Chandeliers, flower arches, poems and spaces for photographs: in China, marriage registers are transformed into increasingly spectacular places in an attempt to convince young people to get married and thus contribute to the increase in births. The Wall Street Journal writes this, reporting in particular the case of the ‘Romantic Center’ in Nanjing, which has become a destination for couples who come from thousands of kilometers away.
The initiative is part of the Chinese authorities’ campaign to combat the decline in marriages and birth rates.
In the first six months of 2026, marriage registrations fell 7.5% year-on-year to about 3.28 million couples, according to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs cited by the South China Morning Post.
The government is also focusing on marriage because in China birth and marriage remain closely linked: the majority of children are born to married couples. In 2025, however, births fell to a historic low of 7.92 million, while the number of marriages, although rebounding compared to 2024, remains much lower than the levels of a decade ago.
Local administrations are therefore experimenting with vouchers, bonuses, themed ceremonies and other incentives. The aim is to transform the wedding from a simple administrative practice into a more attractive experience, in the hope that the decorated rooms will also be followed by strollers.
