About 20,000 couples are planning to tie the knot during the week-long National Day holiday, according to the Shanghai Wedding Trade Association. The “golden week” holiday begins on October 1.

“Business for the upcoming weeklong holiday is really booming,” said Helen Huang, secretary-general of the association.

She said that so far about 10,000 couples have visited the association’s 40 member companies, which account for about half of the wedding service market in the area, to make arrangements for the holiday.

“The number of customers for those seven days equals the total in a normal month, and far exceeds that in July and August,” she added.

A Chinese wedding actually consists of two separate parts. The first is an official process that includes the issuing of a marriage certificate showing that a couple is legally married. That is followed by a banquet for friends and family, which most people consider the true wedding.

The city’s first group of certified wedding professionals, including 17 masters of ceremony and three photographers, will begin to serve local couples from October 1, the association also said.

More than 3,000 couples have opted to sign the Wedding Service Standard Contract, which was created with the agreement of all members of the association and which went into effect about one month ago.

“It is the first of its kind in the city. The contract clearly states the rights and duties of both the customers and service providers,” Huang said. “If any agency fails to provide its promised services -- for example, if it changes the original Cadillac to a Santana -- customers can file a complaint with us and receive some compensation.”

Couples who sign the standard contract will also receive free accident insurance worth 18,000 yuan (US$2,175) and medical insurance worth 10,000 yuan (US$1,208) each.

Chen Yun, who will have her wedding on October 5, said she registered five months ago.

“National Day holiday, although the busiest, is always the best time,” she said. “The weather is pleasant, most relatives and friends have enough spare time, and the atmosphere of celebration will certainly add to our happiness.”

(Shanghai Daily September 28, 2004)