Models in wedding gowns (top) and a newly-wed couple (above) taking their wedding pictures at a setting of mountains and lakes arranged by a photo studio. The wedding industry reckons 2009 is a most auspicious time to get hitched. For one, the year contains the number nine, which is pronounced "jiu" in Chinese and implies a happy and enduring marriage.

To those who think this is purely PR piffle, there are more solid grounds for believing these are boom times in the marriage business. The constant stream of visitors to the 10th China International Wedding Exposition (CIW) in Beijing provided evidence of a surge in demand.

The expo was the biggest yet, attracting hundreds of photo studios, wedding planning companies, hotels, restaurants and other suppliers. Event organizer Xiao Changhong listed a host of reasons by way of explanation. "A lot of people registered their marriages in 2008 because it was the year of the Beijing Olympics," said Xiao. "But many of them postponed their ceremonies and banquets until this year, since weddings need to be carefully planned. So we expect a surge in the number of people getting married in the coming months."

Nor is the global recession denting the rosy picture. "The financial crisis is having a limited impact on the Chinese wedding industry," Xiao continued. This was mainly due, he said, to young couples having healthy savings in their bank accounts and being able to call on willing parents to complete the special day.

Xiao's bullish message boomed out loud and clear not only inside Beijing Exhibition Hall, where the expo was held, but also outside. Several fancy wedding cars greeted visitors and the sidewalk bustled with salespeople handing out advertising material. They were kept busy throughout the day.

You could almost hear the crescendo of wedding bells in the air. One excited bride-to-be, Han Xiaoxuan, said she was gearing up for a romantic wedding in December. She and her fianc haven't actually made any concrete plans yet - they haven't set a date, had their wedding pictures taken, nor made hotel reservations. In fact they are still trying to figure out their budget for their wedding and banquet. That's why they both took a day off from work to attend the event and seek help.

"I am so dazed by the variety of wedding services on offer," said an exhausted Han, as her fianc tagged along with a bagful of advertising materials. "We will read these first and make a plan. We may also consider hiring a professional wedding planner."

Statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs show that more than 10 million couples registered marriages last year and 1.5 million registered divorces. Both represented increases of 10.6 percent on 2007. In a survey conducted by the CIW organizing committee in 2007, 56 percent of unmarried interviewees planned to spend around 20,000 yuan on their weddings - but it seems they're dreaming.