Singaporebrides | Weddings 101
June 2021
Your Guide to Pre-Event Testing (PET) at Your Wedding and Its Cost
Find out if you need wedding pre-event testing, how much PET costs, where to get PET, and how PET works.
Updated 18 August 2021.
Unless you’re holding a solemnisation with 50 attendees and below, you will need pre-event testing at your wedding. The Ministry of Health has announced that we will be transiting to a new normal where COVID-19 is endemic instead of treated of as a pandemic. As such, COVID-19 restrictions on daily life will be eased. From 19 August 2021, new measures for weddings and solemnisations will take place.
All marriage solemnisations and wedding receptions continue to be subject to the prevailing safe management measures, such as zonal/time slot requirements and safe distancing rules. Find out everything you need to know about pre-event testing at your wedding, including who needs it, how much it costs, and where to get it.
What is Wedding Pre-Event Testing?
A pre-event test (PET) refers to a COVID-19 test taken by an attendee who wishes to enter a premise where certain events, businesses, or activities are being held, including weddings and solemnisations. This attendee must obtain a negative COVID-19 test result within a specified period of time, before being allowed to enter the venue.
Who Requires Pre-Event Testing at My Wedding?
Whether your wedding event requires pre-event testing (PET) is dependant on the number of attendees at your event. Currently, only solemnisations with less than 50 attendees do not require PET, including home solemnisations with up to 10 attendees. For solemnisations with 51-1,000 attendees, you and all of your guests must undergo PET.
Solemnisations immediately followed by wedding receptions for up to 250 persons will require PET for everyone. Wedding receptions held alone, with up to 250 attendees, will require testing for everyone too.
Exemptions from Pre-Event Testing
Attendees with cleared statuses are exempted from PET. According to the GoBusiness website, a cleared status refers to individuals who are “(i) Fully vaccinated (an individual is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after he or she has received the full regimen of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna vaccines currently administered under the National Vaccination Programme, or World Health Organisation’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) vaccines); or (ii) [Have] recovered from COVID-19 and can provide a valid PET exemption notice for the duration of the event; or (iii) Has a valid negative Pre-Event Test (PET) result for the duration of the event.” Guests must provide proof of their vaccination status in the TraceTogether or HealthHub app or token, or show their relevant exemption documents, before being allowed into your wedding.
Do Children Require Pre-Event Testing at My Wedding?
According to the Ministry of Health, there is a provision for children aged 12 years and below, who are currently ineligible for vaccinations. The number of children at your solemnisation or wedding is capped at 20% of the total attendance. Children seated within the groups of five must be from the same household.
Children aged 12 and below are allowed to be part of your wedding party. However, if there are more than five children in the wedding party, or if there are children from multiple households in your wedding party, then all the children will need to undergo PET.
Rates valid at time of first publication on 28 June 2021
How Much Does Pre-Event Testing at Weddings Cost?
There are two types of pre-event tests—the antigen rapid test (ART), and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The Ministry of Health strongly recommends the ART for its faster result turnaround time of 30 minutes, compared to up to 48 hours for the PCR.
How much your wedding pre-event testing will cost depends on whether you’re holding PET on-site or off-site in a clinic, how many persons are getting tested, and the type of test kit you choose. Find a sample of wedding PET costs in the infographic above. Costs are borne by couples or guests; no subsidies are currently available. If you’re expecting children at your wedding, do check with the PET provider if they’re able to swab children.
How Should Wedding Pre-Event Testing Be Conducted?
You may conduct pre-event testing (PET) on-site at your wedding venue if space allows, or organise for guests to get tested off-site at an MOH-approved clinic. Not all solemnisation or wedding venues will have the space to conduct on-site PET on their premises, as according to Bethesda Medical Centre medical director Dr. Stephen Tong in an interview with The Straits Times, the test site requires multiple separate areas for attendees enter and exit, and to register, swab, and wait for results, with safety distancing. Medical staff also require space to don medical attire, process samples, and dispose of biohazard waste.
On-Site Pre-Event Testing
Ask your wedding venue if you will be able to conduct pre-event testing (PET) on-site. If you are, you will need to engage a pre-event testing provider to perform the tests 1-2 hours before your wedding, depending on the number of guests who require testing. Check to see if you meet their minimum number of pax to be tested. On your wedding day, your guests will register and have their temperature taken, then wait for their turns to be swabbed. Once swabbed, they will be ushered into a holding area where they will receive their results via SMS or personal QR code.
Off-Site Pre-Event Testing
If only a small number of your guests require testing, or if your venue doesn’t allow for on-site PET, you could ask your guests to get tested at one of the many MOH-approved clinics islandwide where PET is available. You can also organise for guests to get tested at a particular clinic for group rates. Guests will need to provide their results before being admitted into your wedding.
When Should Guests Go for Off-Site PET?
Pre-event test results are valid for 24 hours only, so guests should go for their tests no earlier than 24 hours before the end of your wedding. For example, if you’re holding a solemnisation that will end at 2p.m., your guests should go for their PET after 2p.m. on the day before your solemnisation. They will receive their results in approximately 30 minutes.
Registration
Whether you hold off-site or on-site PET, your guests will need to register before attending your wedding. Have your wedding helpers check your guests’ vaccination status on the TraceTogether or HealthHub app, and check the validity of their PET results, before ushering your guests into your wedding.
Safety Measures with Pre-Event Testing
Even with pre-event testing (PET) and vaccinations, safe management measures such as mask-wearing, zoning, and keeping to group sizes of 5 per table must still be followed, to protect your attendees in case anyone has a false negative test. The Ministry of Health also strongly discourages unvaccinated individuals from attending weddings given their higher vulnerability.
For further details on pre-event testing at your wedding, consult the Ministry of Health’s website or visit the GoBusiness website.
What If Your Guests Refuse Pre-Event Testing?
All attendees of your wedding must undergo pre-event testing (PET) unless they fit the exemption criteria above. However, some guests may be uncomfortable with the swab, or unable to undergo it. Before sending out your wedding invitations, you can whittle down your guest list by letting your guests know that PET is mandatory, and asking if they would still like to be invited to your wedding. You can also ask if they have been or will be vaccinated in Singapore at least 14 days before your wedding, so you can plan your PET headcount. Let your guests know whether you’re having on-site or off-site PET, and ask if they’re willing to go for an off-site PET on their own if you don’t have arrangements for on-site testing or group off-site testing. If you’re arranging for group off-site PET, inform your guests of the details. An online pre-RSVP form may be helpful in collecting responses. Don’t forget to thank your guests for their understanding, and offer to meet those who are unable to attend when times are better!
Credits: Feature image from Joanne and Russell’s Magical Horseback Wedding at Capella Singapore by Pixioo Photography
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