Singapore Couple Attends Own Wedding via LIVESTREAM Because of Coronavirus Ban
By Carl Samson
A Singapore couple who recently went on a trip to China decided to push through with their wedding upon arriving back home — only without showing up to meet their guests in person.
The couple, who returned to Singapore on Jan. 30, spent the Lunar New Year in Hunan — one of the provinces currently battling the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) — to spend time with the bride’s family.
On Feb. 1, Singapore imposed a ban on travelers who had been to mainland China in the last 14 days. Holders of Chinese passports also face restrictions, according to Reuters.
As a result, the bride’s parents could not make it to the wedding. And to make matters even more challenging, guests expressed concerns after hearing that the couple had just arrived from China.
With limited options at hand, the couple decided to isolate themselves in a hotel suite and attend their wedding on Feb. 2 via livestream.
“We know many of our guests were worried. We discussed about postponing the banquet with the hotel, but could not reach an agreement. To let our guests have peace of mind, we made this decision,” the groom said, according to Shin Min Daily News.
The couple, who subjected themselves to a 14-day work leave, went on with a conventional wedding march, greeting guests dressed for the occasion through a webcam. The groom’s parents were also on leave, so the closest family member who managed to attend the event was his sister.
“Thank you all for attending our wedding. We’re very sorry for not being at the venue to enjoy a wonderful time with everyone,” the bride told the crowd, according to Asia One. “But we’re still happy over here. We’re grateful to everyone for coming.”
Only 11 out of 19 tables were filled at the event. The groom believes that many chose to stay home due to fears of the coronavirus, though it could also be because some had the common flu, according to Mothership.
Either way, the absence of a large number resulted in an excess of food, which present guests took advantage of by taking some home.
“We interacted with our guests via livestream and popped some champagne to celebrate. The emcee also invited our relatives on stage to yum seng [give a toast]. It was a happy occasion,” the groom said, according to China Press.
The couple’s hotel room was reportedly cleaned and sanitized after their stay. With travel restrictions in place, it’s unclear where and when they plan to spend their honeymoon.
As of 2 p.m. on Feb. 5 (Singapore Time), Singapore has confirmed a total of 28 novel coronavirus infections. Four out of six recent cases reportedly have no recent travel history to China.
Feature Images via China Press
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