Shanghai wedding service companies are looking to Japanese couples as a way to expand their business. 

According to the Shanghai Wedding Trade Association, it is currently seeking cooperation with its Japanese counterpart to promote the city as an ideal wedding location.

Trustworthy local wedding agencies will provide package services, including flight booking, wedding planning, photography and banquet arrangements.

"Traditional weddings are considered out-of-date in Japan, and many young couples go to Hawaii, Australia and Europe looking for fresh romance," said Wang Liping, secretary general of the association. "This makes us believe that our local market is also promising."

The city's relatively low wedding costs is another big attraction to the Japanese couples, she said.

A wedding held in Japan generally costs about 1.4 million yuan (US$168,674), which is about 10 to 15 times more expensive than one held in Shanghai, Wang said.

For instance, the price of renting a bridal dress here is about 300 yuan a day, whereas in Japan, it can be about 3,000 yuan for only one to two hours.

Wang dong, sales manager of the Fortune Club Wedding Planner, said his company has cooperated with a Japan agency to arrange for dozens of couples to travel to the city to tie the knot.

"Even if they bring most of their relatives along, the costs will still be lower," he said. "Besides, lots of Japanese people are curious about Chinese culture and willing to experience a wedding of traditional Chinese style."

However, some local companies say they are pessimistic about the market.

Compared to the most popular wedding resorts like Hawaii, the service quality in Shanghai is not regarded as first-class, said Wang Zhiwei, vice manager of the Shanghai China Youth Travel Service.

"Except for the wedding ceremony, local planners always fail to provide more interesting entertainment during the foreign couple's stay," he said.

(eastday.com  July 28, 2004)