Choosing & Budgeting Your Wedding Venue in Singapore

I think one of the most stressful things about a wedding is securing your ideal wedding venue. It's the biggest cost of all your wedding expenses, it needs to be done long in advanced and any mistake will cause you to lose thousands of dollars in deposit.
PARK HOTEL Clarke Quay - Poolside Ceremony venue

PARK HOTEL Clarke Quay - Van Kleef Room
At the start of the year, my significant other and I decided on Park Hotel Clarke Quay. I was in love with it... solemnisation in the sunset, and then dinner glassed indoors. We viewed the site twice, and it wasn't until like months after deciding on it that we realised we had too big a guestlist for this venue. It could only accomodate 60 in a western menu setting.
Thankfully we hadn't paid the deposit yet! But we still wasted a lot of time and effort. Lesson learnt. DO NOT start shortlisting wedding venues until you've decided approximately how many guests you're inviting.
RAFFLES HOTEL- East India Room
RAFFLES HOTEL - Lawn
So, draft out your guestlist together, and then start shortlisting venues that will accommodate this number comfortably. This needs to be done at least 9 months to a year in advance especially if you have chosen a popular wedding date or prefer popular wedding venues.
CHIJMES

FULLERTON Straits Room
What if your perfect venue exceeds your budget? First thing is, to be realistic- by how much does it exceed your budget? Can I find a way to pay for this excess comfortably?
Then ask yourself -How badly do we want it? Will I be resentful and regret for the rest of my life if I don’t get this location? 
This allows you to have a reality check as well as open your options to other choices available. 
Ask your wedding director about the deposit and when the balance is due. Usually, all the deposits can be paid using credit card, except for the last payment on the day itself.
MöVENPICK HERITAGE HOTEL
For example, a few months ago, we confirmed Mövenpick Heritage Hotel on Sentosa as our wedding venue. We paid the first deposit using the OCBC Cashflo card, so we enjoy interest free installments. The initial $3k deposit, has already been paid off at $1k a month for 3 months. 

We still have to pay another deposit on 26th October, the third deposit 1 month before the wedding, and the final remaining payment (in cash) on the day itself. We will definitely pay the next 2 deposits using the OCBC Cashflo card. It’s a good way to free up our cash flow now and chalk up bonus points and rebates at the same time.
Remember the OCBC Cashflo contest I ran on my blog last month where readers can comment on how they would use the OCBC Cashflo card to finance a wedding? Well, here are the lucky 5 winners with the best answers:

-          Sherlyn
-          Lynn
-          Juliana Woo
-          Rene Yap
-          Amy Dazzling Allure



Congratulations! You have each won $100 Robinsons Shopping vouchers ! You will be emailed shortly.

Comments

  1. Anonymous2:35 pm

    Aiya i didn't win :(

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  2. CeLesTina3:26 pm

    Hi Holy
    How many guests are you inviting?

    Are you able to share with us how much estimated is the cost for the wedding venue/dinner?

    Just wana know how much it may cost in order to start saving for my big day : p

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. Also my venue waived the corkage for alcohol. Important!! Otherwise u got to add like 15 -30 bucks corkage for every bottle u open and serve.

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  5. Anonymous9:33 am

    My 2cents worth opinion, from my own experience, i would advise you to book the venue you like and work according to the seats available... do remember not all guests you invited will turn up, some might not turn up even they have RSVP with you...

    Example you have 300 guests for 30 tables, always invite 320 guest as usually hotel will provide 2 reserved tables for you, they will only charge you if the table is open for extra guests, if not they do not charge you.. Do find out more from the sales executive when you visit the venue...

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  6. Solan Tiche3:25 pm

    Beautiful venue! I was looking for wedding venues in London. It's just as beautiful as this.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The first picture looks like a good place to hold long island weddings and events. Most couples are very creative when it comes to the place where they want to be married.

    ReplyDelete

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