TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taipei City Government held its annual mass wedding on Sunday (Sept. 8) at Nangang Exhibition Center, attracting 80 couples to exchange marital vows.
Taipei City Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) presided over the event and gave the newlyweds marriage advice. He said that during his 40 years of marriage, he never lied to his wife but was never completely honest, per Liberty Times.
Lee said it was more important for grooms to choose words carefully to avoid scolding. His remarks made the audience laugh.
He encouraged the newlyweds to be sincere with one another. He wished them happiness as they grow old together.
The newlyweds also shared stories about how they became acquainted. One couple grew close through a shared love of barbecue, which they discovered on their first date.
Another couple was in the same university class but did not interact with each other until four years later. After attending a Land God ceremony in Taipei’s Bopiliao Old Street, they became reacquainted for the last eight years.
As a gift, each newlywed couple chose between an air fryer and a vacuum cleaner. They also received a wedding cake gift box and necklace.
The ceremony's highlight was a lucky draw, with prizes including a Maldives honeymoon plus a five-star hotel voucher, 12 refrigerators, 12 dishwashers, four 50-inch TVs, and a washing machine.
The Taipei City Government pledged more gifts if the newlywed couples became pregnant within one year of marriage. Thirty-two gifts will be available to qualifying couples, including a kitchen waste composting machine, pressure cookers, vacuum cleaners, and dehumidifiers.
