Singapore Reporter

SINGAPORE – A record number of 243 couples in Singapore will be tying the knot on Valentine’s Day on Feb 14, the highest in five years, according to the Registry of Marriages.

This may be because Valentine’s Day will also be the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, or “Yuan Xiao Jie”.

For one couple, tying the knot on Feb 14 means more than having “double happiness” dates.

A groom-to-be, Mr Jerald Lim, a banker, said: “For the two of us actually, it will mark seven years, exactly seven years since we first got together. And, on top of that, it is also my Lunar birthday.”

The couple’s relatives from overseas will be heading to Singapore for both the wedding and the reunions over Chinese New Year.

Channel NewsAsia also checked with five hotels and most said they have not seen a spike in bookings.

The couple said the added costs of the Feb 14 wedding are marginal.

“I think we are very fortunate because we started planning for our wedding very long ago, so we did not have to pay a lot more.

“But there were still items and things we have to pay more for, because it is an auspicious date, and also because it falls within the Lunar New Year festive period. Overall I would say we pay about 10 per cent (more) or thereabout,” said Mr Lim.

While the costs may not be hefty, the auspicious date poses other challenges.