True love found
In one of my earlier post, I wrote about the search for a potential son-in-law in a TV programme. Where true love no long exist but only material wealth matters. The other day, on TV, there was another programme. It was more of a discussion programme. The topic was "Is it really necessary to spend so much on a wedding ceremony". Yes, at least in Shanghai, wedding is a very lavish event. These figures were based on expenses made in 2010.

1. Decent housing (80 square meters and above) with an average price of RMB 20,100 per square meter; RMB 20,100 x 80 = RMB 1,608,000.
2. Renovation and interior design for a 100-square-meter floor area; RMB 150,000.
3. Household appliances and furniture; RMB 100,000 (though some women get this in the form of dowry).
4. An ordinary car; RMB 100,000.
5. Wedding banquet with 25 tables in an average-star hotel; RMB 1,000 x 25 = RMB 25,000. Subtract to that the RMB 1,200 average wedding money (hongbao) you will get per table. You get to at least keep RMB 1,200 x 25 = RMB 5,000.
6. Honeymoon to Hong Kong or Macau with the main destination to Hainan; RMB 6,000 travel expenses per person thus for both husband and wife- RMB 6,000 x 2 = RMB 12,000.
7. Courting stage for 2 years. This includes going out on dates, buying of gifts, entertainment, travel, giving of gifts to girlfriend’s parents. Average of RMB 1,800 per month. So for 2 years- RMB 1,800 x 12 months x 2 years = RMB 43,200.
In summary, total cost is RMB 1,608,000 + RMB 150,000 + RMB 100,000 + RMB 100,000 – RMB 5,000 + RMB 12,000 + RMB 43, 200 = RMB 2,008,200 (S$401,640) *eyes pop-out*
(http://chinachallenges.blogs.com/my_weblog/2010/09/how-much-does-getting-married-in-china-cost.html)

I think these figures are very conservative. I have a local friend who is trying to get married by next year, he said, right now, it has to be at least a five-star hotel!

In this discussion programme, parents of the lady all insisted on having a good wedding ceremony as it is an important event. Most ladies also agree that nothing should be saved for a once-in-a-lifetime event. I am often mad by this very myopic thought of the locals. Due to this thinking, often, the man has to spend all his savings and all his parents' savings just to have him married.

The host of the programme asked if it was ever possible to not have a lavish ceremony and still love each other. They invited a couple who have only registered their marriage and have lived together for the last five years without even a simple wedding ceremony. Under the eyes of the law, they are still legally married. It was a very touching real-life love story. 

The couple were supposed to have their ceremony. Unfortunately, the man found out he had leukaemia just before the ceremony. All the savings for their wedding were channelled to his medical expenses. He was finally cured when he had a bone-marrow transplant. All this while, his wife did not leave him but stayed by his side. There was no photograph to even remind themselves that they have been married. Their only document was a marriage certificate. It was an awesome love story made in China….Anhui, a poorer province compared to Shanghai.

The lady was right when she said in her parting words to all the parents of all brides-to-be. "Even if you have the most lavish wedding ceremony and with no true love, the marriage will still end."
“for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health”…. True love found.