Were you part of the 30 million people who tuned in to the Royal Wedding’s broadcast?
Oh yes, *reality check* we are a personal finance blog, what does the Royal Wedding got to do with personal finance? Before we get to that, here is a really short summary.
The Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
- Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
- Held on 19 May 2018
- Took place at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle
- 600 guests were in attendance
For such an extravagant event, for sure it comes with an exorbitantĀ price tag.
TL;DR – 1 Royal Wedding can fund 1,892 weddings in Singapore
- (Promise it isn’t long at all) The Royal Wedding’s budget is S$58 million
- With the same budget, it is able to fund 1,892 typical weddings in Singapore
- and also fund 3,460 not-so-typical weddings in Singapore
Here are the Expenses Involved in the Royal Wedding:
| BREAKDOWN | IN GBP (Ā£) | IN SGD (S$) |
|---|---|---|
| Security | 30,000,000 | 53,949,693 |
| Venue | 350,000 | 629,413 |
| Bride's Gown | 300,000 | 539,497 |
| Music | 300,000 | 539,497 |
| Catering | 286,000 | 514,320 |
| Drinks | 193,000 | 347,076 |
| Decoration and Production | 130,000 | 233,822 |
| Honeymoon | 120,000 | 215,835 |
| Floristry | 110,000 | 197,816 |
| Trumpets | 90,000 | 161,877 |
| Entertainment | 55,000 | 98,925 |
| Cake | 50,000 | 8,9916 |
| Toilets | 35,000 | 62,952 |
| Stationary | 20,000 | 35,973 |
| Photography and Videography | 17,000 | 30,579 |
| Hair and Makeup | 10,000 | 17,988 |
| Groomswear | 8,000 | 14,390 |
| Wedding Rings | 6,000 | 10,794 |
| Bridesmaids Outfits | 5,000 | 8,995 |
| Wedding Favours | 3,000 | 5,397 |
| Flower Girls and Page Boys Outfits | 1,698 | 3,055 |
| Church Fees | 175 | 315 |
| Transport | FREE | |
| TOTAL | 32,089,873 | 57,708,125 |
Source: Bride Book
S$58 million on The Royal Wedding?!
That really is a lot of money involved in the Royal Wedding, and of course, the main bulk of it goes to security, that goes without saying. It was reported thatĀ S$1.8 million was used for Operation “Drone Destroyer“, where they deactivate intruders and take down drones from paparazzi. Not something that we get to see in our daily lives!
Let’s get back to Singapore’s perspective, as opposed to the Royal Wedding, we can eliminate the expenses such as trumpets, toilets, security etc.
A Typical Wedding in Singapore
A wedding in Singapore usually would cost about $20,000 to $50,000.
Here are the expenses for a Typical Wedding in Singapore:
| WEDDING COSTS | COSTS (S$) |
|---|---|
| Bridal Package | 4,500 |
| Wedding Bands | 4,000 |
| Dowry | 2,750 |
| Solemnisation | 3,000 |
| Wedding Banquet | 28,000 |
| Wedding Photography | 3,250 |
| Miscellaneous Costs | 1,500 |
| Honeymoon | 6,500 |
| Subsidy from Red Packets | -23,000 |
| Total | 30,500 |
Source: ValuePenguin
With the budget that the Royal Wedding had, you will be able to fundĀ 1,892 typical weddings in Singapore.
Read More:Ā 12 Hacks To Save Money On Your Wedding
A Not-so-typical Wedding in Singapore
As compared to a typical wedding that comes with a wedding banquet, there’s another option that you would go for that could potentially save you S$31,359.26!
This option is not so conventional, but if possible, it does save you a lot of money, money which can be used in the future. E.g. Housing renovations, children’s education.
Here are the expenses for a not-so-typical Wedding in Singapore:
| WEDDING COSTS | AVG COSTS (S$) |
|---|---|
| Food | 11,100 (Maybe you can add in free flow beer!) |
| Photography Package | 660 |
| Miscellaneous Charges | ~5,000 |
| Total | 16,760 |
Read More:Ā How much can you save, holding your wedding at a coffeeshop?
By holding your wedding at a coffee shop, you save entirely on:
- Transport expenses
The coffee shop would definitely be close to either of the couple’s place - Bridal Package
Not saying the bridal should wear home clothes or pajamas but a casual dress code would just do the trick!
Having excess savings, it allows you to be able to opt for your dream honeymoon!
With the Royal Wedding’s budget, that would be able to fundĀ 3,460 not-so-typical weddings in Singapore!
Now, with that said, how are you going to hold your own royal wedding? The typical or not-so-typical way?
