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Thousands of Chinese couples got married on Friday because the date, 4th January 2013, like "endless love until death" when in the Chinese language Mandarin. The newlyweds hoped the day would to be an auspicious one on which to the knot. At least 10,000 couples down the aisle in Beijing alone. Even though registry offices were fully , hopeful brides and bridegrooms freezing weather in the hope the registrars could fit them in. The government had to lay on thousands of extra staff to the increased number of people to take the plunge. In Hong Kong, the city's five marriage registries were fully booked by September 20 last year. The city 558 people become man and wife on Friday.

Dates that are numerically unique are very popular in China as people they are lucky. Matching days, months and years - like 12/12/12 and 11/11/11 - are to bring good fortune. The next such date will be January 1st in the year 2101. Newlywed Chen Foshan told the china.org website: "We to get married today a long time ago, if doomsday didn't first." Marriage is big business in China because the country’s middle class is . People a lot of money on extravagant ceremonies and receptions. One of the biggest expenses is an elaborate wedding album. The happy couple is at various locations wearing different costumes. Photos of the actual vows or of rings are not usually .