Solemnisation vs Banquet: What's the Difference and Do You Need Both?

Solemnisation makes you legally married. A banquet is the celebration dinner. You need the first one; the second is entirely your choice. These two events are often conflated, but they are separate occasions with very different costs, logistics, and legal weight. Here is exactly what each one involves and how to decide what is right for you.

Still weighing it up? See how the costs add up in our free Singapore wedding budget guide, then compare venues and vendors in Find Vendors.

What is a solemnisation?

A solemnisation is the legal ceremony that officially registers your marriage under Singapore law. It is conducted by a Licensed Solemniser, either at the Registry of Marriage (ROM) or at an approved venue, and must be witnessed by at least two people.

Without a solemnisation, you are not married in the eyes of the law, regardless of how large or lavish your banquet is. This is the non-negotiable part of the whole process.

The government fee is S$42 per couple if both parties are Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents. If one party is a non-resident, the fee rises to S$380. Always confirm current fees directly on the official ROM website before budgeting, as these figures can change.

What is a wedding banquet?

A wedding banquet is a hosted meal, typically a multi-course Chinese dinner, held to celebrate your marriage with family and friends. It is a social and cultural event, not a legal requirement.

Banquets are where the bulk of wedding spending goes. For a 200-guest hotel ballroom wedding, banquet costs alone typically run S$44,000, which is 56% of the total budget. For a five-star venue with 300 guests, F&B can exceed S$100,000.

The per-table cost on a Saturday dinner ranges from around S$600 to S$1,700 for budget venues, S$1,800 to S$2,400 for mid-range hotel ballrooms, and S$2,500 to S$4,700 for premium and luxury options. All figures here are nett, meaning they already include GST and service charge.

Do you legally need a banquet?

No. Many couples skip the traditional banquet entirely. Some hold a small solemnisation with close family and a simple meal afterwards. Others travel overseas for a destination wedding and host a separate homecoming dinner months later.

The banquet is a cultural expectation in many families, not a legal one. If your budget is tight or your guest list is small, a restaurant celebration or even a home gathering after your ROM is a completely valid path.

Can you combine the solemnisation and the banquet into one event?

Yes, and many couples do exactly this. You can hold your solemnisation ceremony at the start of your banquet evening, at the same venue, before guests are seated for dinner.

This is often called a "one-day wedding" and it streamlines logistics considerably. Your Licensed Solemniser arrives for the ceremony portion, guests witness the legal vows, and the dinner follows. You save on venue rental for a separate ceremony space, and guests only need to travel once.

The main constraint is timing. ROM requires the solemnisation to follow specific legal procedures, so coordinate with your solemniser and venue coordinator well in advance.

How do the costs compare?

The gap is significant. A ROM solemnisation at the registry costs S$42 to S$380 in government fees. A mid-range 200-guest banquet runs to roughly S$44,000 for F&B alone, or around S$78,200 all-in when you add photography, florals, attire, and other categories.

If you are working with a tight budget, the solemnisation-only route for an intimate group of 80 guests at a restaurant has an all-in cost of around S$22,600, with the banquet portion at roughly S$10,000. That is a dramatically different commitment from a hotel ballroom wedding.

Guest count is the single biggest lever on your banquet budget. Every person you add to the list adds approximately S$280 to S$560 to your total spend, depending on venue tier.

What about a wedding at a restaurant or non-hotel venue?

Hotels dominate the conversation, but they are not your only option. Restaurant venues and external caterers cost significantly less, with banquet tables starting from around S$400 to S$700 per table. Community club and void-deck weddings can go lower still. Halal buffet caterers typically charge around S$25 to S$45 per person.

Browse wedding planning and coordination vendors on Delegate to find coordinators who can advise on non-hotel formats and help you structure the day whether you are combining events or keeping them separate.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to hold the solemnisation before the banquet, or can they happen on the same day? They can happen on the same day and at the same venue. Many couples hold the legal ceremony at the start of their banquet evening. The solemnisation must still follow all ROM requirements: a Licensed Solemniser, at least two witnesses, and the correct paperwork filed in advance. Check with your solemniser on timing, as the ceremony itself usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.

Can we have a solemnisation without a banquet at all? Yes, completely. A solemnisation is the only legally required element of a Singapore wedding. You can hold it at the ROM building, at a restaurant, in a garden, or at home, and celebrate however you like afterwards. Skipping the formal banquet is increasingly common, especially among couples with smaller budgets or overseas family who cannot attend a large dinner.

What is the government fee for a ROM solemnisation in Singapore? The fee is S$42 if both parties are Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents. It rises to S$380 if one party is a non-resident. Confirm the latest figures on the official ROM website before submitting your registration, as fees are subject to change.

If we combine the solemnisation and banquet, does the venue need special approval? The venue does not need ROM approval for a solemnisation to take place there, but your Licensed Solemniser must agree to officiate at that location. Most hotel ballrooms and many restaurants are well-practised at hosting combined events. Confirm with both your venue coordinator and your solemniser early in the planning process, ideally six to twelve months out.

How much should we budget for a combined solemnisation and banquet event? It depends heavily on guest count and venue tier. An intimate 80-guest restaurant wedding runs around S$22,600 all-in. A 200-guest hotel ballroom wedding is around S$78,200. A 300-guest five-star event reaches roughly S$167,500. All figures include a 10% contingency. The banquet F&B portion accounts for 44% to 61% of the total, so your guest list size is the most powerful way to control spending.

Use Wedding Desk to map out your event structure, set a realistic budget, and keep both your solemnisation and banquet details in one place as your plans develop.