Guo Da Li is the betrothal gift exchange where two families officially start becoming one, and a lot is riding on getting it right. Miss an item, pick the wrong number of something, or turn up with a set that looks a bit sparse, and you can bet the aunties will notice. The good news is that wedding shops sell ready-made packages, so you don't have to hunt down every piece yourself.
So what does it cost? As of October 2026, a shop's starting Guo Da Li package in Singapore costs about S$99 to S$290, and the gifts usually make their way to the bride's home two to four weeks before the wedding. The top price level at the same shops costs about S$240 to S$560.
Every figure here comes from Singapore wedding shops' own published price lists, which we checked in October 2026.
How the shops package it
Shops sell the groom's gifts as one package, priced by tier and by dialect group. You pick Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka or Hainanese, and the food inside changes to match. Some shops charge more for one dialect group than another, while others keep one price for every dialect.
A starting set usually holds two pairs of dragon and phoenix candles, red packets, dried wedding grains and a tray. Go up a tier, and you'll get more cans of pork leg, extra pastries, door banners and black moss. Your future in-laws' cupboards will be well stocked, that's for sure!
Here is how the contents usually differ by dialect group:
- Hokkien. Rice and sesame biscuits, peanut candy and cans of pork leg.
- Teochew. Sesame and peanut candy, dried tangerine slices and Teochew wax with a red cloth, plus pork leg cans.
- Cantonese and Hakka. Si se bing, the four-colour pastries, in place of the biscuits. Many families add a roast pig, which no package includes.
- Hainanese. Coconut candy and sugared oranges. Some sets add golden sesame balls made to order.
Don't forget, the bride's family buys its own set too. A dowry package, with the tea set, bowls and lamps the bride brings to her new home, costs about S$78 to S$320. If you just need a wedding tea set for the tea ceremony, it costs about S$38 to S$200 on its own.
Then there's hui li, the share of gifts the bride's family hands back. A small return set for the groom's parents costs S$53.80 to S$98, a sweet way to say "thank you, and welcome to the family".
- Starting Guo Da Li packageS$99S$290
- Top price levelS$240S$560
- Bride's dowry packageS$78S$320
- Tea set on its ownS$38S$200
- Hui li return setS$53.80S$98
| Item | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Guo Da Li package | S$99 | S$290 |
| Top price level | S$240 | S$560 |
| Bride's dowry package | S$78 | S$320 |
| Tea set on its own | S$38 | S$200 |
| Hui li return set | S$53.80 | S$98 |
What is usually included and what is usually extra
| Usually included | Usually extra |
|---|---|
| Two pairs of dragon-and-phoenix candles | Oranges, on some packages |
| The pin jin red packet, empty | The pin jin money |
| Dried grains, candy and pastries | Wine or brandy for the bride's father |
| Cans of pork leg, in most sets | A roast pig |
| A red tray and Double Happiness stickers | Door banners, on starting price levels |
| A basket on loan for three days | The basket deposit |
| Bags for the alcohol bottles | Si dian jin gold |
| A printed procedure guide | A tea set for the bride's side |
The catch
Read the orange line first. Some packages put 12 oranges in the basket alongside 12 cans of pork leg, while another tells you in plain words to buy all 12 yourself. So two sets at a similar price can hold quite different amounts of food. Wine never comes in the box either, as you only get organza bags for two bottles, and the red packet for your pin jin comes empty.
Si dian jin, the four gold pieces for the bride, comes from a jeweller. It is sold by weight at that day's gold rate, plus a workmanship fee. The basket is a loan. A few shops ask a S$200 cash deposit, paid back when the basket returns undamaged.
A few shops give no refund, but allow an exchange within seven days instead.
Auspicious dates go first. One shop showed every basket fully booked across five days in September 2026.
Five questions to ask before you pay a deposit
- What is the price for my dialect group?
- Are the 12 oranges included?
- How much is the basket deposit?
- How many weeks before my Guo Da Li date must I order?
- Will you refund the deposit if the date changes?
When to order
Give yourself at least two weeks. Most shops need one week for a standard set, but one asks for two weeks for Cantonese and Hakka sets. You'll collect the set, or have it delivered, a day or two before the ceremony.
Is your family Hainanese and keen on golden sesame balls? Order two months ahead, because one shop makes them to order and takes no orders over Chinese New Year.
Questions couples ask
How much pin jin should I give?
There's no set amount for pin jin, the betrothal money the groom's family gives the bride's family. The two families agree on it in private, often using lucky digits such as 8 or 9. The bride's family may hand back part of it, or all of it, as hui li. So have a quiet chat with the parents on both sides before you buy the red packet.
When should Guo Da Li be done?
Two to four weeks before the wedding, on a date the families pick from the Chinese almanac. The visit usually lasts under an hour at the bride's home.
Does the groom's family have to give si dian jin?
No, it is a custom and not a rule. It is strongest in Teochew families, where the groom's mother usually gives it to the bride.
Your next step
Guo Da Li is one of those moments the family will want to look back on, from the beaming parents to that overflowing basket. That's why many families have it photographed, so compare photographer rates per hour side by side, with the extra fees in each row's catch column.
