Complimentary water weddings offered to 18 couples

Eighteen couples with valid marriage certificates can celebrate a colorful century-old Doumen On-Water Wedding for free on Oct 28 in Nan'ao Village of Baijiao Town.

Newlyweds can apply for the no-cost collective wedding ceremony by bringing their certificates to the Doumen District Cultural Center on Renmin Road, Jing'an Town, between Sept 23 and Oct 13. There are no requirements regarding age, nationality, or residence address, but applicants should comply with the organizer's arrangements and be involved in each step of the process.

Complimentary banquets, accommodations, and special dresses, as well as certificates and commemorative gifts, are all on offer. Participants will also be given DVD recordings of the event.

Floating wedding ceremony [Photo courtesy southcn.com]

Selected newlyweds need to put down a security deposit of 2,000 yuan ($313), which will be refunded upon their scheduled arrival.

On-Water Wedding is a State-level intangible cultural heritage, the first to be recognized as such in Zhuhai. Local protocols include the bride being picked up by boat, a banquet with local specialties, and worship of the Dragon King. A singing contest, Xianshui (Saltwater), will add to the atmosphere.

The On-Water Wedding ceremony, updated after each of its past six occurrences, has gained much interest across the country.

To learn more, visit On-Water Wedding.

German bridegroom and Chinese wife last year [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Daily]