Across China: Romance blooms in Yunnan as destination weddings drive local economy

KUNMING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Love was in full bloom beneath Lijiang's snowcapped Yulong Snow Mountain and along the glassy waters of Dali's Erhai Lake, both situated in southwest China's Yunnan Province, during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.

As China celebrated its eight-day "golden week," couples from across the country flocked to picturesque tourist sites in Yunnan to say "I do" against the backdrop of mountain peaks and tranquil lakes, fueling a wave of destination weddings that lit up the province's growing romance economy.

The trend of combining one of life's most cherished ceremonies with breathtaking scenery and diverse cultures is blending emotional value with affordability, giving new momentum to the province's tourism and services industries.

"Exchanging vows under the eye of a snow-covered mountain is far more meaningful than a banquet hall wedding," said Chen Xing, who traveled from north China's Shanxi Province to tie the knot with his fiancée, Li Mengyuan, on Oct. 2.

The ceremony they had long dreamed of took place on a grassland at the foot of Yulong Snow Mountain and 3,200 meters above sea level -- a setting as magical as it was memorable.

Unlike conventional hometown weddings, destination weddings are a combination of travel and ceremony, merging nuptials with honeymoon experiences. And with its poetic landscapes and symbolic allure, Yunnan has naturally become one of China's most sought-after destinations for such events.

During the recent eight-day holiday, the trend reached a fever pitch. In picturesque Dali and Lijiang, popular wedding venues neared a 100 percent booking rate, and some companies in the industry reportedly had to stop taking new orders due to overwhelming demand.

"Since September, we've been in the peak season for destination weddings, preparing three to eight ceremonies a day during the holidays," said Qu Xiaowen, head of a Dali-based wedding company.

Behind the boom is Yunnan's unique natural endowments and increasingly sophisticated industry ecosystem.

"Yunnan carries a sense of romance," said Rao Xiangbi, deputy head of the Yunnan provincial department of culture and tourism. "From Erhai Lake and Dianchi Lake to the tropical rainforests in Xishuangbanna and the sacred Yulong Snow Mountain, every setting gives love a distinct expression."

In Dali, the iconic Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake scenic areas have inspired the creation of more than 30 themed wedding packages, including lake-view ceremonies and traditional Bai-style courtyard weddings, backed by nearly 1,500 businesses offering wedding services from travel photography to accommodation.

The rise of destination weddings also signals changing attitudes toward marriage among China's younger generations. Many couples are opting for lighter, more personal experiences over traditional banquet events that can be costly and overly formal.

"Including our six family members and friends, our total cost was under 40,000 yuan (about 5,630 U.S. dollars). We arranged our wedding and travel at the same time -- it was perfect," said Liu Siqi, a bride from Yunnan's neighboring province of Sichuan.

The booming trend is reshaping local services and creating new opportunities for small businesses. "My annual bridal makeup orders jumped from about 200 to nearly 1,000," said Wang Yihan, a makeup artist in Lijiang. "Prices have gone up several times, and the growth is creating opportunities for local beauty professionals."

The expanding wedding economy is now also benefiting a wide range of related industries. Dali alone has more than 100 mature wedding businesses, supporting hundreds of partner enterprises supplying venues, accommodation, and photography and filming services.

In 2024, Dali hosted over 5,000 destination weddings, provided travel photography services to 200,000 couples, and generated an industry output value of an estimated 1.8 billion yuan.

As Dali and Lijiang continue to attract engaged couples and newlyweds from across China, Yunnan is branding itself as the country's premier destination for travel weddings.

According to Rao, the province will continue strengthening its industry ecosystem and transform once-off sightseeing trips into "chain-style" emotional consumption, ensuring that love and the economy it fuels continue to flourish in the highlands of Yunnan. ■