It\u2019s also not always the saving it seems. A smaller wedding can cost more per guest than a bigger one, and a venue with a low starting price can end up costing more once you\u2019ve added everything it didn\u2019t include. So instead of asking which wedding is cheapest, it\u2019s more useful to ask which one makes sense for you. That depends on how each format charges, what it includes and who you need in the room.<\/p>
Before you compare anything, remember that nearly every Singapore venue quotes prices with \u201c++\u201d, a 10% service charge plus 9% GST (as of publication date). Together they add almost 20%, so make sure you’re comparing the same things. Check out our Wedding Banquet Price List<\/a> and Intimate Wedding Venues Price List<\/a>.<\/i><\/p> In 2026, a table of ten costs about $1,200 to $2,000++ at a four-star hotel and $1,400 to $3,000++ at a five-star, with luxury and heritage hotels going past $4,500++. A Saturday dinner sits at the top of each range. A weekday lunch can cost noticeably less.<\/p> Ballrooms have a reputation as the expensive option, but that comes mostly from the size of the final bill rather than from poor value. The per-table price usually covers much of what a wedding needs: the meal, drinks, floral d\u00e9cor, lighting and sound, a full banquet team, and often a night in the bridal suite. When you compare the full package with a venue that charges for each of those separately, the ballroom\u2019s cost per guest often holds up well.<\/p> Then there\u2019s ang bao<\/a>, which is part of wedding maths here whether or not we say so. Guests usually match their gift to the venue, so a five-star ballroom typically brings in more per guest than a restaurant. No couple should plan a wedding around what guests give, but it helps explain why many large ballroom weddings come close to covering their costs.<\/p> For many families, though, the decision isn\u2019t mainly about money. A tea ceremony followed by a 10-course dinner for three generations, a guest list that includes your parents\u2019 oldest friends, a march-in your grandmother has waited years to see: a ballroom is built for exactly that. Choosing one is a practical decision, not an indulgent one.<\/p> Expect about $120 to $270++ per guest. For exclusive use, minimum spends run from around $4,000 at smaller, more casual spaces to well over $30,000 for a premium dining room on a weekend night.<\/p> The restaurant wedding suits couples who care about food and setting: a heritage shophouse, a garden terrace, a chef whose tasting menu you\u2019d book anyway. With 50 to 150 guests, it can feel more personal than a ballroom and more of an occasion than a small lunch.<\/p> There are two things to look out for. Firstly, restaurants rarely include anything besides food. Flowers, a sound system, extra furniture and often alcohol are your responsibility, and those costs add up quickly. Secondly, a minimum spend doesn\u2019t shrink when guests drop out. If you book a $15,000 minimum and 60 people say yes, you still pay $15,000. Choose a venue based on the headcount you\u2019re confident of, not the one you\u2019re hoping for.<\/p> A solemnisation and lunch for about 30 guests typically costs $5,000 to $12,000 in total. It\u2019s the lowest bill of the three formats, and it leaves the most room to spend on what matters most to you, whether that\u2019s a photographer, a couture gown or a longer honeymoon.<\/p> You also get time. You can have a real conversation with everyone there, the day moves more slowly, and you have more say over the details than in any other format.<\/p> What\u2019s harder to plan for is the reaction. Fewer guests means fewer ang baos, and some couples find that a quiet ROM may sometimes be followed by a family request for \u201ca proper dinner\u201d later, which turns one event into two. Talk it through with your parents early, and your budget will be more accurate for it.<\/p>![\"JW](\"https:\/\/cdn.singaporebrides.com\/2023\/03\/jw-marriott-singapore-south-beach-wedding-10.jpg\")
Image from Priscilla and Lewis’s Magical Snowy Wedding at JW Marriott South Beach<\/a> by Studio Five Weddings<\/a><\/i>How much does a hotel ballroom wedding cost in Singapore?<\/h3>
![\"wedding](\"https:\/\/cdn.singaporebrides.com\/2023\/02\/Michelle-and-Juen-Heartwarming-Wedding-at-1-Arden-78.jpg\")
Image from Michelle and Juen’s Heartwarming Wedding at 1-Arden<\/a> by Leslie Photography<\/a><\/i>How much does a restaurant wedding cost?<\/h3>
![\"Solemnisation](\"https:\/\/cdn.singaporebrides.com\/2023\/08\/Sean-Tabitha-Wedding-Day-300.jpg\")
Image from Tabitha and Sean’s White Wedding at Raffles Hotel Singapore and Min Jiang @ Dempsey<\/a> by Smittenpixels Photography<\/a><\/i>How much does an intimate wedding cost?<\/h3>
A Comparison Chart<\/h3>