Before booking the hotel, you have to save up for it. This does not include the payments for the other things like traditional gifts, printing of wedding cards, wedding photos package, new shoes to go with the wedding gown, booking of ROM package for a different date and many others.

The amount to be saved depends on the number of tables you have estimated to have, location of the wedding dinner, the hotel package, the bottles of wine and beer you think you can afford in addition to the dinner. The budget has to be planned carefully so that you will be able to cover at least 90% of the cost in case the red packets (ang bao, 红包) are not enough to cover.

Depending on your preference, the hotel package should be what you want such as the house wine, bridal suite, complimentary carpark (if applicable), stage setup the way you like, discounts for guests who may book a room for the night.

In order to save up for the hotel package, both of you should work out a plan that involves not taking any of the money out for any circumstances other than for the wedding. This bank account should not have any ATM card to go with it to prevent withdrawing money accidentally. If there is an urgent need to use that money besides for the hotel, the same amount of money must be replaced at a date no later than the actual wedding dinner date.

For better interest rate and to reduce the urge to use the money, consider taking up an account with NTUC Thrift. The current interest rate is at 2%. So, the more money you put in, the faster it’ll grow. By the end of one year, the money you have put inside should be enough to cover the wedding dinner’s expenses.

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