As your 21st birthday draws nearer and nearer, you might find yourself panicking internally. Cue the sudden realisation that you’re officially an adult. The words ‘adulting’ and ‘responsibilities’ have never felt closer to home, especially if you recently moved there on your own for a lifestyle change. You no longer need your parents to sign on that dotted line anymore. Yup, you’ll officially be making your own decisions.
To add on to the hysteria, you might be thinking of ways to spend your special day, and more importantly, the costs involved.
But before you freak out further, we’ve gone and done the homework for you. Here are some of the options you can consider to plan your birthday party in Singapore. You can thank us later.
What Can I Do for My Birthday and What Will It Cost Me?
1. Night Out with Friends
Don’t fancy big crowds? You can still have a blast with some of your closest friends. A day out in town: having lunch, bonding over games at a board games cafe and unwinding at your favourite bar are just some of the things you can do if you do not wish to go through the hassle of planning a birthday party.
More often than not, the quality time that you spend with your small group of friends beats throwing a birthday party where you won’t have enough time to properly entertain every single one of your guests. Sometimes, keeping things simple is the way to go.
Cost: Usually, your friends will offer to split the cost amongst themselves, so you essentially won’t have to fork out a single cent. After all, it’s your special day!
2. Party at a Function Room or in the Comfort of Your Home
This is a popular option if you’re looking to avoid spending too much, without compromising on the number of people you wish to invite. It allows you to accommodate your close friends in a private space, yet still give them enough room to let their hair down.
You can have a BBQ (never gets old!) or get food delivered through a catering service. In addition to this, many people also have a fancy birthday cake and a dessert table with huge foiled birthday balloons, fairy lights or dried flowers streaming down, offering the perfect backdrop for a birthday photo shoot.
Cost: If you choose this option and have about 40 guests, you may spend a total of $600 on catering services (buffet with a decorated dessert table) and around $150 for a cake. Booking a function room at your condominium is usually free. If you’re looking at opening your home for the party, there definitely won’t be any venue costs involved. This will bring your total costs to $750.
3. Explore Chalet Options: NSRCC
If the above option doesn’t work for you, another highly popular alternative is to host your birthday party at chalets like NSRCC. This is also a great way for you to enjoy some quality time with your friends and family in a private space. Similar to hosting your birthday at home, you will most likely have to engage in a food catering service, along with getting a birthday cake and a dessert table.
Cost: Booking a chalet at NSRCC costs $360 for SAFRA members during the peak season (Friday-Sunday and eve of public holidays), along with $750 for food catering, a birthday cake and a dessert table. The total cost will be $1,100.
4. Have Your Party at a Restaurant or Café
This is an easy option if you wish to host a group of about 20-30 people, yet don’t wish to go through the hassle of engaging in a food catering service. However, do note that proceeding with this option means incurring more capital, due to additional costs such as booking the entire restaurant/cafe and having the restaurant staff take care of your needs. Booking your favourite restaurant or café will allow you to have both great food and a cozy space for your birthday. Rest assured, this alternative also enables you to achieve that Instagram-able backdrop.
Cost: Booking a location such as this will cost you slightly over $1000.
5. Party at a Hotel
You only turn 21 once. So if you’re throwing a birthday party, it better be a really good one.
If you feel like going all out and have little or no budgetary constraints, you can opt to host your birthday at a luxurious and sprawling hotel or villa. Many people host their birthday parties at places such as the Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore, Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa, Resorts World Sentosa Beach Villas or Lloyd’s Inn. These places often come with a private pool and a mini garden (tropical summer pool party!) and as such, is much larger, giving you ample space to go crazy with your decorations (that Instagram-able backdrop) and leaving you less confined compared to a function room or chalet.
Of course, you pay for what you get. This is going to be the most expensive option out of the five.
Cost: Villas at Sentosa are the most expensive at around $1,500 for a night, followed by hotels at around $500 a night and Inns would usually cost around $300 a night, similar to that of a chalet. Along with an additional $750 for your food, birthday cake and dessert table, the total cost will range between $1050-$2250, depending on the accommodation you choose, so be prepared to shell out that extra cash!
With 5 options to choose from, and depending on your budget, you should be all set to get your game on and celebrate your birthday in style! It’s time to party!
