About 60 percent of young couples in the city need financial help from their parents to pay for their wedding, according to a survey by Shanghai Morning Post.

The survey sampled 100 couples and found that the average wedding in Shanghai usually costs about 150,000 yuan (US$22,163). The costs include the wedding banquet, jewelry, honeymoon, and furniture for their new apartment.

More than 90 percent of respondents said they will have a wedding banquet. Only 26 percent of these will make the arrangements themselves while the rest hire a wedding planner.

Half of the respondents said they would prefer a Western style wedding while 25 percent said they would like a traditional Chinese ceremony.

Based on the survey, about two-thirds of the expenditure is spent on the wedding day. These expenses include the bridal gown, limousines and other vehicles, photographer, the banquet, jewelry rental and other services.

Meanwhile, the average salary was 42,789 yuan in Shanghai last year.

No to loans

Thus, with couples facing huge costs for their wedding, 62 percent of those surveyed said they would ask their parents for financial help. Two percent said they would ask their parents to pay for the entire wedding.

Nearly 35 percent of the respondents complained they cannot afford a wedding in Shanghai, but 67 percent said they would not consider taking out a wedding loan.

According to the survey, 60 percent of couples said they do not believe in renting an apartment after getting married even though housing prices have soared in the city.

(Shanghai Daily August 9, 2010)