Wedding Cost SG
Legal

Solemnisation-Only Weddings: The Low-Cost Route

Updated 26 Oct 2026 4 min read Wedding Cost SG Editorial Team
A simple, intimate solemnisation setup in a bright room: two chairs, a small table with a white orchid and two rings on a tray
Short answer

A solemnisation-only wedding is the legal ceremony with no banquet, so the one fixed cost is the ROM licence — S$42 if at least one of you is a citizen or PR, or S$380 if both are foreigners. Everything else is optional.

On this page7 sections · tap to jump
  1. 01What “solemnisation-only” means
  2. 02The only fixed cost: the ROM licence
  3. 03What you still need
  4. 04Where to hold a low-cost solemnisation
  5. 05What you save by skipping the banquet
  6. 06Making it feel special on a small budget
  7. 07Where to go next

If the paperwork is all you want, a Singapore wedding can cost very little. A solemnisation-only wedding is simply the legal ceremony — a licensed solemniser officiates, two witnesses sign, and your marriage is registered — with no banquet and no reception. Because of that, the only fixed, official cost is the civil marriage licence: S$42 if at least one of you is a Singapore Citizen or PR, or S$380 if both of you are foreigners. Everything beyond that is a choice, not a requirement.

This covers civil marriages. Muslim couples register through ROMM, which has its own fees — see our ROMM guide.

What “solemnisation-only” means

Every legal marriage in Singapore has the same core: a licensed solemniser conducts a short ceremony, two witnesses are present, and the solemniser files the marriage with the Registry of Marriages (ROM). A solemnisation-only wedding keeps exactly that and drops the rest — no dinner, no large guest list, no elaborate styling. You end the day just as married as a couple who spent S$80,000, with the same digital certificate of marriage.

The only fixed cost: the ROM licence

The civil marriage licence fee depends only on citizenship or residency, not on where or how you marry:

  • S$42 if at least one of you is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident.
  • S$380 if both of you are foreigners.

If you solemnise at a Registry site, there is no other fee — a solemniser is assigned to you, and you pay nothing beyond the application fee. (A prescribed administrative fee applies only if you later change your solemnisation details.) These figures are from the Our Marriage Journey portal and were current as of October 2026; reconfirm before you pay, since official fees can change.

What you still need

A solemnisation-only wedding is minimal, but a few things are non-negotiable:

  • Two witnesses, both aged 21 or older, present at the ceremony with their identity documents.
  • A completed Notice of Marriage, filed no earlier than 6 months and no later than 21 days before your date.
  • A declaration before the marriage — most eligible couples (both Singpass holders, first marriage, aged 21+) can do this online without an appointment; others attend in person or by video link.

The step-by-step filing and the fee rules are in our complete ROM guide, and how to engage an officiant is in the licensed solemniser guide.

Where to hold a low-cost solemnisation

You have several settings, and none of them changes your legal status:

  • The interim Registry site at Esplanade Mall (Level 3), where ROM has solemnised since 14 April 2025, with Saturday bookings available. A solemniser is assigned here.
  • The Ficus Room @ Gardens by the Bay, bookable for a greener backdrop within an official arrangement.
  • Your own venue — a home, a restaurant or a small function room — where you invite your own licensed solemniser through the portal.

The Registry is due to return to a redeveloped Canning Rise building in 2029. The full comparison of venues is in our solemnisation venues guide.

What you save by skipping the banquet

The banquet is almost always the biggest line in a Singapore wedding — typically 40–55% of the whole budget. A full reception commonly runs about S$30,000 to S$85,000 all in (approximate, Vows.sg 2026), and can pass S$100,000 at the luxury end. Going solemnisation-only removes that entire line, which is why it is the lowest-cost way to marry here.

Card comparing a solemnisation-only wedding against a full banquet wedding by cost

The fixed legal cost is tiny; the reception is what makes a wedding expensive. Official ROM fee vs approximate third-party reception range (Vows.sg, 2026).

Making it feel special on a small budget

Low-cost does not mean joyless. Many couples add small, meaningful touches without a banquet: a set of vows read at the ceremony, a short photo session at a scenic spot, a dinner with immediate family, or a relaxed gathering at home. Each is optional and scalable. If you later want a celebration, you can hold one on any date after the solemnisation — the legal marriage is already done. For ideas on trimming costs if you do want more, see how to save on your wedding.

Where to go next

Sources

  1. If we would like to be solemnised at the Registry of Marriage (ROM) office, do we need to pay any other fees besides the marriage fee? — Our Marriage Journey (Registry of Marriages) (as of October 2026)
  2. What are the fees for the various Registry of Marriages (ROM) services? — Our Marriage Journey (Registry of Marriages) (as of October 2026)
  3. Overview of Marriage Process (updated Oct 2026) — Registry of Marriages, Singapore (as of October 2026)
  4. Wedding Banquet Price List Singapore 2026 — Vows.sg (third-party; approximate ranges) (as of September 2026)