Wedding dinners in Singapore can sometimes be a mercenary affair. Don’t be fooled into thinking that wedding ang baos (red packets) are purely a gift from the heart. In Singapore, your ang bao symbolises your well-wishes as well as covers the cost of your seat at the banquet table.
Though the couple might not admit it, in their heart of hearts, they’ll probably be praying that you at least cover the cost of your meal to offset their wedding expenses. On your part, that means shelling out a 3-figure sum whenever someone you know gets married.
While we certainly don’t want to give too little, most of us usually also don’t want to give too much. Admit it—you feel the pinch, especially after a couple of weddings! So here’s a cost guide on how much to give for a wedding banquet dinner or lunch at hotels, restaurants and more.
Content:
- How do you decide how much to put in a wedding ang bao?
- Wedding ang bao rates for Singapore hotels (2023)
- Wedding ang bao rates for Singapore restaurants and other venues (2023)
- How much money should you give at Malay weddings?
- How much money should you give at Indian weddings?
- How much money should you give at church weddings?
1. How do you decide how much to put in a wedding ang bao?
The first thing you need to do is to calculate the cost of your seat. This can vary greatly, depending on factors such as how swanky the wedding venue is. Here are some factors you should consider when trying to figure out how much your meal costs:
- The hotel or restaurant—Wedding banquets in hotels generally tend to be fancier and pricier than weddings held in a nice restaurant. In fact, hotel wedding prices are only getting higher—some hotels are raising prices by up to 10% in 2023! *gulp* We’ll go into the rates at specific hotels and restaurants in the next section.
- Whether it’s a lunch or dinner—In general, lunch is cheaper than dinner.
- The day of the week—Mondays to Thursdays are more affordable than Fridays or the weekend. While Saturday and Sunday are usually the same or similarly priced, Saturday night dinners may cost more.
- Package add-ons—A wedding package covers the basics, but the happy couple might want something more unique. These can include things such as special floral decorations, a fancy three-tiered wedding cake, and additional or more “atas” wine. If each table was made merry by an unusually fine bottle of red, you can expect that the couple probably paid a little extra.
Once you’ve guesstimated the cost of your seat, you have your base ang bao amount. If you’re not close to the couple, you can stop here—it’s considered socially acceptable for your ang bao to just cover the cost of your seat.
But if you’re close to the couple, you’re generally expected to add a little extra (and, if you’re close enough, wouldn’t you want to?). Topping up your ang bao isn’t just a gesture of kinship or friendship—you’re also covering additional wedding costs for things outside the food, such as the cost of wedding decorations. By no means is covering these expected of normal guests, but besties go beyond for each other, right? Here’s what some of our colleagues at MoneySmart had to say calculating the cost of ang baos:
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2. Wedding ang bao rates for Singapore hotels (2023)
Disclaimer: Most of the prices below are adapted from SingaporeBrides.com, updated Oct 2023 and inclusive of GST unless otherwise noted. They’re meant only as a rough guide to the cost of the meal, excluding any wedding package add-ons like fancy wine.
The rates in the section below are costs for a single seat assuming a table of 10, which is the norm for most hotel weddings. However, do note that these might be different if the wedding you’re attending seats guests in smaller groups. Rates will also be affected by what’s on the menu—if you see abalone being wheeled out of the kitchen, you might want to make your ang bao a little fatter.
| Hotels | Saturday Lunch | Sunday Lunch | Saturday Dinner | Sunday Dinner |
| Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa | $210 | $210 | $240 | $230 |
| Amara Singapore | $160 | $160 | $170 | $170 |
| Andaz Singapore | $240 | $240 | $260 | $260 |
| Capella Singapore | $280 to $410 | $280 to $410 | $290 to $410 | $290 to $410 |
| Carlton Hotel Singapore | $150 to $180 | $150 to $180 | $170 to $180 | $170 to $180 |
| Concorde Hotel Singapore | $140 | $140 | $170 | $160 |
| Conrad Centennial Singapore | $200 to $210 | $200 to $210 | $230 to $250 | $210 to $250 |
| Conrad Singapore Orchard | $200 | $200 | $230 | $210 |
| Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore | $140 | $140 | $150 | $150 |
| Crowne Plaza Changi Airport | $160 to $170 | $160 to $170 | $170 to $180 | $170 to $180 |
| Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore | $220 to $250 | $210 to $250 | $220 to $250 | $210 to $250 |
| Equarius Hotel At Resorts World Sentosa | $230 to $240 | $220 to $240 | $240 to $250 | $230 to $250 |
| Fairmont Singapore And Swissôtel The Stamford | $190 to $210 | $190 to $210 | $210 to $240 | $210 to $240 |
| Four Points By Sheraton Singapore, Riverview | $160 to $180 | $160 to $180 | $160 to $180 | $160 to $180 |
| Four Seasons Hotel Singapore | $230 | $230 | $260 | $240 |
| Furama City Centre Singapore | $150 | $150 | $160 | $160 |
| Furama Riverfront, Singapore | $140 to $160 | $140 to $160 | $160 to $180 | $160 to $170 |
| Genting Hotel Jurong | $130 | $130 | $130 | $130 |
| Goodwood Park Hotel | $200 | $200 | $220 | $220 |
| Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel | $170 to $180 | $170 to $180 | $220 to $230 | $220 to $230 |
| Grand Hyatt Singapore | $180 | $180 | $230 | $220 |
| Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy | $120 | $120 | $130 to $150 | $130 to $150 |
| Grand Park City Hall | $180 to $200 | $180 to $200 | $180 to $200 | $180 to $200 |
| Hilton Singapore Orchard | $230 | $230 | $250 | $230 |
| Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium | $140 | $140 | $160 | $160 |
| Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre | $170 | $170 | $190 | $180 |
| Hotel Fort Canning | $180 to $190 | $180 to $190 | $200 to $220 | $200 to $220 |
| Intercontinental Singapore | $230 | $230 | $260 | $240 |
| Jen Singapore Tanglin By Shangri-la | $160 to $190 | $160 to $190 | $180 to $190 | $180 to $190 |
| JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach | $250 | $250 | $290 | $280 |
| Mandarin Oriental Singapore | $260 | $250 | $320 | $290 |
| Marina Bay Sands | $210 to $230 | $210 to $230 | $210 to $230 | $210 to $230 |
| Mercure Singapore Bugis | $160 to $220 | $160 to $220 | $160 to $230 | $160 to $230 |
| M Hotel Singapore City Centre | $160 to $180 | $160 to $180 | $170 to $190 | $170 to $190 |
| Novotel Singapore On Stevens | $160 | $160 | $180 | $180 |
| Oasia Hotel Downtown | $190 | $190 | $210 | $210 |
| Oasia Hotel Novena, Singapore | $190 | $190 | $200 | $200 |
| Oasia Resort Sentosa | $240 | $240 | $240 | $240 |
| One°15 Marina Sentosa Cove | $170 to $230 | $170 to $230 | $170 to $240 | $170 to $230 |
| One Farrer Hotel | $170 | $170 | $200 | $180 |
| Orchard Hotel Singapore | $180 | $180 | $230 to $280 | $210 |
| Pan Pacific Orchard | $240 to $360 | $240 to $360 | $250 to $360 | $250 to $360 |
| Pan Pacific Singapore | $180 to $200 | $180 to $200 | $210 to $230 | $210 to $230 |
| Paradox Singapore Merchant Court | $160 to $210 | $160 to $210 | $200 to $230 | $200 to $230 |
| Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore | $200 | $200 | $230 | $230 |
| Parkroyal Collection Pickering | $230 | $230 | $260 | $230 |
| Parkroyal On Beach Road | $180 | $180 | $210 | $200 |
| Parkroyal On Kitchener Road | $160 | $160 | $170 | $170 |
| Peninsula.Excelsior Hotel | $180 | $180 | $190 | $190 |
| Raffles Hotel | $280 | $280 | $320 | $320 |
| Regent Singapore | $150 | $150 | $180 | $160 to $170 |
| Rendezvous Hotel Singapore At Bras Basah | $130 | $130 | $140 | $140 |
| Royal Plaza On Scotts | $170 to $190 | $170 to $180 | $170 to $190 | $170 to $190 |
| Shangri-la Hotel | $210 to $240 | $210 to $240 | $240 to $310 | $240 to $310 |
| Shangri-la Rasa Sentosa, Singapore | $240 to $280 | $240 to $280 | $250 to $300 | $250 to $300 |
| Sheraton Towers Singapore | $180 | $180 | $210 | $200 |
| Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel | $150 to $180 | $150 to $180 | $160 to $210 | $160 to $210 |
| Sofitel Singapore City Centre | $230 | $210 | $240 | $220 |
| Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa | $230 to $290 | $230 to $290 | $250 to $340 | $250 to $310 |
| The Barracks Hotel Sentosa | – | – | $340 | $340 |
| The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore | $250 | $250 | $290 | $290 |
| The Clifford Pier @ The Fullerton Bay Hotel | $360 | $360 | $360 | $360 |
| The Fullerton Hotel Singapore | $250 | $250 | $260 | $260 |
| The Outpost Hotel Sentosa | $240 | $240 | $240 | $240 |
| The Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore | $230 to $250 | $230 to $250 | $280 to $350 | $280 to $350 |
| The St. Regis Singapore | $250 to $260 | $250 to $260 | $290 to $310 | $290 to $310 |
| The Westin Singapore | $190 | $190 | $210 | $210 |
| Village Hotel Albert Court | $70 | $70 | $70 | $70 |
| Village Hotel Bugis | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 |
| Village Hotel Changi | $160 | $160 | $180 | $180 |
| Village Hotel Katong | $160 | $160 | $180 | $180 |
| Village Hotel Sentosa | – | – | $220 | $220 |
| Voco Orchard Singapore (former Hilton Hotel) | $160 | $160 | $190 | $170 |
| W Singapore Sentosa Cove | $220 to $250 | $220 to $250 | $260 to $280 | $240 to $250 |
| York Hotel | $130 to $190 | $130 to $190 | $130 to $190 | $130 to $190 |
The most expensive wedding ang bao rate is up to $410 per pax at Capella Singapore, followed by up to $360 at The Clifford Pier @ The Fullerton Bay Hotel. On the other end of the spectrum, the most affordable wedding ang bao rate is at Village Hotel Albert Court, where prices are only $70 per pax.
3. Wedding ang bao rates for Singapore restaurants and other venues (2023)
| Restaurant | Saturday Lunch | Sunday Lunch | Saturday Dinner | Sunday Dinner |
| 1-Altitude Coast | $190 | $190 | $280 | $250 |
| 1-Arden | $190 | $190 | $240 | $230 |
| 1-Atico | $210 | $210 | $260 | $250 |
| Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant | $80 to $130 | $80 to $130 | $80 to $130 | $80 to $130 |
| Aloft Singapore Novena | $160 | $160 | $180 | $180 |
| Art Di Daniele Sperindio | $180 to $250 | $180 to $250 | $180 to $250 | $180 to $250 |
| Artemis | $160 to $200 | $160 to $200 | $220 to $260 | $220 to $260 |
| Atlas Bar at Parkview Square | $160 | $160 | $160 | $160 |
| Ban Heng @ Orchid Country Club | $100 to $160 | $100 to $160 | $100 to $160 | $100 to $160 |
| Beaulieu House | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 |
| Botanico at the Garage | $180 | $180 | $220 | $200 |
| CHIJMES Hall Singapore | $220 to $260 | $210 to $250 | $220 to $260 | $210 to $250 |
| Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine | $110 to $210 | $110 to $210 | $110 to $210 | $110 to $210 |
| Claudine Restaurant | $280 to $470 | $280 to $470 | $280 to $470 | $280 to $470 |
| Empress at Asian Civilisations Museum | $120 to $180 | $120 to $180 | $120 to $180 | $120 to $180 |
| Faber Peak Singapore | $160 to $170 | $160 to $170 | $190 to $250 | $190 to $250 |
| Flutes at National Museum | $220 to $250 | $220 to $250 | $270 to $290 | $270 to $290 |
| Food for Thought at National Museum | $120 to $150 | $120 to $150 | $120 to $150 | $120 to $150 |
| Fu Lin Men (Chinese Swimming Club) | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 |
| Fu Lin Men (National Service Resort & Country Club) | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 |
| Fu Lin Men (Orchid Country Club) | $120 to $180 | $120 to $180 | $120 to $180 | $120 to $180 |
| Grand Shanghai | $180 to $240 | $180 to $240 | $180 to $240 | $180 to $240 |
| Haus217 | $160 to $240 | $160 to $240 | $160 to $240 | $160 to $240 |
| Hub & Spoke | $170 to $180 | $170 to $180 | $170 to $180 | $170 to $180 |
| Indocafe, The White House | $150 to $170 | $150 to $170 | $150 to $170 | $150 to $170 |
| Jade @ The Fullerton Hotel | $260 | $260 | $260 | $260 |
| Jewel Changi Airport | $260 to $300 | $260 to $300 | $260 to $300 | $260 to $300 |
| Lingzhi Vegetarian (Liat Towers) | $60 to $90 | $60 to $90 | $60 to $90 | $60 to $90 |
| Mandai Wildlife Reserve | $250 | $250 | $250 to $380 | $250 to $380 |
| Marguerite (Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay) | $480 to $840 | $480 to $840 | $480 to $840 | $480 to $840 |
| Min Jiang @ Dempsey | $180 to $210 | $180 to $210 | $180 to $210 | $180 to $210 |
| Monti at 1-Pavilion | $200 | $200 | $280 | $250 |
| National Kitchen by Violet Oon Singapore | $230 | $230 | $230 | $230 |
| Open Farm Community | $100 to $170 | $100 to $170 | $100 to $170 | $100 to $170 |
| Orchid Country Club | $130 to $140 | $130 to $140 | $140 to $150 | $130 to $140 |
| Oso Ristorante | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 | $120 to $190 |
| Panamericana, Sentosa Golf Club | $300 to $500++ | $300 to $500++ | $300 to $500++ | $300 to $500++ |
| Peach Garden @ OCBC Centre | $150 to $170 | $150 to $170 | $150 to $170 | $150 to $170 |
| Peach Garden @ The Heeren | $170 to $190 | $170 to $190 | $170 to $190 | $170 to $190 |
| Peach Garden @ The Metropolis | $140 to $150 | $140 to $150 | $140 to $150 | $140 to $150 |
| Peach Garden @ Thomson Plaza | $140 to $150 | $140 to $150 | $140 to $150 | $140 to $150 |
| Qian Xi Bliss Garden | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 |
| Qian Xi Bountiful Garden | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 |
| Qian Xi Eternal Garden | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $10 | $110 to $180 |
| Qian Xi Farrer Park | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $10 | $110 to $180 |
| Qian Xi Hilltop Garden | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 |
| Qian Xi Jubilee Garden | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 |
| Qian Xi Paya Lebar | $110 to $180 | $110 to $10 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 |
| Qian Xi Pearl Garden | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 |
| Qian Xi Summer Garden | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 | $110 to $180 |
| Raffles Marina | $150 to $160 | $150 to $160 | $150 to $160 | $150 to $160 |
| Red House Seafood | $170 to $240 | $170 to $240 | $170 to $240 | $170 to $240 |
| Resorts World Sentosa, Convention Centre | $220 to $230 | $220 to $230 | $230 to $240 | $220 to $240 |
| Resorts World Sentosa, S.E.A. Aquarium | N/A | N/A | $350 to $360 | $320 to $360 |
| Restaurant Espoir | $150 | $170 | $180 | $190 |
| Riviera | $150 to $250 | $150 to $250 | $150 to $250 | $150 to $250 |
| Seletar Country Club | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 |
| Sentosa Golf Club | $200 to $230 | $200 to $230 | $200 to $230 | $200 to $230 |
| Serangoon Gardens Country Club | $130 | $130 | $130 | $130 |
| Shisen Hanten | $240 | $240 | $280 | $280 |
| Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant (UOB Plaza) | $160 to $240 | $160 to $240 | $160 to $240 | $160 to $240 |
| Sky Garden Sentosa | $190 to $290 | $190 to $290 | $190 to $290 | $190 to $290 |
| Spring Court | $110 to $170 | $110 to $170 | $110 to $170 | $110 to $170 |
| Spruce at Phoenix Park | $110 to $170 | $110 to $170 | $110 to $170 | $110 to $170 |
| Tamarind Hill | $160 to $190 | $160 to $190 | $160 to $190 | $160 to $190 |
| The Alkaff Mansion | $190 | $190 | $220 | $210 |
| The Blue Ginger | $180 | $180 | $220 | $220 |
| The Chevrons @ Jurong East | $150 | $150 | $160 | $160 |
| The Cliff | $360 | $360 | $360 | $360 |
| The Joyden Hall | $150 | $150 | $180 | $180 |
| The Riverhouse | $180 | $180 | $210 | $200 |
| The Royal Albatross | $370 | $370 | $410 | $410 |
| The Summerhouse | $180 | $180 | $210 | $200 |
| The Villa At Singapore Botanic Gardens | $160 to $200 | $160 to $200 | $160 to $200 | $160 to $200 |
| The Westin Singapore | $190 | $190 | $210 | $210 |
| Timbre x S.E.A. | $250 | $250 | $250 | $250 |
| Tung Lok Heen | $180 to $230 | $180 to $230 | $180 to $230 | $180 to $230 |
| Tung Lok Seafood (Orchard Central) | $90 to $130 | $90 to $130 | $90 to $130 | $90 to $130 |
| Tung Lok Seafood (Park Regis Singapore) | $90 to $170 | $90 to $170 | $90 to $170 | $90 to $170 |
| Tung Lok Seafood (PLQ Mall) | $90 to $130 | $90 to $130 | $90 to $130 | $90 to $130 |
| Tung Lok Seafood (Upper Jurong) | $90 to $170 | $90 to $170 | $90 to $170 | $90 to $170 |
| Tung Lok Signatures, Antica Ballroom @ Orchard Rendezvous Hotel | $130 to $140 | $130 to $140 | $130 to $140 | $130 to $140 |
| Tung Lok Signatures (The Central) | $100 to $110 | $100 to $110 | $100 to $110 | $100 to $110 |
| Vineyard at Hort Park | $160 to $180 | $160 to $180 | $160 to $180 | $160 to $180 |
| Violet Oon Singapore at Jewel | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 |
| Voco Orchard Singapore | $160 | $160 | $190 | $170 |
For many restaurants, the prices are the same for both days, lunch and dinner. The exceptions are those mainly at country clubs and hotels. The most affordable option is $60 per pax at Lingzhi Vegetarian. On the other end of the spectrum, a wedding at the gorgeous seaside grill restaurant Panamericana costs $500++ per pax, if bride and groom book out the full venue. If the happy couple is happy with just booking the lawn area, it’ll cost $300++ per pax.
4. How much to give at Malay weddings?
While an appropriate contribution will vary according to the cost of the venue and how “atas” your friends are, traditional Malay weddings tend to be a bit more relaxed. However, don’t assume that wedding costs are low at HDB locations. Malay weddings are splendid affairs, and the venues are often adorned with beautiful decorations that can rack up $30,000 to $60,000 if they’re very elaborate.
Generally, a contribution of $50 to $100 is the minimum. Of course, on the other end of the scale, the sky is the limit if you are close to the couple.
5. How much to give at Indian weddings?
This depends on the venue and where the reception is being held. The standard format for an Indian wedding is for the actual wedding to take place at a temple, and a reception to be held later on at a hotel, function hall or restaurant.
You should generally budget for a contribution of at least $50 to $80 for receptions at temples and function halls.
If they’re held at high end hotels, you’ll have to give similar amounts to the rates quoted for wedding banquets above.
You should also add a $1 coin to your contribution, as offering a sum that ends in 1 is seen as auspicious.
6. How much to give at church weddings?
If the wedding is held at a church, there may or may not a follow-up lunch or dinner banquet at a hotel or restaurant. If there is no banquet, there will usually be some kind of reception on the church premises.
If the entire wedding takes place at the church, you can get away with contributing about $40 to $50.
If there is also a banquet, refer to the ang bao rates in the table above.
Share this article with blur friends who aren’t sure how much ang bao money to give at weddings.
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