District govt in Xinjiang offers marriage registration service at music festival
A civil affairs bureau in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is set to offer marriage registration services at a local music festival this weekend for couples hoping to tie the knot, providing convenience for obtaining their marriage certificates while crafting unforgettable memories for the newlyweds.
This Saturday and Sunday, Shuimogou district of Urumqi in Xinjiang will host a music festival. At the venue, staff from the local civil affairs bureau's marriage registration office will set up a temporary site from 3 pm to 6 pm on Saturday, offering on-site marriage registration services for couples, the China News Service reported.
A staff member surnamed Shen from the civil affairs bureau told the Global Times on Wednesday that couples can complete their registration amid the romantic musical ambiance by presenting ID cards and other requisite documentation, as long as the couple meets the marriage registration requirements.
This marks the first time the city has opened a marriage registration site at a music festival, a romantic endeavor, Shen said, adding that since Tuesday, they have received inquiry calls from several interested couples.
"We hope to provide convenience for couples that want to get married through this approach, leaving them with unforgettable memories," Shen noted.
Despite the registration site being at the music festival, the registration procedures remain unchanged. "Marriage registration must still be completed in accordance with legal provisions," he said.
Similar initiatives have been previously seen in some Chinese cities where marriage registration was facilitated during music festivals.
Earlier this year, at a music festival in Xiangshan county in East China's Zhejiang Province, the local civil affairs bureau issued marriage certificates to 10 couples and held a group wedding, China National Radio (CNR) reported. This is also the first themed certificate-issuing ceremony in Zhejiang Province that integrates marriage registration into music festivals.
An official in charge of the county's marriage registration office told the Global Times that documentation verification remains at the bureau's premises, while the certificate-presentation ceremony at the music festival enhances the sense of ceremony for couples.
China's revised marriage registration regulations came into effect on May 10, simplifying the procedure for marriage registration and allowing couples to register anywhere in the country regardless of their hukou household registration locations.