Due to the SARS epidemic, most couples who had planned their wedding feasts in May or June were forced to postpone the reception to this fall.

Nearly all banquet halls in town have been booked but for a few exceptions.

October - thanks to its weeklong National Day Holiday and nice weather - will be the busiest season, found out by Shanghai Daily yesterday after asking around some major hotels.

At the four-star downtown Ramada Plaza Shanghai, all 1,000 tables available at weekends in October and November are fully booked and it's the same for the hotel the first half of September.

The five-star Jin Jiang Hotel will see an average of three couples married per day during the October 1-7 National Day holidays.

"Many have called to book wedding banquets these days," said a Jin Jiang official named Zhang. "Among them, a big number are those who canceled their previous feasts because of SARS epidemic."

The two hotels charge 1,580 yuan (US$190) to 2,380 yuan for a table.

Even at hotels that charge a luxurious price, such as the Pudong Shangri-La and the Peace Hotel, business is brisk.

At the five-star Pudong Shangri-La, which charges a minimum 3,600 yuan per table, some 80 percent of the tables have been booked in October.

"Nowadays, it is very difficult to reserve tables on those particular days which are considered auspicious as per Chinese lunar calender, so we have to opt for a normal day for our wedding," said Susan Chen, 25, a local translator.

Traditionally, Chinese weddings are split into two parts.

The issuing of a marriage certificate testifies that a couple is legally married, while a banquet for friends and family - usually held months after the certificate is issued - is the "real" wedding.

The number of marriage registration decreased a bit in May due to the SARS epidemic, but has been increasing fast this month, according to officials of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

(eastday.com June 13, 2003)