With the high inflation levels we’re seeing, how would wedding ang bao rates be affected? Here’s your guide to how much to give in your wedding ang bao, based on wedding banquet prices.
If you’ve been invited to a wedding in 2024, you may be wondering how much wedding ang bao rates have risen, given the high inflation we’ve been seeing so far.
Indeed, wedding banquets in Singapore are slated to see price hikes of around 10% to 20% next year, due to a lack of labour, and elevated food prices caused by high inflation, which may mean having to stuff in a few more notes.
To help you properly prepare, here’s a guide on how much to include in your wedding ang baos.
Note that these figures are taken from online sources and are subject to change without prior notice. When in doubt, a quick check with the wedding venue might be in order.
Table of contents
- Wedding ang bao rates for 2024 – How much to give?
- Recommended wedding ang bao rates for hotels
- Recommended wedding ang bao rates for restaurants and other venues
- Must I stick to these ang bao rates?
- What if I have a special relationship with the couple?
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Wedding ang bao rates for 2024 – How much to give?
Wedding ang bao rates for Chinese weddings
Chinese weddings are typically held in hotels or restaurants, so it is customary to base your wedding red packets on the venue of the wedding banquet.
This means you can estimate your rate based on the hotel or restaurant where the banquet will be held. We’ve included some of these for your reference later in the article.
Typically, Saturday dinner wedding banquets are the most costly, so you’ll want to stick to the upper end of the recommended amounts.
The same goes for public holidays, public holiday eves and dates considered auspicious, as the venue may pose a surcharge. Lunches and weekday banquets may warrant a slightly smaller ang bao, but you’ll want to keep your reduction to a minimum.
Wedding ang bao rates for Malay and Indian weddings
Malay weddings are traditionally held in HDB void decks, and Indian weddings may take place in temples. These venues will, of course, help the wedding couple avoid the hefty costs of a wedding banquet, which means there’s more leeway when it comes to your wedding cash gift.
Still, that’s no excuse to skimp out and be a cheapskate. An ang pow of between S$80 to S$100 is likely to be acceptable.
However, increasingly, Malay and Indian families are choosing to hold their weddings at restaurants and hotels, with a banquet for friends and family. Thus, you should increase the amount in your ang bao accordingly, in line with the cost of your table.
For instance, Raffles Marina’s Indian Wedding Package has a price range of between S$120 and S$130 per pax, and that before taxes. You’d want to give perhaps S$160 to S$180, in this scenario.
Recommended wedding ang bao rates for hotels
The following list of 25 hotels is in no way exhaustive. Rather, the purpose is to illustrate the range of ang bao rates according along the spectrum from luxury hotels to three-star establishments.
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The Clifford Pier @ The Fullerton Bay Hotel |
Weekday lunch: S$370 to S$370 Weekday dinner: S$370 to S$370 Weekend lunch: S$370 to S$370 Weekend dinner: S$370 to S$370 |
|
Capella Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$280 to S$410 Weekday dinner: S$290 to S$410 Weekend lunch: S$280 to S$410 Weekend dinner: S$290 to S$410 |
|
The Raffles Hotel |
Weekday lunch: S$290 to S$290 Weekday dinner: S$290 to S$290 Weekend lunch: S$290 to S$290 Weekend dinner: S$340 to S$340 |
|
Ritz Carlton, Millennia Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$250 to S$280 Weekday dinner: S$290 to S$360 Weekend lunch: S$250 to S$280 Weekend dinner: S$290 to S$360 |
|
Pan Pacific Orchard |
Weekday lunch: S$230 to S$360 Weekday dinner: S$230 to S$360 Weekend lunch: S$240 to S$360 Weekend dinner: S$260 to S$360 |
|
W Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$240 to S$280 Weekday dinner: S$270 to S$280 Weekend lunch: S$240 to S$280 Weekend dinner: S$270 to S$300 |
|
Andaz Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$270 to S$270 Weekday dinner: S$290 to S$290 Weekend lunch: S$270 to S$270 Weekend dinner: S$290 to S$290 |
|
Shangri-La Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$210 to S$240 Weekday dinner: S$240 to S$320 Weekend lunch: S$240 to S$320 Weekend dinner: S$290 to S$290 |
|
Orchard Hotel |
Weekday lunch: S$180 to S$180 Weekday dinner: S$220 to S$220 Weekend lunch: S$200 to S$200 Weekend dinner: S$230 to S$280 |
|
Sheraton Towers Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$220 to S$220 Weekday dinner: S$220 to S$250 Weekend lunch: S$220 to S$220 Weekend dinner: S$250 to S$250 |
|
Grand Hyatt Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$210 to S$210 Weekday dinner: S$220 to S$220 Weekend lunch: S$210 to S$210 Weekend dinner: S$230 to S$240 |
|
Marina Bay Sands |
Weekday lunch: S$290 to S$290 Weekday dinner: S$350 to S$350 Weekend lunch: S$290 to S$290 Weekend dinner: S$350 to S$350 |
|
Parkroyal on Beach Road |
Weekday lunch: S$180 to S$180 Weekday dinner: S$180 to S$180 Weekend lunch: S$210 to S$210 Weekend dinner: S$200 to S$240 |
|
Paradox Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$170 to S$230 Weekday dinner: S$170 to S$260 Weekend lunch: S$170 to S$230 Weekend dinner: S$200 to S$260 |
|
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel |
Weekday lunch: S$170 to S$190 Weekday dinner: S$170 to S$190 Weekend lunch: S$170 to S$190 Weekend dinner: S$200 to S$230 |
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Oasia Hotel Downtown |
Weekday lunch: S$190 to S$190 Weekday dinner: S$210 to S$210 Weekend lunch: S$190 to S$190 Weekend dinner: S$210 to S$210 |
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Hotel Fort Canning |
Weekday lunch: S$180 to S$190 Weekday dinner: S$210 to S$220 Weekend lunch: S$180 to S$190 Weekend dinner: S$210 to S$220 |
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M Hotel Singapore City Centre |
Weekday lunch: S$160 to S$170 Weekday dinner: S$170 to S$180 Weekend lunch: S$170 to S$200 Weekend dinner: S$180 to S$210 |
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Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre |
Weekday lunch: S$170 to S$170 Weekday dinner: S$170 to S$170 Weekend lunch: S$170 to S$170 Weekend dinner: S$170 to S$200 |
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Grand Park City Hall |
Weekday lunch: S$180 to S$210 Weekday dinner: S$180 to S$210 Weekend lunch: S$180 to S$210 Weekend dinner: S$180 to S$210 |
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Mercure Singapore Bugis |
Weekday lunch: S$150 to S$220 Weekday dinner: S$150 to S$230 Weekend lunch: S$160 to S$220 Weekend dinner: S$160 to S$230 |
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Amara Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$170 to S$180 Weekday dinner: S$180 to S$180 Weekend lunch: S$170 to S$180 Weekend dinner: S$180 to S$200 |
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Village Hotel Changi/Katong |
Weekday lunch: S$180 to S$180 Weekday dinner: S$190 to S$190 Weekend lunch: S$180 to S$180 Weekend dinner: S$190 to S$190 |
|
Carlton Hotel Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$150 to S$190 Weekday dinner: S$180 to S$190 Weekend lunch: S$150 to S$190 Weekend dinner: S$180 to S$190 |
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Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium |
Weekday lunch: S$150 to S$150 Weekday dinner: S$150 to S$150 Weekend lunch: S$150 to S$150 Weekend dinner: S$170 to S$170 |
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Furama Riverfront, Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$140 to S$160 Weekday dinner: S$160 to S$170 Weekend lunch: S$140 to S$160 Weekend dinner: S$160 to S$170 |
Recommended wedding ang bao rates for restaurants and other venues
Similarly, we’ve picked the following 15 restaurants and other wedding venues as a representation of the range of ang bao rates you may expect, from premium locations to popular restaurants.
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Marguerite (Gardens by the Bay) |
Weekday lunch: S$480 to S$720 Weekday dinner: S$480 to S$720 Weekend lunch: S$480 to S$840 Weekend dinner: S$480 to S$840 |
|
The Royal Albatross (Ship berthed at Harbourfront Centre) |
Weekday lunch: S$370 to S$410 Weekday dinner: S$370 to S$410 Weekend lunch: S$370 to S$410 Weekend dinner: S$370 to S$410 |
|
Claudine Restaurant |
Weekday lunch: S$280 to S$470 Weekday dinner: S$280 to S$470 Weekend lunch: S$280 to S$470 Weekend dinner: S$280 to S$470 |
|
S.E.A Aquarium (Resorts World Sentosa) |
Weekday dinner: S$330 to S$360 Weekend dinner: S$350 to S$360 |
|
Mandai Wildlife Reserve |
Weekday lunch: S$250 to S$250 Weekday dinner: S$250 to S$290 Weekend lunch: S$250 to S$450 Weekend dinner: S$250 to S$290 |
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Jewel Changi Airport |
Weekday lunch: S$270 to S$300 Weekday dinner: S$270 to S$300 Weekend lunch: S$270 to S$300 Weekend dinner: S$270 to S$300 |
|
Flutes at National Museum |
Weekday lunch: S$220 to S$250 Weekday dinner: S$270 to S$290 Weekend lunch: S$220 to S$250 Weekend dinner: S$270 to S$290 |
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Monti at 1-Pavilion |
Weekend lunch: S$200 to S$200 Weekend dinner: S$250 to S$280 |
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Chijmes Singapore |
Weekday lunch: S$200 to S$210 Weekday dinner: S$210 to S$230 Weekend lunch: S$210 to S$240 Weekend dinner: S$220 to S$270 |
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Red House Seafood |
Weekday lunch: S$210 to S$280 Weekday dinner: S$210 to S$280 Weekend lunch: S$210 to S$280 Weekend dinner: S$210 to S$280 |
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Artemis (CapitaGreen rooftop) |
Weekday lunch: S$160 to S$200 Weekday dinner: S$220 to S$260 Weekend lunch: S$160 to S$200 Weekend dinner: S$220 to S$260 |
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Qian Xi |
Weekday lunch: S$110 to S$180 Weekday dinner: S$110 to S$180 Weekend lunch: S$110 to S$180 Weekend dinner: S$110 to S$180 |
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Tung Lok Seafood |
Weekday lunch: S$90 to S$170 Weekday dinner: S$90 to S$170 Weekend lunch: S$90 to S$170 Weekend dinner: S$90 to S$170 |
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Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant |
Weekday lunch: S$80 to S$130 Weekday dinner: S$80 to S$130 Weekend lunch: S$80 to S$130 Weekend dinner: S$80 to S$130 |
|
Lingzhi Vegetarian (Liat Towers) |
Weekday lunch: S$60 to S$90 Weekday dinner: S$60 to S$90 Weekend lunch: S$60 to S$90 Weekend dinner: S$60 to S$90 |
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Must I stick to these ang bao rates?
Now, keep in mind the rates stated above are meant to be just a guide, and prices can change without prior notice.
Also, it can be difficult to drill down to an exact amount to give, as some hotels offer a variety of menus with different price points. Plus, your ang bao is meant to be a token of your well wishes, and not strictly to pay for your dinner. All these make deciding on your ang bao amount more of a guessing game than any exact science.
At the end of the day, it boils down to how close you are to the wedding couple, and whether you feel you need to be there to celebrate their big day with them.
Even then, if your budget simply doesn't allow you to pay your fair share (or if you don’t believe in paying several hundred dollars for – in all honesty – an above-average meal, at best), it’s perfectly ok to decline the invitation and send a gift instead.
What if I have a special relationship with the couple?
For best friends, cousins that grew up together, close relatives and family members, mentors, and others considered to have a VIP status, some may expect them to give a larger ang bao.
But is that fair? And what’s the justification for that? Are they going to be served the full menu, while the rest of the guests are only getting half of the dishes?
There isn’t – and shouldn’t be – a special rate or XX% multiplier just because you have a special relationship with the couple.
Having said that, if you care for the wedding couple, you probably already feel compelled to give a larger ang bao. This will likely put you in excess of the “recommended rates” in the majority of cases.
Ultimately, wedding ang bao rates are just a guide, and what really matters is coming together to celebrate love and a new beginning. Go to the banquet with an idea of how much your ”fair share” should be, but give as much as you feel is right.
Read these next:
Wedding Banquet Price List in 2024: How Much Do Wedding Banquet Packages Cost?
Best Credit Cards To Use For Wedding Expenses
Destination Wedding Checklist – How Travel Insurance Can Help
Wedding Loans: How Do They Work And Should You Get One?
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