Rather than heading to drab government offices to file paperwork and pose, newly minted marriage booklet in hand behind a wooden podium, an increasing number of young Chinese couples are saying “I do” against the backdrop of outdoor events. Music festivals have become especially popular, with teary-eyed couples exchanging vows to a thrum of beats and cheers from the crowd.

The shift follows the implementation of China’s revised Marriage Registration Ordinance, which took effect May 10 and allows couples to register at any authorized office nationwide using just their ID cards, eliminating the need to return to their hometowns with household registration documents, or hukou.

In light of the new policy, some local authorities are taking their services to young people, rather than have them come to them. At the upcoming Super Strawberry Music Festival on July 13 in Urumqi, capital of the northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, for example, couples will be able to register marriages at a booth authorized by the Shuimogou District Civil Affairs Bureau. To do so, they’ll only require their ID cards and three passport-sized photos, according to local media.

The activity builds on similar initiatives launched in cities like Chengdu, capital of the southwestern Sichuan province, and Ningbo in the eastern Zhejiang province. In Chengdu, the 23,000-capacity Strawberry Music Festival on May 17 and 18 drew a flood of young couples to its Qingyang District marriage registration pop-up, with many traveling from other provinces just to tie the knot in a festival setting. Meanwhile, Ningbo’s East Sea Music Festival on June 28 hosted a rock-themed seaside group wedding for 10 couples — touted as the province’s first event to combine a music festival with on-site marriage registration.

According to local media, staff at Qingyang District Civil Affairs Bureau noted that the setup drove a surge in interest among young attendees. “Many found us through social media,” one staff member told local media during the festival. “Our online reservations were fully booked before May 1, and the number of people lining up on site was several times more. We’re ready to work overtime.”

Across China, local governments are getting increasingly creative in their attempts to woo young couples, turning marriage registration into a destination experience. In Hefei, capital of the eastern Anhui province, a marriage registration office was opened inside the city’s Xingfuba, or “Happiness Dam,” subway station, while in Zhejiang’s Chun’an County and Xinjiang’s scenic Sayram Lake area, newlyweds are treated to perks like free admission, discounted meals, and lodging upon presenting their marriage certificates. Again in Chengdu, civil affairs authorities now allow marriage registration on the snowy peaks of the 3,250-meter Xiling Snow Mountain, while ecological parks offer scenic “check-in” spots for newlyweds.

Shanghai’s Hongkou District has gone a step further. At its Tian’ai “Sweet Love” Road registration branch, staff now offer luggage storage for couples arriving directly from the airport or train station and have installed a live video feed so that relatives and friends can witness the ceremony in real time.

China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs released data on Feb. 8 showing that in 2024, the number of registered marriages nationwide dropped to 6.1 million couples — less than half that of 2013’s peak and a 20.5% decline from the previous year. It also marked the sharpest year-on-year fall since records began in 1978. Meanwhile, registered divorces rose slightly to 2.6 million, up 1.1% from 2023.

To encourage marriages, some local governments have begun to offer cash bonuses to newlyweds. For example, in April, a village in Guangzhou, capital of the southern Guangdong province, began offering newlyweds where one or both parties were village shareholders up to 40,000 yuan ($5,572), according to local media.

Speaking to the same outlet, Jiang Quanbao, professor at the Institute for Population and Development Studies at Xi’an Jiaotong University, said, “Marriage incentives send a clear signal promoting appropriate-age marriage and childbearing. They also help reduce the broader costs associated with marriage, childbirth, childrearing, and education — issues that require systemic solutions.”

On Chinese social media, the “marriage tourism” trend has sparked debate, with critics voicing concerns that the festive nature of such environments may prompt impulsive decisions. “(Some festivalgoers) might get married on impulse under the influence of the music,” one commenter wrote on the microblogging site Weibo.

Supporters, however, argue that the legal procedures remain rigorous; only the setting has changed. “The paperwork, verification, and (divorce) cooling-off period are all still in place,” another commenter noted. “It’s just a more joyful backdrop for a serious commitment.”

Editor: Tom Arnstein.

(Header image: PhotoTalk/Getty Creative/VCG)