Wedding Budget Breakdown: How Much to Set Aside for Each Vendor Category

Your banquet bill will eat 40 to 60 percent of your total wedding budget. That one fact should drive every other spending decision you make. Everything else, photography, florals, cars, cake, is secondary. Get the guest count and venue tier locked in first, then allocate the remainder across categories. The figures below are all nett, meaning they already include Singapore's 9% GST and 10% service charge, so what you see is what you pay.

Why guest count is the only number that really matters

A 200-guest hotel ballroom wedding costs roughly S$78,200 all in. An 80-guest restaurant wedding costs about S$22,600. The difference is almost entirely driven by the banquet. Every extra table you add at a mid-range hotel runs S$1,800 to S$2,400 nett on a Saturday evening.

If your budget is tight, trim the guest list before you cut the photographer. Removing two tables saves S$3,600 to S$4,800. Switching from a Saturday dinner to a Sunday lunch saves another S$100 to S$200 per table.

The "++" trap that inflates your quote

Many hotel banquet quotes are shown as S$1,500++ per table. The "++" means GST and service charge are added on top, which works out to roughly 20% more. That S$1,500++ table is actually about S$1,785 nett. Across 20 tables, that is roughly S$5,700 more than you budgeted. Always ask for the nett price before signing anything.

How much to set aside for each category

Banquet (F&B and venue)

This is 40 to 60% of your total spend. Budget tier hotel tables run S$600 to S$1,700 nett per table of 10. Mid-range sits at S$1,800 to S$2,400, premium at S$2,500 to S$3,100, and luxury at S$3,300 to S$4,700. Restaurant and external caterer tables can go as low as S$400 to S$700. Halal buffet caterers typically price at S$25 to S$45 per person.

Browse venues on Delegate to compare nett pricing side by side.

Photography and videography

Actual-day photography runs S$1,500 to S$6,000 and above. Videography is in a similar range. The most cost-efficient option is a combined photo and video package, which starts from around S$2,000. A pre-wedding shoot adds S$600 to S$3,500 on top of that.

Bridal attire and accessories

Gown rental runs S$500 to S$3,000. A custom gown can reach S$10,000. A full bridal package, covering gowns, suits, makeup, and hair across multiple looks, typically costs S$2,000 to S$8,000 and above. Hair and makeup alone for two looks costs S$600 to S$4,000 depending on the artist.

Florals and decor

Budget S$800 to S$10,000 and above for florals and decor overall. A bridal bouquet alone is S$150 to S$400. How far you stretch this category depends heavily on whether your venue provides any decor as part of a package.

Entertainment and emcee

A live band or emcee costs S$800 to S$4,000 and above. A bilingual English and Mandarin emcee is standard for Chinese banquets. This is one category you can skip or scale back without guests noticing much.

Wedding cake

Expect to spend S$200 to S$1,000 and above. Hotel packages often include a display cake, so check before booking a separate vendor.

Invitations, ang bao packets, and favours

Invitations and ang bao packets typically cost S$300 to S$2,000 and above. Favours run S$3 to S$10 per guest, which adds up quickly at 200 guests.

Wedding bands

A pair of wedding rings costs S$1,000 to S$6,000 and above depending on metal and stone choices.

Transport

Wedding cars run S$400 to S$3,000. This is a skippable category if you need to trim.

Day-of coordination

A day-of coordinator costs S$1,500 to S$3,000. Full-service planning costs more. If you are managing multiple vendors without help, this is one of the higher-value investments you can make.

Solemnisation fees

The Registry of Marriage (ROM) solemnisation fee is S$42 for Singapore citizens and permanent residents. If one party is a non-resident, the fee is S$380. Always confirm current fees directly with ROM before budgeting, as official rates may be updated.

Costs that get forgotten

Dowry or pin jin, a traditional Chinese custom, can run from nothing to S$5,000 and above. It is frequently left out of initial budgets. Your honeymoon is a separate line item entirely, typically S$3,000 to S$15,000 and above, and should not compete with your wedding-day spend.

How to use the three benchmark budgets

These all-in figures include a 10% contingency and are a useful starting reference:

• Intimate, 80 guests, restaurant: about S$22,600 total, roughly S$280 per guest.
• Mid-range, 200 guests, hotel ballroom: about S$78,200 total, roughly S$390 per guest.
• Grand, 300 guests, five-star hotel: about S$167,500 total, roughly S$560 per guest.

If your per-guest number is significantly below these, something is probably being undercounted.

Always build in a contingency

Set aside 10% of your total budget before you start allocating to vendors. Costs overrun. Vendors add on extras. A forgotten item appears. The contingency is not optional.

You can track your full budget and vendor shortlist using Wedding Desk, which keeps all your quotes and categories in one place.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest single cost at a Singapore wedding? The banquet, meaning food, beverages, and venue hire combined, is 40 to 60% of total wedding spend at a Singapore wedding. For a 200-guest mid-range hotel event, this works out to roughly S$44,000 of an S$78,200 total budget. Reducing your guest count is the fastest way to lower this figure.

How much should I budget per guest for a Singapore wedding? A useful benchmark: roughly S$280 per guest for an intimate restaurant wedding, S$390 per guest for a mid-range hotel ballroom, and S$560 per guest for a five-star venue. These figures are all-in and nett, covering banquet, photography, decor, attire, and all other vendor categories.

What does "++" mean on a Singapore hotel banquet quote? "++" means the listed price excludes GST (9%) and service charge (10%), adding roughly 20% to the headline figure. A table quoted at S$1,500++ actually costs about S$1,785 nett. Across 20 tables, that gap is roughly S$5,700. Always request the nett price before comparing venues or signing a contract.

Can I have a wedding for under S$30,000 in Singapore? Yes. An 80-guest restaurant wedding costs around S$22,600 all in based on 2026 benchmarks. Keeping the guest list below 100, choosing a restaurant or external caterer over a hotel ballroom, and opting for a combined photo and video package are the three biggest levers for staying under S$30,000.

Do I need a wedding coordinator if I am already using a venue coordinator? A venue coordinator manages the venue's staff and logistics on the day. They do not manage your external vendors, your timeline, or your family. A day-of coordinator costs S$1,500 to S$3,000 and acts solely in your interest, chasing photographers, cueing the emcee, and solving problems you should not have to deal with on your wedding day. If you have more than five external vendors, a coordinator is worth serious consideration.