Hong Kong and Macau - How much to give at Hong Kong wedding?

Did a search on here and google but could not find anything. Going to friends' wedding at Hong Kong Jockey Club (Happy Valley) from Japan, how much should I give? I will be going solo. I was thinking around $1000 HKD, based on other friends' suggestions of 500HKD or 1000HKD.

Before asking my friends, I was inclined to put in 8 in the number like 988HKD. Thanks for your help.

If they're from Japan, that's kind of low. The 'minimum' amount for Japanese weddings is usually 30,000 yen. With the rise in the valuation of the yen, it sucks even more.

google search on local forums reveals the following: ("minimum charge")

- 500HKD flat

- 500 regular Chinese restaurant , 1000 Hotel banquet hall (Jockey Club is definitely not hotel class. Hell they gave me Watson's distilled water when I asked for mineral water.)

Good friend $1000

google search on local forums reveals the following: ("minimum charge")

- 500HKD flat

- 500 regular Chinese restaurant , 1000 Hotel banquet hall (Jockey Club is definitely not hotel class. Hell they gave me Watson's distilled water when I asked for mineral water.)

Good friend $1000

HKJC: Were you there for a banquet or as a member? I ordered Perrier and got it, never a problem. If you were at a banquet maybe that is what the host was prepared to serve.
The Cache of having your wedding reception banquet at JC beats any hotel in the HK pecking order.

$1000 would be what I would give as a single banknote in a red envelope.

If you do not see any white wine bottles put out or offered then DO NOT order white wine at a wedding banquet.

If they're from Japan, that's kind of low. The 'minimum' amount for Japanese weddings is usually 30,000 yen. With the rise in the valuation of the yen, it sucks even more.

I see that I was less than clear. Thanks.

To clarify, I'm coming from Japan. They're from HK, born and raised, but U.S. for college/graduate school. Seems like I'm right on the money with this one. I will give them 1000HKD. 500HKD is less than 70USD and also less than 10,000 yen so I would feel guilty only giving 500HKD.

Search of Hong Kong Jockey's website reveals weddings cost more than 500HKD per person most likely so I want to at least try to cover my food/drink cost.

HK$500 is fine UNLESS they are very good friends.

Don't feel guilty in giving HK$500, esp as you are flying in from Japan for the wedding.

However, if you want to give more, that is also fine.

Do not give stuff like $50 though. Give either HK$500 or HK$1,000.

I presume the couple live in HK? Or are the Hong Kongers but living in Japan? If that's the case, why don't you give them Yen?

Also, if possible, try to give the money in a "lycee" (red packet).

I see that I was less than clear. Thanks.

To clarify, I'm coming from Japan. They're from HK, born and raised, but U.S. for college/graduate school. Seems like I'm right on the money with this one. I will give them 1000HKD. 500HKD is less than 70USD and also less than 10,000 yen so I would feel guilty only giving 500HKD.

Search of Hong Kong Jockey's website reveals weddings cost more than 500HKD per person most likely so I want to at least try to cover my food/drink cost.

Ok, I mistook that the couple was from Japan. I do agree with your line of reasoning that 500 HKD seems extremely low, especially if it doesn't even cover per person charges. If you're flying from Japan, the bride/groom/both must be very good friends.

Sort of an OT, I had no idea the $ given at weddings was that low in HKG.

Ok, I mistook that the couple was from Japan. I do agree with your line of reasoning that 500 HKD seems extremely low, especially if it doesn't even cover per person charges. If you're flying from Japan, the bride/groom/both must be very good friends.

Sort of an OT, I had no idea the $ given at weddings was that low in HKG.

It is probably due to round off and the preference for rounded number. (8 is quite round)
In Canada/US it is $100/$150/$200pp depending on the venue and the level of food and beverage.

I was at one lineup for a wedding reception and there was some word going around that it was going to be a cash bar. Many in the lineup tried to open their envelop trying to remove part of the gift or rewrite a cheque.

Ok, I mistook that the couple was from Japan. I do agree with your line of reasoning that 500 HKD seems extremely low, especially if it doesn't even cover per person charges. If you're flying from Japan, the bride/groom/both must be very good friends.

Sort of an OT, I had no idea the $ given at weddings was that low in HKG.

I agree with you that it's low. A couple of friends insisted that 500HKD was enough regardless of where it will be held.

If I didn't know, I would have given at least equivalent to 1500HKD, so I guess my expectations were higher by 500HKD.

Interestingly, this is my first wedding outside of US and Japan in which I will give non-yen or dollar.

To answer theworld's question, both H+W work/live in or near Shanghai, and don't live/work in Japan. I was contemplating giving RMB (I have a bunch) but decided against it due to wedding being in HK.

Would be interesting to see cross-cultural comparison of wedding gift values. I'm familiar with U.S. and Japan, and not familiar at all with other cultures.

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My general understanding is

Chinese restaurant : 500
Hotel / upper class Chinese restaurant: 800

I will put HKJC as 800

HKJC: Were you there for a banquet or as a member? I ordered Perrier and got it, never a problem.

I was attending a dinner. There was no "pre-set spending limit". I gave a puzzled look to my host when the water arrived. He said, "That's Jockey Club service for you".

I still maintain that HK$500 is an adequate amount.

However, there is nothing stopping you from paying more if you want to.

Generally the HK$ 500.00 to HK$ 1,000 range is correct and widely accepted. Given the fact that you make the effort and travel there from Japan, I would assume that the couple is somewhat close(r) to you, either on a personal or on a business level, which in my book would be more like giving HK$ 1,000.00. That's what I'd do anyway.

Just my 2...

If they're from Japan, that's kind of low. The 'minimum' amount for Japanese weddings is usually 30,000 yen. With the rise in the valuation of the yen, it sucks even more.

This is partly because weddings at decent venues in Japan are insanely expensive. We had a wedding reception at a nice hotel in Tokyo last year and it ran us about 25,000 yen a head for 100 people. And that was using a "real" Catholic church for the ceremony, and third-party contractors for a lot of stuff that the hotel would have overcharged us on (dress/tux, music, photos, etc). If you take a hotel-arranged package it can easily end up well north of 30,000 a head.

The gifts we received, as tallied fastidiously by my in-laws, ran from 10,000 to 100,000, but almost everyone gave exactly 30,000 (a few couples gave 50,000 together).

When I went to a wedding party in Taiwan we were told that the customary amount was a lot lower, and googling confirms that you don't give more than about $100 US at a wedding there unless you're a real high roller. I'd expect that HK is closer to Taiwanese figures than Japanese figures...

I realize the costs involved in a Japanese wedding. The wedding/party favours given out are also of a far higher quality - unlike crappy dollar store junk that is de rigeur for many other countries.

As for $100 USD, the amounts stated (500 HKD) doesn't even match that.