Couples in China's urban areas spend an average of 126,600 yuan
(US$16,790) on wedding ceremonies, home decoration and appliances
last year, according to a survey issued by the Ministry of
Commerce.
This survey covered 3.73-million couples' spending on eight
marriage-related items: wedding photography, jewelry, wedding
gowns, wedding designs, banquet, home decoration, honeymoon and
home appliances, according to the Beijing Morning
Post.
Average couples spend 39.39 percent of wedding costs on house
decoration, 24.64 percent on home appliances and furniture, and 24
percent on wedding photography, gowns, designs and the banquet, the
survey said.
Couples spent an average of 162,900 yuan to buy a home and 81.6
percent of them got financial support from their parents, the
survey said.
Spending on 76 marriage-related industries totaled 1.54 trillion
yuan last year, 1.08 trillion from urban areas and 460 billion from
rural areas, the survey said.
In 2006, about 8.49 million couples married in China, according
to the National Bureau of Statistics.
Shanghai's wedding organizing companies warned couples planning
to get married next year to book early because food prices and
other costs are shooting up, according to previous reports.
Food prices will make banquets more expensive next year, experts
warned. For example, the Garden Hotel said wedding banquets now
cost 4,288 yuan a table, and the price may be 200 yuan to 300 yuan
higher next year.
(Shanghai Daily September 10, 2007)