How I kept my 2026 wedding within budget

Took me almost 4 months post-wed to write this post cause I was busy with so many things including reno, which I hope I’ll have time to post about soon. 🙃

I’d like to think I kept my wedding costs pretty manageable (for 121 pax) and I’m quite happy with all the vendors I went with. I’ve shared the indiv cost in the images above but I’ll share more about my reviews for each vendor!

1. Venue: Revelry Hall, The Outpost Hotel Sentosa

I recce-d and booked the venue a little too early I think, but then again I wasn’t gona risk not getting the venue. The 2026 pricing wasn’t out so I was quoted a specific advance pricing but it turned out being more than the actual 2026 pricing lol (I got it at a tad cheaper if we counter in premium date charge). I wasn’t too happy when I found out about this. Yes there were some slight differences in the benefits offering but oh well. Aside from this small setback, I received great service from the coordinator. The banquet manager was super experienced and attentive even I was shook & super satisfied. Wifi, AV, service were all satisfactory.

2. Wedding bands

Got ours from Goldheart as we didn’t wana splurge too much on it since he already did spend quite a bit on my engagement ring. My partner isn’t a jewellery kind of person either so he wasn’t picky.

We ended up getting a good discount on the rings, and they have free custom engraving.

3. AD Gown, Kua, MUA & MIL/Father Outfit package

I shared more about this in my previous post! I got a pretty good price for this but I did wish I sourced my own MUA. The MUA was under the studio and part of the package. I did do a trial with her and provided feedback, but didn’t do a second trial with the rectifications. I don’t think my makeup look was unacceptable but I couldn’t get used to/didn’t fancy how the falsies look on me. I don’t blame the MUA as she tried to ensure that it shows on cam as I had uneven eyelids. But it turned out a little too heavy for my liking & kept separating from my natural lash (even tho she tried to comb with mascara many times alr) & my undereye lash wasn’t a look after I cried during my speech... Luckily it doesn’t really show in pics, or I could still edit them away.

4. Additional gown + suit for 2nd look

Also shared more about in my previous post! Got mine impromptu from The Story of Us. No regrets!

5. Heels & Accessories

Believe it or not I got my heels from Shein. Most of my dresses barely show my heels so I didn’t find a need to splurge on them. I also find that light coloured heels of such height is not something I will find myself wearing again/often LOL. I bought like 6-7 pairs to try diff designs, sizes, and test the comfort (don’t fit just return the rest!). End up settling on a pointed toe rose gold satin block heel!

Got my earring & hair accessories initially for PWS from taobao. My gown packages provided alot of overly extravagant pieces which my MUA and I decided that my backup option was better, so at least that came in handy!!

6. Hand Bouquet

Actually this was also one of my top priorities. I had a vision of what bouquet I wanted and I knew it wasn’t gona be cheap. I asked probably 4 vendors and went with the cheapest one. Yet she’s also very experienced in the bouquet style I wanted but made it even more unique! I got mine from @afternoonteaflorals on IG.

7. Manicure

I think I took a gamble with this one. I tried a new manicurist and also asked her to freestyle based on my wedding moodboard & some inspo pics. I trusted her skills based on her portfolio of works and she did deliver. Though the style was a little more conservative than I expected. I expected her to do a little bit more in terms of 3D art and chrome elements, but I think she wasn’t prepped to freestyle atp and was afraid to overdo my bridal nails. Her floral drawings were sharp, I liked her 3D orchid, and she works really quickly. I would think it might be better to just be more specific with the design. When I returned to my usual manicurist to get it removed, she praised the work done by her as well (my first time hearing her compliment 😂）I got mine done at @thebeautyscene.sg on IG. It was slightly pricier than I budgeted for cos I added overlay for $15.

8 Additional decor

My venue package provides quite abit of decor but there were still many things I wanted that were not provided and required me to top up on my own. The engaged vendor was too pricey for me so I went to outsource my own. I also took a gamble with this vendor (@dyou.style on IG) cause it looks like a really small business and I wasn’t sure. However their portfolio of works looks good and they were running a decent promo so I just went for it. Turns out they delivered well and were responsive!

9. Photobooth

I engaged @ollabooth for my photobooth that was stationed for 4hours, had unlimited photostrips, and gave me a photo book.

They also did a great job and I walked away with a copy of every photo and they even gifted my and my partner a photostrip keychain. 🥹

10. DIY Name tent & photo table

I printed my name tents on taobao, it was pricier than I budgeted for and the purpose & longevity of it. But I needed it since mine was planned seating. However the name tents turned out well and luckily I ordered some buffers! Photo table props were from Pinduoduo, while I printed the photos in SG.

11. Photographer @pixioosamuel

I like his photography style and trust him to deliver so I didnt really give him any specific request. I literally didnt even give him any inspo whatsoever and told him I’ll send him some the day before but I totally forgot lol. I mean to me, it’s a wedding and I don’t want to plan too many intentional/staged shots. He engaged my guests well and was great with kids LOL. Cons were that there were some tables that were neglected unfortunately (not much pics or barely any), and he didn’t send me photo highlights after my wedding when he said he would (He didn’t reply me even though I reminded him twice on separate occasions)🙁 He also maxed out the editing duration to 10 weeks (all that & he still didn’t edit out my forehead zit 😤）. My overall experience was definitely affected by that. On the bright side, I did managed to choose a decent selection of good pics from my gallery.

12. Bridal Crew Gifts

Got all of them from Taobao & Shopee. I let my bridesmaid choose their dresses within a budget after sending them a list of links as suggestions and asked them to get it tailored if needed. My proposal gift to them was a pouch that had some skincare goodies, tea, makeup & personalised luggage tag.

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Also, on DIY-ing. I suggest keeping it minimal. There’s alot of things I tell myself I can buy it at cost and do it for cheaper. But trust me, there’s absolutely no time and thought for that on your actual day. I didn’t want to trouble my bridal crew too much on the actual day, so I also kept DIY stuff like super minimal, i.e have them help set up photo table and paste tea ceremony wall decor (repurposed from my GDL).

I did DIY hand bouquet for my bridal crew and some extra table flowers 2 days before, and even from that I was exhausted lol. One way is you can buy it at cost and pay vendors service fee to do it for you (if possible). Which is what I did for my aisle runner.

Let me know if you’ve any questions and I’ll be happy to answer them.

#weddingplanning #weddingcostbreakdown #weddingreview #weddingvendor #2026bride

7/18 Edited to

Planning a wedding within budget can feel overwhelming, but my experience taught me that clear priorities and proactive planning make all the difference. One key step was knowing exactly what mattered to us—venue and photographer topped our list, so we invested accordingly and saved on less impactful details. Booking my venue, Revelry Hall at The Outpost Hotel Sentosa, a year in advance helped me secure a competitive rate and avoid last-minute price hikes. Although there was a hiccup with pricing estimates, the excellent service and amenities from experienced coordinators made it worthwhile. Early booking also gave me ample time to research and compare vendors for gowns, makeup artists, and décor. Regarding vendors, I recommend being flexible but selective. For instance, I wasn’t fan of the makeup artist included in my package after my trial and wished I sourced my own—but for budget reasons, I stayed with the package. It taught me the importance of trial sessions and clear communication about preferences. Similarly, I found great value using smaller, lesser-known vendors for additional décor and photobooth services, provided they had a solid portfolio and good responsiveness. DIY elements can save money but be cautious not to overextend yourself or your bridal party. I learned this firsthand when creating hand bouquets and table flowers two days before the wedding—they were exhausting to manage! Minimal, meaningful DIY tasks allowed me to maintain focus without stress. For example, using Taobao for printed name tents and off-the-shelf phototable props worked well without breaking the bank. For bridal crew gifts and attire, I involved my bridesmaids in dress choices to fit within budget while adding a personal touch with skincare, tea, and personalized luggage tags as gifts. This created a warm and memorable experience without extravagant spending. Lastly, think about what kind of guest experience you want to create. We streamlined our program, skipped certain traditions that didn’t resonate with us (like gatecrash and videography) and prioritized guest comfort and interaction. Guests often remember the vibe and emotional moments more than details. Overall, budgeting a wedding is about balancing dreams with reality and making choices that reflect what’s truly important to you and your partner. By planning early, focusing on priorities, and smartly mixing DIY with trusted vendors, you can craft a beautiful, meaningful wedding day that doesn’t lead to financial stress.