Shanghai couples spend an average of 187,000 yuan (US$23,375) when getting married, the highest among other cities in China and 148.77 percent of the country's average, Youth Daily reported yesterday, citing the Shanghai Wedding Trade Association.

Couples spend half of the money on home decoration, which reaches an average of 56,998 yuan (US$7,129). An extra of 34,000 yuan (US$4,252) are spent on furniture and home appliances.

Other items, including jewelries, bridal dresses, pictures, and wedding hosts, will cost couples thousands of yuan each.

Many couples prefer to book four-star of five-star hotels for banquets, which cost 1,024 yuan (US$128) at average for a table of dishes.

A lot of money is also spent on honeymoon travel, totaling 9,227 yuan (US$1,154).

In China, the couple first goes to the civil affairs bureau to register their marriage. Although they are legally a couple after this, their marriage is not complete until they hold a wedding ceremony, which is deemed much more important by most Chinese.

Liang Changhai, a director of a wedding company, said some Shanghai couples will exhaust their savings in the wedding, and even use parents' savings, although the personal income is higher in the city.

(Shanghai Daily July 1, 2006)