Found this piece of article in this month's Her World magazine. Something I thought everyone should read/know, coz, you just have to know lor.

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What's a red packet worth?
With so many types of 21st-century wedding banquets, such as fusion four-course dinners and outdoor lunches, how much hongbao should you give for each? Joshua Luke, the Singapore-basedchief coach of Image Revelation Consultants International, helps out.


Where the wedding banquet's at
If you're unsure of how much to put in your red packet, call up the establishment hosting the feast and ask for its table rates, then give 20 per cent more than what you've been quoted. So if the meal costs $100 per head, be prepared to fork out at least $120. And don't think outdoor wedding dinners cost the happy couple any less. These are more likely to have additional hidden costs, like fees for the tent's set-up and insurance for the lawn in case it gets damaged by guests. Give the same amount as you would for an indoor affair.

Another day, another dollar
The day on which the event is held makes a difference. If it's on the weekend or a public holiday, the couple would have to pay about 10 to 20 per cent more for their dinner tables. So, inflate your hongbao accordingly. The time of the event matters too. If you're headed for a lunch or afternoon tea, expect to give about half of what you'd normally pony up for a 10-course Chinese dinner.

Pay pals more
The closer you are to the couple, the deeper you should dig into your purse. Those with a special role to play, like being one of the bride's "sisters", should cough up more. So, if you're headed to a dinner banquet at a five-star hotel on a Saturday night, consider giving your colleague a $120 hongbao and a close friend $150. If you're the bridesmaid, bump it up to between $150 and $200.

Numbers matter
A final hint: If you're raking in big bucks at work, just shell out a little more. You wouldn't want to be known as Amy's cheapskate lawyer friend, would you? Trust us - word gets around. It's also worth knowing that if you're going for a Chinese dinner, auspicious red-packet amounts are $88, $108, $128 and $188.