Registration for the 11th Collective On-Water Wedding Ceremony, which is scheduled to take place from Oct 2 to 3 in Zhuhai's Doumen District, is now open to couples regardless of their nationality, region, or age through Sept 23.

The Doumen on-water wedding tradition originated in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and became more prominent during the reigns of emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu. The whole ceremony blends Guangfu (Cantonese), Hakka, and Dan Clan cultural practices and is accompanied by Xianshui (Saltwater) Song.

It was included in China's second representative list of State-level intangible cultural heritage items in June 2008.

Brides are escorted by boat during the on-water wedding [Photo courtesy WeChat account: gh_5c90b67d245f]

Protocols like taking pictures in an ancient village, escorting the bride by boat, paying tribute to the Dragon King, and going across the fire plate will be included. 

Couples who are interested in experiencing this free event can sign up onsite at the third floor of the Doumen District Cultural Center on Central Jiangwan Road in Jing'an Town. 

They are required to present their marriage certificates, the originals and copies of their ID cards, as well as a wedding dress picture or a photo of the couple during their daily lives.

People can also scan the following QR code to submit the required information and bring originals of the materials for confirmation at the Doumen District Cultural Center after they are selected to join the event.

Of note, each selected couple is required to pay a 2,000-yuan ($295) deposit to ensure the smooth operation of the event, and the money will be returned after checking in. 

For more information, please call the hotline +86-756-2782860/2782862.