In short
A ceremony at the Registry of Marriages is short, indoors and on a fixed slot, so good photos come from preparation rather than improvisation. Since 14 April 2025 the Registry has operated from a temporary site at 8 Raffles Avenue, The Esplanade Mall, #03-03/04, while its Canning Rise building is redeveloped.
- Photo and video-taking are permitted in the solemnisation room, according to the Registry
- The room holds up to 20 people, including the two of you and your two witnesses
- Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early and register with the Registry officer outside the room
- The ceremony itself takes about 10 minutes, with a solemniser provided by the Registry
- For portraits afterwards, the Marina Bay waterfront is a short walk away
The room and who fits in it
The Registry states that its solemnisation room can accommodate up to 20 people, including the groom, the bride and the two witnesses. It is safest to count your photographer and videographer within that number when you decide who attends, so nobody is turned away at the door.
Because the room is set up by the Registry rather than by your photographer, the layout is not something to plan around in detail. A photographer who knows the order of the ceremony can position quickly for the moments that matter, rather than needing to move around once it starts.
The ten minutes, in order
Once your party has registered its arrival, you wait to be called in. Inside, the solemniser checks the NRICs or passports of the two of you and your witnesses, and asks for your verbal consent. You exchange vows, and rings if you are using them, then sign the ceremonial certificate of marriage together with the solemniser and your witnesses, and are pronounced married. The Registry puts the whole ceremony at about 10 minutes.
That sequence is the shot list: your faces during consent and vows, the rings, the signing with your witnesses, the pronouncement, and the first few seconds afterwards. Our guide to how photo time is used on ROM day covers what to prioritise.
Timing your arrival
The Registry asks all attendees to arrive about 15 to 20 minutes before the scheduled time. That buffer is also when arrival photos happen: the two of you with your families, your witnesses, and the details such as rings and flowers.
Slots are booked when you submit your marriage application and are first-come-first-served, and the Registry has offered Saturday slots since 17 May 2025. Brief your photographer on the exact slot and on where you are heading afterwards, so they can plan the time either side of it.
Photos after the ceremony
The Esplanade sits on the Marina Bay waterfront, so there are open-air spots a short walk away for family groups and portraits once you leave the Registry. If you want a longer portrait session, some couples plan it for later the same day or for another date entirely, rather than squeezing it in right after the ceremony.
For a professional shoot in public spaces, check whether the space needs advance permission, especially if you plan to use tripods, reflectors or additional lighting.
Sharing the space with other couples
The Registry serves many couples in a day, so your party may share the waiting area with other couples arriving for their own slots. Keeping to your slot, and moving family photos away from the entrance once you are done, keeps things pleasant for everyone.
If you are solemnising at the Ficus Room instead
The Registry’s other site is the Ficus Room at Gardens by the Bay. The steps are the same, except that you register your arrival with the solemniser at the entrance of the Ficus Room. Gardens by the Bay is on your doorstep for photos afterwards; check the Gardens’ own rules for photography before planning a longer shoot there.
What to brief your photographer beforehand
Share your exact slot time, the names of your witnesses, how many people will attend and where you are going afterwards. If you want a particular photo, such as a close-up during the signing or a group with both families, say so in advance so it can be planned into the ten minutes rather than hoped for. For coverage options, see our ROM and solemnisation photography.
If you are solemnising at the Registry and want help planning photos around your slot, get in touch and we can talk through what fits your ceremony.