SINGAPORE, July 31 — From next Tuesday, couples holding their marriage solemnisation can have up to 50 guests at their ceremony, and they can also hold a reception at restaurants and hotels.
As the authorities ease more restrictions in the ongoing Phase Two of Singapore’s reopening, more people will be allowed at wakes and funerals at any one time.
The capacity limit of 50 people for solemnisations is an increase from 20 currently, and includes the couple but excludes the solemniser and vendors engaged for the ceremony.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a press release that the new capacity limit will apply to places of worship, common areas of public housing blocks as well as other venues.
This is also subject to the venue’s capacity limit based on safe management principles.
Solemnisations conducted at home, the Registry of Civil and Muslim Marriages, and the National Museum of Singapore will continue to have a capacity limit of 10 people “as the venues tend to be smaller,” MOH said.
At the same time, MOH will launch a pilot where each wedding couple will be allowed to hold one wedding reception — with food and drinks — for up to 50 attendees for the entire duration of the event in venues such as restaurants or hotels.
“Prevailing safe management measures must also be strictly adhered to,” it said.
All other wedding-related activities, including customary rites and ceremonies, will have to adhere to prevailing gathering-size limits.
Venue operators and owners
MOH said that venue operators and owners holding these events must ensure that the physical setup and event arrangements are in accordance with the gathering-size limits and other safe management measures.
Through the pilot, the governmental task force in charge of the Covid-19 response here will assess the ability of the organisers and venue owners to ensure that the necessary safe management measures are put in place and they adhere to these measures.
This will then inform the task force when it reviews the parameters for such events next time.
“As these receptions remain of higher risk, we seek couples’ understanding and compliance with these guidelines, to keep their family members and friends safe, so that all present can look back on the event with happy memories,” MOH said.
“We also seek Singaporeans’ understanding that there is still a need to limit our total risk exposure so that we can keep community transmission low while resuming key activities.”
Wakes and funerals
More people will also be allowed to pay their respects at wakes and funerals, MOH said.
From Aug 4, to facilitate more family members and friends to pay their last respects, up to 30 people may be present at any one time — an increase from 20 currently — subject to the venue’s capacity limit.
MOH said that the task force will continue to monitor the situation closely “with the aim of continuing to enable key social and economic activities to resume gradually and safely.” — TODAY
