With more and more young couples opting for unconventional wedding venues, how then do we know how much to bao?

Well, unlike the usual hotel banquet or Chinese restaurants where you’ll be able to find the rates with a simple google search, wedding held in places like function halls and western restaurants are a whole different ballgame. Here are some things you NEED to take into consideration when bao-ing your angpao.

Function hall or event space

Here’s the list of costs that you should take into consideration for a reception at a venue space or maybe in the function hall after a church ceremony. Assuming a guest list of 80:

Items Cost
Venue Rental $2,000
Buffet and Catering $50/guest (may be as high as $80/guest)
Wedding Decoration $3,000-5,000
Other Wedding Miscellaneous (photobooth, dessert table etc) $2,000
TOTAL $11,000 ($137.50/guest)

From the calculation above, it’s safe to bao $100-$150.

Of course, this is just a general guide. It’s really important to know from the bride and groom what they plan to do. If they plan to build tents with built in air-conditioning then the prices will be even higher ($150-$200/guest). But if it’s a simple multipurpose hall with a simple buffet, or an outdoors type with no A/C, then the prices will be much lower.

Chic Café

This one will be definitely quite tricky because every café has their own packages. Some cafes are more atas than other, and some require a minimum spending in order to book out the entire venue and host the wedding. On top of that, most cafes do not provide decoration services so this means the couple will have to fork out extra for the venue decoration. A simple one will cost around $1,500 for the entire venue, while a customised one will cost $3,500 and upwards. On average, it is safe to say that the minimum amount to bao for cafes are between $120-$150/guest. Again, this is completely the couple’s discretion on what sort of menu they choose for the wedding. Plated food is usually more expensive than a buffet spread. So always double check before you slip those dollars into the red packet!

Western Restaurants

In recent days, western restaurants are opening up to welcome more and more couples to host weddings at the venue. And that is good because you’ll be able to find their wedding package prices online! Not all of them, but at least it’s something! Take note though, some of them are actually Michelin restaurants so those will definitely cost A LOT more. Be prepared to fork out $200-$250 for those venues. But for the rest, expect around $150-$180/guest.