CHONGQING — When 26-year-old Xiao Peng met her fiancé on a bus in Chongqing’s Fuling district, the couple instinctively knew it would be the perfect mode of transportation for their wedding.

“Compared to traditional wedding car convoys, buses are more environmentally friendly and cost-effective,” she said, adding that her wedding party spent the ride singing, taking photos and reminiscing.

However, such unique wedding activities are quite unconventional in China. Traditional weddings there are often elaborate affairs with long car convoys, numerous customs and a long guest list.

According to a 2021 survey conducted by Guyu Data, a data analysis and social commentary platform operated by Tencent News, the average cost of a wedding in China was about 174,000 yuan (US$24,350), about 8.8 times higher than the average monthly income of each couple. Forty-two percent of the couples surveyed admitted that their weddings went over budget.

Today, more and more young Chinese like Xiao are distancing themselves from the elaborate formalities of traditional weddings, believing that by paying less attention to customs and procedures, they can focus more on the experience, the feelings and the true essence of marriage.

Lin Mo, 34, who lives in Fujian Province, held her own simplified ceremony this year.

“My husband and I hosted the wedding ourselves and the main ceremony lasted only ten minutes, during which we just addressed the guests and exchanged rings,” she said.

Lin believes that many Chinese people’s preference for grand weddings stems from their emphasis on mianzi, a term that describes a person’s sense of dignity or prestige. They always want to show their best side to others, she explained.

“I think weddings are very personal and not something to brag about,” Lin said. “So we focused on our own experiences and captured what we felt was most important and gave us enough emotional value.”

Mei Zhigang, associate professor at the School of Sociology at Central China Normal University, said: “Traditional weddings in China involve a complex series of ceremonies that are deeply rooted in history and can be impractical in today’s fast-paced lifestyle. A simple and personalized wedding is a logical and natural choice for young couples as it reduces financial pressure and enriches their experience.”

Local authorities also want to reform wedding customs and have already implemented numerous measures. One example of this is the widespread practice of collective weddings throughout the country.

On August 10, the date of this year’s Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day, a collective wedding ceremony organized by the local civil affairs bureau was held in Nan’an District, Chongqing. Dozens of couples dressed in traditional Chinese clothing and enjoyed the moment.

“It saved us a lot of money and effort as we didn’t have to find a venue, plan the procedures and worry about unexpected incidents. The office took care of everything,” said Xiong Qi, one of the newlyweds from Chongqing’s Yubei district.

Chen Wei, an associate professor at Southwest University’s College of State Governance, said such activities would help prevent waste, moderate competition and curb tasteless practices such as vulgar hazing at weddings.

“They want to make people aware of the essence of marriage, which is love and responsibility,” Chen said.

Xinhua