Growing up, receiving wedding invitations was exciting but we also tended to ask the same few questions: How much ang bao money should we give? Which hotel will it be held at? How close are we to the couple?

Now that I’m at an age where a number of my friends are planning their weddings, I’ve started to see something else: the tug-of-war between what couples truly want and what tradition expects. For some, the pressure to hold a lavish celebration runs so deep that it even causes tension within the family. 

Increasingly, many are saying no to convention, not because they don’t value the occasion and age-old practices, but because they’re choosing to invest in their futures instead.

Over-the-top banquets are making way for minimalist weddings

In Singapore, elaborate wedding banquets are often seen as a marker of success and a chance to celebrate love, honour family and sometimes “give face” to display status and respect for guests. Lavish ballrooms and 10-course dinners are quite the norm, with a table for 10 guests costing anywhere from S$1,000 to S$6,000 and easily bringing the banquet cost to five or even six-figure sums. 

Such financial pressure puts unnecessary stress on many young couples as they feel caught between honouring their families and honouring their financial and mental wellbeing. Isn’t it ironic since a wedding is supposed to be a joyous occasion?

Minimalist weddings, on the other hand, are an extension of the minimalist approach many young people are already embracing with their lifestyle in a bid to navigate rising costs, financial stress and the pressure to “keep up” in today’s consumer-driven world. It isn’t about skipping joy or tradition but about being intentional. Rather than trying to achieve something bigger, better and glitzier than the last wedding, young couples are increasingly leaning towards a more intimate experience with highly selective guestlists, fewer frills like elaborate gatecrashing ceremonies, and prioritising a ceremony that feels unique and personal. 

When examined through a financial lens, minimalism is a powerful way to redirect resources from one day into decades of security. 

Building wealth and wellbeing on your own terms

The real value of minimalism isn’t just in what you save, but what you gain in creating space for the things that truly support your long-term wellbeing. By cutting down on big-ticket purchases that don’t bring you joy, you can redirect that money into other things that build long-term wealth and wellbeing. 

Here’s what couples can gain when they go minimalist with their weddings and redirect that money:

1. An emergency fund

An emergency fund is one of the most important safety nets you can have, especially in your and 30s. It’s essentially a cash reserve that’s easily accessible, liquid savings you can draw on when unexpected events occur. A common rule of thumb is to set aside at least three to six months of income. While these may be the years when you’re laying a strong foundation with good financial habits, life events like retrenchment and health scares can come suddenly while you’re juggling family responsibilities. Instead of spending five figures on a banquet, setting aside even a portion for emergency needs can give you peace of mind and financial breathing room in times of uncertainty without relying on loans and credit cards. 

2. Savings for a home together

For many Singaporeans, a Build-To-Order (BTO) unit comes before engagement and marriage. By spending less on a banquet, couples can free up funds that could go towards paying the remaining downpayment amount, upcoming house renovation costs or furnishing their new home. Every dollar goes into building a dream home with the other half whom they’ll be spending the rest of their life with, not on one evening of revelry inside a ballroom. 

3. Financial adequacy for raising kids or retirement

Raising a child and retirement in Singapore don’t come cheap. According to research done by Singlife, Singaporeans believe it costs a median of S$495,562 to raise a child from birth to age 21.³ By choosing to be intentional about their wedding spending, some couples are putting the savings towards financial stability by investing in a child's future education fund. For example, they may purchase endowment plans, a savings-focused insurance plan with a maturity payout structured to coincide with the child’s tertiary education years. Others choose to put aside funds to grow their retirement nest egg for wrinkle-free golden years. A modest sum when wisely invested in your 20s or 30s, can snowball into something significant by the time you leave the workforce in your 50s or 60s. Minimalism allows you to take the long view to see past the one-day celebration and focus on decades of possibilities.

4. Protection with insurance

While insurance doesn’t come with the sparkle of a diamond ring, it offers something far more valuable: protection. Whether it’s health, life or critical illness insurance, having coverage early means you're locking in lower premiums while ensuring that a medical emergency doesn’t wipe out your savings. An unconventional yet foresighted move is to divert savings from a downsized wedding to top up policies as couples enter a new life stage and take on greater financial responsibilities, or get started on protection they’ve been putting off. It’s not romantic in the traditional sense, but it’s a powerful way to take care of each other in the long run.

Tradition or intention? It’s your call

At the end of the day, whether a wedding banquet is a meaningful tradition or an expensive obligation really depends on the couple. For some, the banquet is a meaningful way to celebrate with loved ones and honour their heritage. For others, it feels like an expensive obligation driven more by expectations than joy.

Whether you throw a grand celebration in keeping with tradition or you opt for something smaller and more intentional, what’s important is that the decision reflects you, your values and priorities. Not social pressure. Not what’s trending. Not even what your relatives expect.

At the end of the day, a wedding is just one day, but how you choose to start your marriage can shape a lifetime.

Notes

1. Source: Channel News Asia, “‘We’re not speaking anymore’: The over-the-top weddings that have ruined friendships”, published on 28 March 2025.

2. Source: 99.co, “BTO renovations in Singapore 2024: What you should know”, published on 29 May 2024.

3. Source: Singlife Financial Freedom Index 2024, accessed on 16 September 2025.