GEORGE TOWN: For engineer Chong Wei Ming, his sweetheart Lim Yong Hoay is a perfect “10 out of 10” and he could think of no better way to celebrate their love than to register their marriage on Oct 10, giving them a wedding anniversary date that is just as perfect.
The 34-year-old and his 35-year-old bride, a banker, were among 36 couples who tied the knot at a mass marriage registration ceremony organised by the Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society here yesterday.
In Chinese culture, Oct 10 is associated with the idiom “shi quan shi mei”, meaning “10 complete, 10 beautiful”, which signifies perfection in every respect.
The date is popular among couples in China as a symbol of hope for a perfect marriage.
On Oct 10, 2010, Beijing recorded 11,230 marriage registrations as couples sought the memorable 10/10/10 date.
The appeal is part of a wider trend among Chinese couples of choosing auspicious dates for their weddings, including Aug 8, associated with prosperity, and Sept 9, symbolising lasting love.
Chong and Lim wore traditional Chinese wedding attire, reflecting a preference among some young couples for qun kwa and cheongsam over Western-style bridal gowns and suits.
Another couple, engineer Chuah Pei Lim and insurance adviser Yap Ching Yuen, both 28, spent about RM1,000 on their traditional wedding outfits.
The former schoolmates reconnected through social media more than a decade after leaving school and rekindled their romance.
Chuah said they chose Oct 10 for its auspicious meaning and because they would likely not forget when it comes to celebrating their anniversary.
Society president Datuk Tan Kim Oh congratulated the newlyweds and encouraged them to cherish their families and contribute to the well-being of others.
The ceremony featured a tea toast symbolising everlasting love, group photographs and activities such as practising bamboo calligraphy.
Meanwhile, at the iconic Thean Hou Temple in Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur, newlywed couples were spotted posing at various locations to capture memories of their special day.
