S’pore Wedding Organisers Should Seat Guests Further Apart Instead Of Crowding Them Around Tables

Wedding Guests Should Sit Further Apart From Each Other At Banquets, As New Covid-19 Advisories Kick In

With the current Covid-19 outbreak, large-scale concerts are being cancelled, including the Sundown Marathon.

However, many who have planned weddings that will take place in Mar or Apr may be caught in a difficult situation in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak.

While ticketed events for an audience consisting of more than 250 people will be cancelled or postponed, private functions and religious service can continue.

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong speaking at a press conference today
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However, the government has advised organisers to take precautions.

Wedding guests advised to practise social distancing due to Covid-19

Minister for National Development Mr Lawrence Wong admitted that social distancing is not feasible for a couple getting married.

Given the nature of a wedding function, a bride and groom obviously… social distancing 1 metre apart may not be a very good start to a wedding.

However, it is possible for the guests to be seated further apart from each other, especially at the banquets.

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He added,

… you don’t have to crowd everybody on a table.

He added that organisers can still apply some sensible measures, such as temperature taking.

Organisers can also check on their guests before the event to see if they have been to countries hard-hit by Covid-19. They can also tell guests who are not feeling well not to attend the event.

Given that the bride and groom will know the guests, facilitating contact tracing will be easier too.

Some couples proceeding with weddings despite Covid-19 outbreak

Thus, some couples have decided to go ahead with their wedding, albeit with some tweaks.

A couple MS News spoke to said they will reduce the guest list to family members and some close friends before they hand out the invites.

Another couple conducted a temperature screening, right beside the reception where the guestbooks were.

To avoid sharing food, a couple is also ensuring that each guest’s food is portioned out for them.

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In touch with religious leaders

At the same time, the task force has been in touch with religious leaders for the past weeks.

…we’re continuing our engagement with them to see how each group can make suitable adjustments to the way they conduct their services in order to move in line with these guidelines

He mentioned Singapore’s Catholic Church as an example. Before choosing to continue suspending masses, they considered different ways to incorporate social distancing during the services.

… no singing during the mass, no physical contact during the mass, and to have the pews numbered so that eventually if there is a need for contract tracing, you can facilitate that. So those are very sensible precautions, and that’s the spirit of this.

Mr Gan also added that there are a “great variety” of all the different social events. Thus, it is not feasible to have a specific, prescriptive set of rules for each one.

Proceed with sensibility

We hope that everyone who is planning on having an event with a larger number of guests can proceed with sensibility.

In addition to seating your guests further apart, you can consider inviting lesser guests or portioning the food beforehand.

Let’s stay safe as we go on with our celebrations.

Featured image adapted from TheSmartLocal and Conrad Centennial Singapore.