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Alice Yan

An unconventional wedding banquet for a young couple in northern China has gone viral on social media after inviting 140 guests to enjoy a meal at a hotpot restaurant for a modest cost of 22,000 yuan (US$3,000).
The feast, organised as a buffet, finished with a bill that stretched two metres long, delighting internet users across mainland China, as reported by Sichuan Observer.
The 26-year-old bride and her 27-year-old husband celebrated their nuptials at an outlet of the well-known hotpot chain Haidilao in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, on May 1, following the last-minute cancellation of their original banquet venue.
“Given the short notice, we could not prepare for a traditional wedding,” the bride, surnamed Zhao, explained.

“A friend suggested hosting our wedding at a hotpot restaurant. My husband and I are both devoted fans of Haidilao and once joked that perhaps our wedding could take place there. This unexpected cancellation encouraged us to turn that idea into reality.”
The Haidilao location in Taiyuan embraced the couple’s wedding reservation, decorating the space with vibrant wall displays, illuminated signage, and a festive red balloon arch at the entrance.
Zhao mentioned that they opted to skip certain rituals, such as the oath-taking ceremony and rounds of toasting, instead introducing lighthearted interactions with their guests.
Viral videos from the event captured the couple performing a segment of the lion dance in the narrow aisle of the restaurant.

“We learned this dance for our wedding, and we received the props not long ago. The lion dance is a symbol of good fortune and an integral part of traditional culture. We hope it will bring us luck,” Zhao shared.
She described the two-hour wedding as taking place in a relaxed atmosphere, where guests enjoyed mingling and dining together.
“Our wedding was modest in scale, and we did not accept monetary gifts from our guests. We simply wanted everyone to have a good time.
“Unlike the expectations held by older generations, we young people prefer a simpler, more relaxed approach. As long as everyone is happy and we receive their blessings, our wedding is truly meaningful,” Zhao remarked, adding that she plans to keep the extraordinarily long bill as a memento.

Traditional Chinese weddings often feature lavish banquets and expensive wines. In developed areas like eastern Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, a table for 10 typically costs at least 5,000 yuan (US$700).
In recent years, an increasing number of young Chinese couples have opted to forgo these extravagant celebrations in favour of budget-friendly venues.
For instance, last year, a couple in southern China’s Guangdong province who held their nuptials in a McDonald’s fast food restaurant captivated internet users across the nation.


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People & Culture

Traditional Chinese weddings feature lavish banquets, a typical table for 10 costs at least US$700


Traditional Chinese weddings feature lavish banquets, a typical table for 10 costs at least US$700.


Weddings

Haidilao

China couple celebrate wedding at hotpot chain for US$3,100, attract attention with long bill

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Traditional Chinese weddings feature lavish banquets, a typical table for 10 costs at least US$700

Traditional Chinese weddings feature lavish banquets, a typical table for 10 costs at least US$700