23 Chinese couples tie knot in group wedding

Dressed in white, 23 young brides accompanied by their black-suited grooms walked cheerfully to the garden beachside of Hotel Nikko Saipan for their much-awaited group wedding celebration on Saipan yesterday.

As they went about with the ceremonial activities, the sound system played the Pocahontas theme song, “Color of the Wind.”

“We’re very happy,” said a beaming Zhun Tao while standing beside his stunning wife, Zhou Wei Wei.

“This is a beautiful place. I’m excited to come here,” said Wei Wei.

The Zhous are just among the young couples who traveled to Saipan this year for a grand group wedding celebration.

The couples, who were in their mid-20s to early 30s, have already been officially married in China. Yesterday’s event was a part of the wedding celebrations.

According to Wu He Sheng, Shanghai Luwan District Tourism Administration Bureau director, the newlyweds, who all come from Shanghai “are highly educated” and “highly salaried.”

“Since eight years ago, we’re coordinating with concerned groups to give opportunity to couples who want to go to beautiful places for their wedding,” said Wu, as interpreted by Kevin Xu.

Xu is the Marianas Visitors Authority’s representative in China.

When asked, Wu said that each couple spent some 10,000 RMB for the entire group wedding package.

The participants, who arrived Monday night, will be in the CNMI for six days.

“They have tour packages,” said Xu.

He said that in previous years, the Rose Garden Wedding organizers had chosen Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, among others, as destinations.

This year, the Shanghai Tourism Administration and the Marianas Visitors Authority agreed to bring it to Saipan.

The event was sponsored by the Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino, Nikko Hotel Saipan, and Bank of Shanghai, among others.

Aside from the 23 couples, 80 more couples also traveled with them to Saipan for their honeymoon.

“We’ve got 80 honeymooners here as well,” said Xu.

The Rose Garden Wedding was held yesterday at 2pm at the beachside of Nikko Hotel Saipan.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta and MVA managing director Vicky I. Benavente graced the occasion.

“We’re grateful that you have chosen Saipan. We hope that you’ll truly enjoy and find Saipan as your favorite destination,” said the governor.

Benavente said the event was a milestone in developing the Chinese market.

Babauta handed a certificate of the group wedding formality to each couple.

Exchanges of gifts between the couple, the Shanghai Tourism Administration, and the CNMI government followed.

This came almost a year after the CNMI received an Approved Destination Status from the Chinese government.