In short
There is no official table for wedding ang bao amounts in Singapore. This guide is about ang bao at Chinese weddings; other communities and individual families have their own customs. A common reference point is the approximate cost of your seat at the banquet, which some guests then adjust for how close they are to the couple — but your own budget and relationship come first, and the gift is not a reimbursement.
- Some guests use the approximate cost of one seat as a starting point, then adjust for the relationship and their own means.
- Per-seat banquet prices published for 2026 range from roughly SGD 90–160 at restaurants to roughly SGD 310–470 at luxury hotels (details below).
- Venue, meal (lunch or dinner) and day (weekday or weekend) each affect the seat cost, separately.
- In Chinese custom, even amounts and amounts ending in eight are generally preferred; four is commonly avoided.
- A couple attending together often gives one packet from both of them.
- PayNow and other digital transfers are now common, though some guests still prefer a physical red packet.
A common reference point: the cost of your seat
A commonly cited reference point among guests at Chinese weddings is the approximate cost of your seat at the banquet, since the couple is hosting your meal. It is a guide, not a minimum: your own budget comes first. Some guests give more if they are closer to the couple — a good friend, a sibling, or a close colleague might go beyond the seat cost, while a more distant acquaintance might keep it simpler. None of this is a requirement.
This is a widely discussed guideline rather than an obligation, and couples themselves do not usually specify an amount to guests, since the gesture is meant to reflect the guest's own relationship and means rather than a fixed requirement.
2026 per-seat benchmarks by venue, meal and day
Because the seat-cost reference point depends on what the couple is paying, it helps to know roughly what banquets cost per guest. SingaporeBrides' 2026 round-up of published banquet prices, for a table of ten, puts the approximate per-seat cost at:
- Luxury hotels: roughly SGD 310–470 per seat.
- High-end hotels: roughly SGD 260–360 per seat.
- Mid-range hotels: roughly SGD 160–240 per seat.
- Restaurants: roughly SGD 90–160 per seat.
These are estimates drawn from venue package prices, not a rule, and they move every year. Treat them as a sense of scale rather than a minimum.
Venue type is only one factor. The meal and the day matter separately: lunch packages are usually priced below dinner at the same venue, and weekend (especially Saturday) dinners are usually priced above weekdays. A lunch at a luxury hotel can still cost more per seat than a weekend dinner at a restaurant, so it is more accurate to think about the specific venue, meal and day than about the category alone.
Auspicious numbers, and amounts many guests avoid
In Chinese custom, even numbers are generally preferred over odd ones for a wedding ang bao, and amounts ending in eight are especially commonly chosen, since eight is widely associated with prosperity. Amounts such as SGD 88, SGD 188 or SGD 288 are examples of this number preference, not benchmarks for what a seat costs or a minimum gift, and what feels right depends on your own budget and relationship with the couple.
The number four is generally avoided, since it is associated with an unlucky sound in Chinese, so guests commonly steer clear of amounts ending in four. Beyond that, many guests simply round to a number that feels comfortable, adjusted slightly up or down to land on a figure they consider auspicious.
Solo guests versus couples
A guest attending alone often gives a smaller amount than two guests attending together, simply because a couple occupies two seats at the banquet — but this is a personal choice, not an expectation. Couples attending together commonly combine their ang bao into a single packet rather than each giving separately, with the amount decided by their own budget and closeness to the couple.
Where children are also attending and taking up a seat, some guests choose to account for this as well, though views on this vary and it is generally treated as a personal decision rather than an expectation.
Colleagues versus close friends
How much to give often differs depending on the nature of the relationship rather than a single fixed relationship-based table. A colleague attending as part of a wider work invitation, rather than a close personal friendship, may keep the amount simpler. A close friend, especially one in the bridal party or someone who has known the couple for years, may choose to give more, reflecting the closer relationship — again, a personal choice rather than a rule.
Where a group of colleagues are attending together and want to coordinate, some choose to pool contributions into a single ang bao or give individually but at a broadly similar level, though this is entirely up to the group rather than a set convention.
If you can't attend
Guests who are invited but unable to attend sometimes still choose to send an ang bao as a gesture of goodwill, though this is a personal choice rather than an expectation, and the amount given in this situation is commonly lower than what the same guest might give if attending and taking up a seat at the banquet. Others prefer to simply send their congratulations without an ang bao if they are not attending, and this is equally acceptable.
PayNow and e-ang bao etiquette
Digital transfers, particularly PayNow, have become a common way for guests to send an ang bao, especially where a guest cannot attend in person or prefers not to carry cash. Some couples share a PayNow QR code or number on their invitation or wedding website for this purpose, while others prefer guests to bring a physical red packet on the day.
Where a couple has not indicated a preference, it is reasonable to ask a mutual friend or family member which they would prefer, or to default to a physical red packet if attending in person, since this remains the more traditional option. If sending digitally, a short accompanying message with well-wishes is a considerate touch, since a bare transfer can feel less personal than a red packet handed over with a few words. Our guide to red packet etiquette covers how and where red packets are typically given on the day itself.
This guide focuses on how guests commonly decide an amount; for the etiquette of giving and receiving on the day itself, see our guide to red packet etiquette at a Chinese wedding. If you are planning your own banquet and want to talk through how your day might run, get in touch.