Beijing sees Valentine marriage rush

By 6 pm on Saturday - Valentine's Day - more than 3,400 new couples had registered their marriage in Beijing, a huge registration rush compared to non-holiday days, the Beijing Times reported.

Hundreds of couples began lining up for marriage registration in front of the registration centers in the Xicheng and Haidian districts the night before the holiday, while others arrived as early as 5 am. To meet their needs, the center in Haidian district opened at 6 am, 2 hours earlier than normal.

According to the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, usually around 1,000 couples register for marriage each day.