SGD 3,250
Higher range: SGD 4,000
Dowry
Dowry is a cultural thing. It may not apply to every couple who decides to get married but considering the demographics of Singapore, a large percentage of its total population are composed of people of Chinese descent and dowry is an integral part of their wedding tradition.
This is why couples often include the dowry in their budget. Traditionally, this is shouldered by the groom. After all, dowries in the Chinese culture are given to the bride’s family. The dowry can be in the form of cash or jewelry gifts.
Nowadays, dowries usually just serve symbolic purposes. That is why, future in-laws really do not expect large amounts of money or extravagant gifts. Some bridal parents may even wave the groom’s dowry offerings because they want their children to keep the money for the family that they will build. The expected range of dowries are indicated below:
Lower range: SGD 500
Median range: SGD 2,750
Higher range: SGD 5,000
At the end of the day, what is important is for the couple to keep in mind that it is important to keep and maintain good family relationships on both sides.
Honeymoon
Every couple would like to start their wedding life blissfully. This is why, a couple of days on a holiday after their hectic wedding day would be such a treat.
Some couples are lucky because some sponsors give their honeymoon to them as wedding favours. Indeed, such would be ideal especially if the sponsors who gave those wedding favours know them well and gave them a honeymoon that include places and activities they enjoy together.
However, in the absence of these wedding favours, the couple should also lay out a budget plan if they want to go on a blissful and leisurely honeymoon. There are various choices where they can choose from. Since Singapore is a really small country, a honeymoon wedding Singapore venue may be odd. Unless, the couple prefers a staycation of some sort.
Singapore hosts a lot of luxury hotels that will cater to this want. However, the more common choice as a honeymoon activity for the newlyweds is out of town vacation. This can be a two-week long holiday in tropical beaches, or a 10-day backpacking in a different Southeast Asian country. The budget can vary but listed below is a safe estimate:
Lower range: SGD 5,000
Median range: SGD 6,500
Higher range: SGD 8,000
Whatever the honeymoon destination is, the best part is that you, as a newly wed couple, can spend a few days by yourself.
Miscellaneous
Good wedding planning should be able to take into account needs that may not be obvious at first glance. These may be minor things but are actually important for both the couple and the guests. These would include wedding invites, wedding cars, wedding entertainment, corkage, tips, and other after-party expenditures among others. This is the estimated miscellaneous cost:
Lower range: SGD 1,000
Median range: SGD 1,500
Higher range: SGD 2,000
The general recommendation is for you to set aside a buffer of 5% to 10% of your total budget on top of your budget in preparation for some unforeseen and emergency expenses.
Total Wedding Cost
All in all, a wedding in Singapore can can range as follows:
Lower range: SGD 22,000
Median range: SGD 37,100
Higher range: SGD 52,800
This amount of money is significant. That is why careful planning and consideration should be undertaken. Everything must be taken into account: from wedding invitations to all of the wedding venues Singapore has to offer.
Being impatient in the process of planning can cause different problems, particularly overspending. Financial preparation and making sure that the budget is strictly followed are very important.
Conclusion
Given the financial demands of getting married, it may be a good idea that aside from ensuring that you are financially prepared for the wedding you can also opt to avail of a loan in order to fill the buffer amount that needs to be covered.
It would be wise since the buffer amount is just there for emergency purposes. Hence, it can be paid immediately. Instant Loan, a loan comparison website, understands the specific financial needs of couples who are planning to get married.
They give competent financial advice and provide services that would make loan application efficient. Having someone take care of this is one less stress for the couple engaged in hectic wedding planning. And as a result, a budget wedding Singapore is more achievable than ever before.
