Due to the rise in COVID-19 infections and clusters early in May, Singapore went into Heightened Alert on 16 May 2021. With the recent news, Phase 2 of the Heightened Alert in Singapore was transitioned into Phase 3 starting 14 June with some wedding regulations being updated. Let’s take a look at what these changes are!
Wedding Receptions with 100 Guests are Allowed from 21 June
From June 21st onwards, wedding receptions are allowed to happen with a maximum of 100 attendees where all attendees are required to undergo PET. For wedding receptions with up to 50 people (including the bride and groom), an exception is made where only the wedding party of up to 20 guests are required to undergo PET.
It’s been a long and uncertain wait for wedding receptions to resume on 21 June. Since the Phase 2 Heightened Alert announced 4 May, wedding solemnisations have been allowed but more heavily regulated. Until 13 June, wedding solemnisations at external venues allow for a maximum attendee limit of 100 with PET required for all guests. PET is not required if the limit is kept to 50 guests of less with all guests and participants to wear face masks at all times with exceptions of the bride and groom.
Updates as of 18 June 2021:
A new restriction was imposed where wedding receptions will still be prohibited until at least mid of July. The decision was made to lower the risk for attendees who tend to socialize more during weddings, and over an extended period of time, according to the Ministry of Health.
When the prohibition on the wedding reception is finally lifted, all attendees will be required to take pre-event tests (PET) for those events with up to 100 guests. While for events with up to 50 attendees, only for the main wedding party are required to take PET, which includes couples and their bridesmaids/groomsmen. Wedding parties can have up to 20 guests including the couple.
Wedding Solemnisations Increased to 250 attendees from 14 June
From 14 June, wedding solemnisations held at an external venue will allow for a maximum of 250 attendees with PET required for all attendees in order to maintain security and safety during such ceremonies. Wedding solemnisations of less than 50 attendees are not required to undergo PET accordingly.
Wedding solemnisations happening at home still follow similar restrictions. Couples to be wed can invite up to 5 guests, except for the members, the solemniser, and vendors. A total of 10 visitors are allowed to join you on your wedding solemnisation at home that includes your family members but excluding the solemiser and vendors. If you have 6 family members, only 4 guests can be invited whereas if you only have 3 family members, still, only the maximum of guests are invited to join.
Invited attendees are required to wear masks and can unmask only for photo-taking moments while for wedding couple can unmask for key wedding moments like exchanging of vows, rings, walking down the aisle and during the ‘you may kiss the bride moment’.
What is PET?
A ‘Pre-Event Test’, or PET for short, is a COVID-19 test that must be taken before entering events where activities are held. The attendee can only enter if the result of their pre-event test (PET) is negative within a specified period of time.
PET is highly required for those wedding solemnisations and receptions with over 51-250 attendees and 51 to 100 including the wedding couple. The most recent time frame for PET must be 24 hours before the end of the event.
For solemnisations with more than 20 attendees, the bride and groom should have no less than two witnesses present. The core wedding party must also be split into groups of five people each with a total of 20 people which include the bride and groom, and their witness to ensure that everyone has ample opportunity for enough time in front of the officiant during Phase 3 Heightened Alert.
For more information about regulations on wedding solemnisations and regulations, please refer to the official COVID FAQs here.
