Singapore Expats

My fiance and I are getting married in Singapore next year, however we are secretly doing our civil legal ceremony at home beforehand.

We are looking for an expat wedding celebrant who understands the situation and is happy to conduct our Singapore wedding ceremony for all intents and purposes as our real wedding both for us and our guests. Our Singapore wedding is our true "wedding" and celebration.

The person who does our ceremony may not even be an official celebrant here or in their home country. They could be someone who is comfortable and confident to conduct the proceedings - ie. articulate, professional, understanding and good with people.

Thanks.

So you want someone to do a fake wedding!?!?! Is this even legal?

What's wrong with being married in front of your friends and family? why would an expat understand your situation more?

nutnut

nutnut wrote:So you want someone to do a fake wedding!?!?! Is this even legal?

What's wrong with being married in front of your friends and family? why would an expat understand your situation more?

nutnut

There were a couple of such fake marriages in the news, and the parties ended up in Jail ..

ecureilx wrote:There were a couple of such fake marriages in the news, and the parties ended up in Jail ..

And what were the charges?

x9200 wrote:

ecureilx wrote:There were a couple of such fake marriages in the news, and the parties ended up in Jail ..

And what were the charges?

Dont remember the details, was a few years ago, and my memory only remembers that they did a 'wedding' overseas and didn't update ICA or something .. claiming such wedding was 'for trial' or something.

Not sure if MrCouscous is a Singaporean, or Foreigners trying to re-do the wedding here ..

I don't think it's illegal to have a party with some entertainment program that looks like a wedding. In fact, many Singaporeans do ROM first and a wedding reception much later (e.g. once they get their HDB).
It is probably also not illegal to lie to the assembled relatives and friends that one wasn't married before - provided one doesn't get a financial advantage out of it. I personally, though, cannot see why you would want to do this.
Of course as soon as the legal ceremony (equivalent of ROM in Singapore) is completed, you are married and have to say so in all official documents. The "celebrant" (as you call him) also cannot pose as an official, as this would be unlawful assumption of public authority.

beppi wrote:I don't think it's illegal to have a party with some entertainment program that looks like a wedding. In fact, many Singaporeans do ROM first and a wedding reception much later (e.g. once they get their HDB).
It is probably also not illegal to lie to the assembled relatives and friends that one wasn't married before - provided one doesn't get a financial advantage out of it. I personally, though, cannot see why you would want to do this.
Of course as soon as the legal ceremony (equivalent of ROM in Singapore) is completed, you are married and have to say so in all official documents. The "celebrant" (as you call him) also cannot pose as an official, as this would be unlawful assumption of public authority.

As for bluffing, not gonna go there, but had a proposal like that, sometime ago .. and well, let me say, it sounded a bit funny and silly and immature to bluff my way, not to mention that it was not proper .. I just put and end to the whole relationship that was blossoming thence .. and that was years ago ..

Wedding dinners / void deck parties are only celebratory and do not have legal standing whatsoever. You can hold whatever party you wish as long as no JP is involved and it will not be legal. However if you have a JP or authorised religious person (priest/pastor etc) conducting a ceremony which involves signing the marriage register, then you are entering into a marriage contract.

In Singapore for HDB application reasons, a lot of couples undergo ROM first to obtain the marriage certificate. Once you receive the marriage cert you're considered married. Many couples especially Chinese couples hold a separate wedding dinner to satisfy their parents.

I don't know what OP means by "true wedding". As far as the law is concerned you're truly married as soon as you sign the marriage register. Hence I don't see how you can have a civil legal ceremony at home and still expect another "true wedding" here?

If you just want some person to do an exchange of vows (without the legal mumbo jumbo) then you can basically get anyone you wish as long as it doesn't involve signing the official marriage register. Heck you can print your own fake marriage cert if you wish.

MrCouscous,

I'm an expat who teaches theology here at a private college (PhD in divinity from well-known UK uni); I've had 4yrs parish experience in the States, and have conducted a handful of weddings.
If you are in need of someone to conduct a service here, I may be of some assistance, depending on your expectations. You can send me a private message, if interested. Please elaborate a bit more about what it is that you and your partner need; my assumption is that you will be legally married by the time you arrive in SG, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Hi dpot

Are you still doing this, being a marriage celebrant I mean. Thanks.

Why not ask your local pastor? Ours does 'real' weddings all the time.