A guide to wedding etiquette by culture

Dress or sari? Money or gravy boat? Here’s what to do, what to wear and what to give when attending weddings in Singapore or in different parts of the world.

Chinese weddings

What should I know?

A Chinese wedding often begins with a traditional tea ceremony in the morning with close friends and family, followed by a dinner banquet in the evening, usually held at a restaurant or a hotel ballroom. They typically serve a multi-course dinner that includes the likes of abalone, roasted duck and noodles. Make sure you RSVP as seats will be allocated. Also, indicate if you are vegetarian.

What do I give?

Unlike in the West, guests usually give money to the wedding couple. The ang bao (red packet) rates vary depending on the hotel. depending on where the banquet is held and how close you are to the bride or groom. For example, Marina Bay Sands or Capella fall under the higher end of the ang bao rates (around $400 or so); try to give what you think the meal would cost.

What do I wear?

Dress up in something nice like a cocktail dress. It will be appreciated if you wear red; avoid black or white. Strictly no slippers or shorts!

Indian weddings

What should I know?

Indian weddings are usually held at temples or big dining halls. The auspicious time for a wedding is in the morning, ending by 11.30am, but some are held in the evening from 7pm. In the case of a morning wedding, guests can attend the lunch buffet reception anytime from noon to 2pm. If you’d like to witness the religious ceremony, you’d need to come earlier. If the wedding is held at a temple, the food served is usually vegetarian. Most Indian weddings are followed by an evening reception.

What do I give?

A gift of money is the norm (the amount depends on how close you are to the couple). Jewellery is usually given by members of the family at Indian weddings. Depending on the guest’s relationship with the bride or groom; you can give any gifts directly to the couple.

What do I wear?

As most weddings take place in temples, it’s best to wear a traditional Indian outfit. Otherwise, anything modest should do. Try and avoid the colour black and go for something colourful. White is usually worn for funerals so avoid that too.  For Sikh weddings women’s head should be covered in a shawl.

A few tips to keep in mind at an Indian wedding:

1. Respect the culture! Notice actions such as removing footwear before entering or eating without cutlery and be mindful of the same.
2. It’s not common for guests to bring bouquets or flowers.
3. Acknowledging the elders present and greeting them is often appreciated as a sign of respect.
4. Allow food to be served to you and don’t hesitate to try new tastes; refusing can be considered rude.
5. Try and remain as undisruptive as possible during the religious proceedings and gently shower flowers on the bride and groom when they exchange garlands, if you’re asked to do so.
6. Try to interact with close members of the family as the bride and groom are most likely to be caught up in religious proceedings. Feel free to introduce yourself to others and try to understand the procedures taking place.
7. Bringing your whole family might be disruptive to proceedings, so try to stick to bringing your partner or parents instead of the whole brood!

Malay weddings

What should I know?

Most weddings last two days, from Saturday to Sunday, with a dinner reception on the Saturday night for close friends and family. On Sunday, relatives and other guests are invited to come any time from 11am to 5pm for a buffet reception. It’s best to come in the mid-afternoon, when the bride and groom are together. (Most Malay couples have two separate weddings, one for each side of the family.)

What do I bring?

It’s usual to give money. The recommended amount is $20 to $50, depending on the relationship. Pass it to the mother of either the groom or the bride when you’re about to leave the wedding.

What do I wear?

Wear the traditional Malay costume, baju kurung, if you like. Otherwise, just wear something decent and covered up. If it’s being held in the void deck of an HDB apartment block, it’s likely to be warm, so wear something light and comfortable.

Western weddings

Aside from the traditional customs of each culture, most weddings in Europe, Australia, NZ and North America are relatively similar – the wedding ceremony, cocktail reception, dinner and the party.

Whether it’s an Irish, Italian or English wedding, as a guest on this most special day, you’re expected to be on your best behaviour.

10 guest dos and don’ts

1. When you receive the invitation, do RSVP promptly, even if you can’t make it.
2. Take note of the dress code and whether the invitation is extended to a “plus one”, otherwise don’t bring a guest – and certainly not the whole family.
3. If you accept the invitation to the ceremony itself, be on time, as everyone needs to be seated in good time. You don’t want to interrupt the procession.
4. During church ceremonies, the congregation is sometimes required to alternately stand and sit. The programme or officiant may tell you when to do; if not, follow the lead of others around you.
5. It’s recommended to send your gifts in advance rather than bring them to the church or ceremony venue. Everyone will be too busy to handle gifts unless there’s a designated person in charge. If you can’t make it to the wedding, you may still want to send a gift, depending on your relationship with the couple.
6. If there is a gift registry, stick to it. There’s a reason the wedding couple created the list, and you wouldn’t want to give them something that will end up unused or discarded. For a more expensive item, share the cost with one more friends or family members.
7. Of all days, the wedding day is not the time to wear white. Leave that to the bride; it’s her big day, not yours!
8. Follow the order of the service in the programme, if one is provided.
9. Many wedding parties involve toasts and speeches. As a guest, it would be nice for you to applaud the speeches and cheer for the couple.
10. Don’t leave the reception too early. As a general rule, at least stay till the couple has cut the cake.

For more helpful tips, head to our Living in Singapore section.