Let’s be honest, weddings in Singapore can be an expensive affair. Unless you and your partner have agreed to have a simple solemnisation at the ROM building itself, many of us tend to hold our solemnisations at an external venue, followed by a lunch or dinner reception for our family and friends.
The cost of booking these venues, coupled with the wedding outfits, wedding favours, photography and others can snowball into a huge sum. To avoid the stress of going into financial debt and potential arguments, we show you 10 ways on how you can stay within your budget and still have the wedding of your dreams.
1. Set a Reasonable Budget
In order to stay within the budget, you must first work out a reasonable amount! When it comes to budget planning, always remember that every couple is different and you don’t necessarily have to budget a specific amount just because someone else did.
An important factor to take into consideration would be you and your partner’s monthly income and your other financial commitments such as bills, insurance and maybe even your parents’ allowance. With this in mind, you should be able to roughly gauge how much you both are willing to spend on the wedding and makes saving up for it much easier.
Image Credit: Loveinstills
2. Create a Joint Account
Once the both of you have worked out and agreed on how much you should each save per month (it doesn’t always have to be 50/50 either - it could be 10% of each of your monthly salary), put these savings into a joint account so you would both be able to keep track of the expenses.
Purchases made for the wedding should only be deducted from this account so you can ensure that you do not exceed the set budget. After all, if you spend $10 here and there from your own personal savings, these costs can add up and you may find yourself exceeding the budget eventually!
Image Credit: A Merry Moment
3. Make a List of What You Really Want
Here’s a scenario: you announce your engagement to your family and suddenly all you’re hearing is how you just have to invite that cousin of a cousin and how you have to hold it at a 5-star hotel because another family member did it. Sound familiar?
While it’s important to respect your family’s traditions and culture, your wedding day is yours. If you would prefer having your solemnisation at an outdoor cafe instead of a 5-star hotel, go for it! Once you and your partner have made a list of what you both really want, it’s easier to keep within the budget as you need not overspend just to please others.
Image Credit: Bottled Groove Photography
4. Avoid Popular Dates
While it can be very tempting to get married on popular dates like 12/12/2021 or 02/02/2022, bear in mind that as the demand goes up, so do the costs.
If you would still like to get hitched on these dates, consider opting for a lunch reception instead of a dinner where you’ll still be able to keep the costs low and stay within your budget.
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5. Rent Your Dress or Suit
Ah yes, the dress. Although every girl dreams of having their perfect dress made exactly to their liking, the costs for creating your very own wedding gown can be quite high.
Instead of customising your gown, try renting your dress and suit from bridal studios for your big day. Apart from having plenty of designs to choose from, you’ll also be advised by professionals who have the same goal as you - to ensure that you look as beautiful as possible. These studios will also have a team of seamstresses of their own to help alter the dress to fit you like a charm.
The packages offered include suits as well. Alternatively, there are plenty of suit shops that offer suit rentals too (a big win, especially if your partner knows that he’s never going to reuse the suit ever again!)
Image Credit: Natalie Wong Photography
6. DIY What You Can
From wedding invitations to the decor on your reception table, DIY-ing items like these can help save you quite a fair bit! Opt for e-invites instead, especially if your family and friends are tech-savvy and do not require a physical invitation card (it also will spare them the feeling of guilt if they end up throwing the card away).
Image Credit: Chris Chang Photography
7. Consider Other Venues
Another way to stay within your budget would be to take a look at your wedding venue. Venues tend to be the bulk of the expenses and if you can, be open to exploring different venues and not just stick to a specific type. While certain venues require a minimum number of tables or guests, you’ll be surprised to find that some places only need you to spend a certain amount.
This leaves you with the flexibility to decide on a maximum amount for yourself as you are in control of how much you intend to spend. As a bonus, you can also consider a venue where its decor suits your aesthetic preferences - you’ll also be saving on any additional styling!
Image Credit: Present On Pixels
8. Get Your Close Friends To Help
Instead of spending on a wedding planner, now’s the perfect time to make full use of your friends’ skills and talents! Get your friends to help with any DIY projects you have in mind and assign them different roles on your big day to ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible. As they want the best for you, you can be assured that they will do their best.
Image Credit: Knotties Frame
9. Take It Online
Gone are the days where you would have to visit shops physically to get what you need. With the online world at your fingertips, there’s plenty of options for you to choose from when it comes to the nitty-gritty items for your wedding. What’s more, as some of these items come directly from the warehouse overseas, they tend to be cheaper in price as well.
Image Credit: Dapper Pictures
10. Be On the Lookout for Promotions
Don’t be in a rush to purchase from the first shop you’ve visited! Start your wedding planning early so you can make full use of the different promotions that wedding vendors offer. Whether you’re on the lookout for photographers, venues or decor, do remember to visit as many shops as possible or stay updated with the latest promotions here on Hitcheed.
For more wedding inspirations, read our story about the Best Unique Wedding Hotspots to Host Your Big Day or How to Make Your Bridal Makeup Last Under Your Mask