It really bothers me when people refer to restaurant wedding receptions as "budget". It irks me even more when people post "wedding ang bao rates" and a restaurant wedding is always $88.
I've already mentioned that I'm not expecting ang baos from my guests to cover my wedding costs, so it's not about that.
I'm offended that people think restaurant receptions cost significantly less than hotel banquets. The thing is, they can cost much less than a hotel banquet, but they usually don't.
Granted, the price of holding your wedding reception at a restaurant is unlikely to cost as much per head as it would a 5-star hotel (but, trust me, there are restaurants where that's possible). But you have to remember, that the per head cost (or per table, as hotels go) includes a crazy amount of "complimentary" items that are factored into the price.
This includes complimentary hotel stay (usually in a suite or premier room), champagne, wine or beer, cake, invitations, soft drinks, wedding favors, decor, parking, sometimes even spa treatments and/or a complimentary meal at a restaurant in the hotel after your big day/night! (we did our research lol)
If you look at restaurant wedding rates, a lot of them start from $70++ per head. This is for a very basic menu and the price covers food ONLY. If you're not a bride-on-a-budget, you'll likely want to add or change food items, which, of course, will increase your price per head. On top of that, you'll have to pay for drinks, liquor, your own decor, your own invitations... you even have to pay for soft drinks! We even had to pay $300 per hour to extend opening hours from 9pm to 11pm.
At the end of the day, the final price per head can and will exceed $100. And, from what I know, this matches or exceeds some mid-range hotel banquet rates. If you want your restaurant reception to cost significantly less, you'll likely just be serving the regular menu and plain water.
So when your friend tells you that they're having a wedding dinner at a hotel, don't give them a half-pitying look and say "yeah, just save your money for your house and your honeymoon lah", because chances are they're spending just as much per head as the next person... and it takes a lot more effort and planning, too!
xx,
Miss D.
