She added: “While it would have been a favourable time to have had our wedding after the pandemic, it was the high level of uncertainty that deterred us from doing so.”

After a short pause, marriages have resumed as young Singaporean couples realised that be it in sickness or in health, the pandemic would be sticking around – much like their lifelong commitment. They have instead found ways to mitigate its disruption to their long-term plans.

THE WEDDING CRASHER

The coronavirus outbreak had many thinking twice about getting married. In Singapore, 10,542 couples solemnised their marriages from January to July 2020 – a 23 per cent drop from the same period in 2019. This was mirrored across the Asia-Pacific region.

“The economic stress triggered by the pandemic may let young adults delay their marriage,” said Ko Pei-Chun, a lecturer at the Centre for University Core at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

Singaporeans who went ahead with their weddings met roadblocks. Solemnisations scheduled during the circuit-breaker period from April 7 to June 1 had to be postponed as in-person ceremonies were prohibited.

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When Singapore gradually reopened in phases, the government implemented distancing measures such as limiting the size of gatherings. Couples who booked their weddings at some hotels had to scramble for alternative locations as more than half of the 67,000 hotel rooms in Singapore were used as isolation and quarantine facilities in July 2020.

Ferdinand Mar and Grace Yap had to change hotels as they faced a “significant” price hike when measures were announced. The couple, who got married in November 2020, also had to adhere to numerous guidelines. Guests had to be turned down, and those who attended their ceremony had to wear masks throughout.

“Thankfully, we were very blessed to be able to secure an alternative venue that was well within our budget and received a full refund of our deposit from our previous vendor,” said Mar, 27, a teacher. His wife Yap, 25, is a final-year undergraduate at the National Institute of Education.

He added: “Changing the date of our wedding would also have complicated matters as we had already fixed the dates with our photographers and videographers.”

“When you have family spread across various cities, it’s usually occasions like weddings that bring everyone together in one place to catch up, bond and make memories,” she said. “It will definitely be sad not having them around on such a special day, but if this will help everyone be safe then I think it is a small sacrifice.”

A CHANGE OF PLANS

Despite the flurry of changes, it was common to see couples making the best of their situation.

For Belicia Teo, her original plan to get married in early May was foiled by the circuit breaker. The graduate student, 24, and her husband, a manager in his early 30s, then spent two months debating their next step.

“In late June, we said ‘to heck with it’, and decided to just go ahead,” said Teo, who pulled off a wedding – attended by 10 immediate family members at her parents’ home – in three weeks. “We were very lucky to have amazing friends who pooled together their talents in photography, make-up and decorations to help us make it happen.”

While Teo said that not being able to celebrate with her relatives and friends in person “hurt”, video conferencing tool Zoom came in handy as they could dial in. It is a medium that has gained in popularity at weddings since the pandemic hit.

Meanwhile, things like speeches and photos were increasingly being done online, said wedding planner Sophia Lim.

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“Virtual is definitely the way to go. With the travel restrictions across the globe, virtual weddings were the way to connect the couple and their celebrations with their loved ones,” said Lim, who works at Chere Weddings and Events.

With these workarounds, sociologist Tan Ern Ser believes the lockdown and safety measures paradoxically hastened wedding plans for some couples, as it would allow them to live together.

“Notwithstanding the pandemic and the disruptions that come along with it, people do try to live a ‘normal’ life, while making the necessary adjustments,” said Tan, an associate professor at National University of Singapore.

A chance at holding a more affordable wedding also helps. According to the Julius Baer Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2020, Singapore is the fourth most expensive Asian city to hold a wedding, with an average cost of US$72,033 – behind Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai. The survey examines prices and consumer behaviour related to luxury.

Tan added that the lower costs and time commitment involved in organising a simple wedding solemnisation – as opposed to a larger-scale banquet – during the pandemic could have also prompted couples to exchange their vows earlier.

MARRIAGES ARE FOREVER

With Singapore now in its third phase of reopening, which began on December 28 last year, more restrictions have been eased. A maximum of 100 guests are now allowed at external venues, although fixed seating and temperature checks are still required.

More people have also signalled their intent to get married in 2021, said Cheryl Tan, founder of wedding planner The Wedding Concepteur.

“In January alone, we saw a spike in enquiries and engagement of our services, as compared to the past six months,” she said. “This uptick in weddings could be due to the fact that couples no longer want to delay their wedding any further, so they are embracing the current Covid-19 restrictions instead.”

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Solemniser Joanna Portilla, who had seen a “huge drop off” in marriages in early 2020, said couples were now more realistic, given that Covid-19 was likely to remain in the near future.

“We understand that people still want to marry, so it will be here to stay regardless of the situation, because it is the next step to seal the relationship,” she added.

Although having a smaller wedding had “dampened the mood”, Farah, the specialist teaching associate, was content with a more intimate and meaningful celebration. Covid-19 was never a deterrence for her.

“No one knew for sure how long the pandemic was going to last, and when the strict restrictions would be lifted. [Covid-19] spurred us even more to get married as it allowed us to live together while waiting for our flat to be ready.”