‘Another level of stress’: Couples worry about pre-event COVID-19 testing for wedding guests under new rules

When tighter restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 were announced on Tuesday (May 4), Stanley’s mind went blank. The changes would mean that guests at his wedding reception on Saturday will need to be swabbed.
On Tuesday, the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force announced that the number of attendees allowed for wedding receptions and marriage solemnisations without pre-event testing will be decreased from 100 to 50 from this Saturday.
Wedding receptions can still proceed with more than 50 people and up to 250 attendees, but pre-event testing would be required for all unvaccinated attendees. They will also have to be separated into zones or timeslots of 50 people each.
For marriage solemnisations of similar sizes, only unvaccinated wedding couples have to do pre-event testing.
Stanley and his fiance Megan had to decide what to do. The couple, who requested to go only by their first names, had postponed their wedding twice before.
Their wedding was initially due to take place on May 9 last year, but it was postponed to January this year, and then again to May.
Speaking to CNA, Stanley said they considered postponing again, but decided to proceed with the wedding after checking with close friends.
“My mind was blank, the stress was there, it was another level of stress,” the 33-year-old groom-to-be said.
“Our Whatsapp and Telegram (chats) were being spammed by everybody (asking) if there are any changes, (if we are) postponing the wedding.”
Megan said that she was shocked and felt “very unlucky”.
“Out of all the days, it just had to be that day, and we are already so near, and we already postponed twice,” she said.