Wedding day with gold medal opportunity

By Lu Feiran  |   2008-7-9  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

SCORES of Shanghai couples are looking to tie the knot on August 8, the day when the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games begin and this may cause a bottleneck.

Yesterday more than 400 couples made online appointments for marriage registration for that day, many more than usual. The appointments page could not be accessed for some time, the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau said.

"We have about 360 couples making online appointments for registration each day. Usually only 200 or 300 couples choose particular days," said Zhou Jixiang, director of the bureau's marriage management division.

"Yesterday was the first day we opened online appointments for registration on August 8 and we reckon the number wanting to register for that day will increase over the next few days," he added.

The bureau has estimated that nearly 5,000 couples will go to district offices for registration on August 8.

"As well as the Olympics, eight is an auspicious number in the hearts of Chinese people," said Zhou. "Newly-wed couples think August 8, which is the eighth day of the eighth month, will bring them luck and fortune."

Bureau officials said to cope with the registration surge for that day, they will introduce a number queuing system at district branches.

"Couples can go to the bureau offices to hand in their papers, fill some forms out and then take a number," said Zhou. "On August 8, they can go to the bureau with their number and just sign the certificate."

The bureau's district branches have been planning for the rush for registrations.

Bureau officials said they will work overtime to ensure every couple receives a marriage certificate on the day they choose.

"We are training officials from other divisions to help us on the day," said Li Haihua, director of the marriage registration division of the bureau's Xuhui District branch.