Budget wedding tips for an affordable wedding in Singapore
Tying the knot ain’t cheap. Between the dress, venue, and floral arrangements, you’re looking at shelling out some pretty big bucks. On average, Singaporean couples reportedly spend between $30,000 and $50,000 on their big day.
But, before you go into panic mode, there are ways for you to shrink your wedding bills without forsaking your dreams of a fairytale wedding. Below are some tips to plan an affordable wedding in Singapore, crowdsourced from local brides and grooms who got hitched on a budget. Plus, we’ve also rounded up some attractive DBS wedding deals to help you save even more while still looking luxe and glam.
1. Opt for artificial flowers or DIY bouquets
Your decor doesn’t have to revolve around freshly cut flowers from the florists. Instead, opt for artificial flowers. They’re much cheaper than the fresh blooms, more environmentally friendly, and can be reused and repurposed in your BTO.
Compared to real flowers which will cost a small fortune and just wilt a few days post-wedding, you can cherish your artificial flowers as memorabilia for years to come. You can save even further by DIY-ing your bouquets and venue decor using fake flowers, moss, and vines, spruced up with some plastic beads and sparkly faux crystals.
2. Bulk buy wedding favours from Taobao
Ditch the dedicated retailers and bulk buy wedding favours from Taobao. Your guests likely won’t be able to tell the difference, and you’ll be saving hundreds of dollars on things like custom mugs and soap sets.
You now have a cost-efficient way to give your beloved wedding guests something to remember the day by. To maximise your savings, cart out on a Monday. This is because there’s a DBS/POSB Taobao Monday Deal where you can get a $5 discount with a minimum spend of $100. A dollar saved is a dollar earned!
Meanwhile, for couples who dread doing research and comparisons and want one less thing to worry about, most hotel wedding packages include complimentary wedding favours.
3. Check Carousell or bridal store clearances for your gown
For those who aren’t particularly pantang, check Carousell for wedding gowns. Since these dresses have only been worn once, they’re likely in great condition. If you prefer to sift through the offerings in person, research bridal stores that are having clearance sales, or head to lowkey boutiques in places like Far East Plaza. You might find wedding dresses, bridesmaids’ attire, and even tailored suits at a steal.
Apart from Carousell, sites like SHEIN also have plenty of affordable semi-formal dresses for your cocktail reception or pre-wedding photoshoot if you’re going for a more casual look. As part of the DBS/POSB SHEIN deal, you can save $6.50 when you spend a minimum of $65 using a DBS/POSB Card.
4. Use free photo editing apps for pre-wedding photos
Pre-wedding photos can be poignant, awe-inspiring, and beautifully edited with the use of free editing apps like Meitu. To stitch clips and create videos, deploy the help of apps like CapCut or Canva.
You can even shoot pre-wedding pics yourself or ask friends and family members who can capture decent shots. That way, you can stick to your tight budget and perhaps feel even more comfortable in the casual atmosphere of not posing in front of a stranger.
5. Hire junior or trainee vendors with minimal experience
This whimsical shot was taken by our talented colleague who has no formal training or experience in wedding photography!
Image credit: @thesmartlocalsg via Instagram
Wedding vendors are notoriously pricey. But if you can’t live without a professional photographer, videographer, and hair and makeup artist, consider hiring junior vendors. Trainee and junior vendors who are just starting out in the biz tend to charge a more wallet-friendly price than the more in-demand pros.
This could save you a couple of hundred dollars per vendor, which will add up significantly. Plus, they’ll be under the strict tutelage of the seniors in whatever firm they’re representing, so you don’t have to worry about any slipshod standards.
6. Send digital invites instead of paper wedding invitations
Image adapted from: Canva
Get crafty with free digital invites that will take at most 15 minutes of your time to design and send out. Not only can you ensure they won’t get lost in the mail, you can also save big on physical wedding invitations that your guests may misplace. Plus, you can make changes easily without having to reprint all the cards.
With sites like Canva that have free-to-use templates and a very intuitive interface, you won’t need any graphic design experience to crank out some atas-looking e-vites.
7. Browse wedding fairs & roadshows for discounts
Image credit: SingaporeBrides
Scour for discounts on everything from venues and vendors to entire wedding packages by browsing wedding fairs and roadshows. Events like Blissful One-stop Wedding Shows (BOWS) and Hitcheed are held regularly throughout the year and carry a great deal of wedding steals so you won’t wind up broke.
Plus, they’ll help you save money on things you won’t be able to DIY or skimp on, like photo booths and performers.
Tips to save on wedding planning in Singapore
Your big day shouldn’t be a financially stressful affair. In fact, saving money at this juncture means more funds to funnel into things like your honeymoon, babymoon, and big ticket items like a house. That’s why we’ve rounded up some DBS/POSB wedding deals to help you score significant savings for this momentous occasion.
– DBS/POSB wedding deals to save more on your big day –
Image credit: Eatbook
The most important factor of wedding planning might very well be the venue, and lovebirds can score hefty savings when booking their venue using a DBS/POSB Card. Find perks like free hotel suite stays, welcome drinks for guests, free-flow drinks and canapes, and live food stations.
From now till 31st December 2024:
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore
- $388++ off total bill
- Free-flow beer and wine throughout the event
- Additional 1-night stay in Bridal Suite with breakfast for 2 persons
- 100% waiver of corkage for hard liquor brought in
- Additional 10% car park coupons based on guaranteed attendance
- $1,968++ off total bill for wedding banquets
- Additional perks: Choice of 2 for lunch and choice of 3 for dinner
- Complimentary 200pcs of assorted canapes of chef’s choice
- Free flow of chilled juices for 4 hours
- Entourage buffet dinner for 6 persons at Ginger (voucher valid for 3 months from wedding date)
- Bento meal for helpers (up to 6 persons)
- Upgrade to free flow of draft beer for 4 hours
- Additional 1-night stay in the Deluxe Room with breakfast for 2
From now till 31st May 2025:
Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena
- Complimentary round of welcome cocktails for wedding guests
- Complimentary 2 bottles of prosecco, red or white wine with min. spend of $6,000
Paradox Singapore Merchant Court
- With a minimum confirmation of 20 tables, couples can select one of the following perks:
- Complimentary second night’s stay at the Bridal Room with breakfast for 2
- Live Food Station during pre-event reception for up to 100 guests (worth $800)
Additionally, here’s a glimpse of some sweet perks and savings couples get to enjoy on jewellery and watches. You can also opt to pay via instalments for these merchants and enjoy benefits like 0% interest and $0 processing fees:
From now till 31st December 2024:
- $100 off with min. spend of $1,000 on Diamonds & Gems
- Up to 50% + $100 off Star Promise diamonds with min. spend of $2,000
- 10% off workmanship on gold when you sign up as Goldheart member
- $100 off with $2,000 spend on Destinée, De Beers Forevermark, and Supernova series
- $100 off with $1,200 spend on diamonds and gems
- 30% off wedding bands
- 10% off workmanship on gold when you sign up as a LEE HWA member
- $400 off selected timepiece with 12 and 24-months DBS Instalment Payment Plans
Beyond the tips and tricks above, make sure you take full advantage of your DBS Altitude Card to earn miles for your honeymoon trip at the same time.
If you don’t have it yet, sign up for the DBS Altitude Card online by 30th September 2024 to score up to 35,000 miles. All you have to do is spend a minimum of $800 within 60 days, which will come naturally as you settle wedding prep.
There’s no need to give up on the fairytale-esque wedding you’ve always wanted, nor do you need to put such a dent in your bank account that you need to live on a cup noodle diet for months afterwards. Make use of our tips and DBS/POSB’s wedding deals to rack up big savings throughout your wedding planning journey.
Save on your wedding with DBS/POSB
This post was brought to you by DBS.