Wedding bells in Beijing

• May 8, 2008
  
  
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  Thousands of couples in China are flocking to the altar to get married on the luckiest day in years.
  
  Friday, August 8th is not only the start of the Olympic Games in Beijing it also contains three number eights, regarded as a symbol of luck.
  
  With this in mind, 9,000 couples plan to turn dating into marriage in the city on Friday with many booking the date almost a year in advance to secure a spot at church.
  
  Official figures from the city show that Friday will see a record number of weddings in Beijing – breaking the previous record for same-day weddings by more than double, reports state news agency Xinhua.
  
  The number eight is associated with luck in China as the Mandarin pronunciation of the word is similar in sound to the phrase "to get rich".
  
  Beijing looks set to be a busy venue on Friday, not only will a significant portion of people be looking for romance at wedding parties, even more will be out to take part in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
  
  To get lucky in love, search for your perfect date!
  
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