A Chinese couple pose for a wedding photo on a busy alleyway in Beijing

A Chinese couple pose for a wedding photo on a busy alleyway or ‘hutong’ in Beijing July 7, 2008. Marriage registration offices in Beijing predict more than 9,000 couples will get married on August 8 this year,” state media reported. The number eight is auspicious in Chinese, as it is pronounced like the word “fa”, which is part of the expression meaning “to get wealthy”. The opening date of the Olympics adds new meaning, it said. REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV (CHINA) (BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008 PREVIEW) For Best Quality also see GF2E4C20QE701 – RTX7PPM