Jasmine Wang, at SCMP City 3, on Tuesday 4th October, 2006

To open up public places for wedding ceremonies will bring more convenience for the couples and more business opportunities in the district, said district council member Raymond Ho Man Kit.

Mr Ho said Sai Kung district now had a population of 400,000 and the number of people living in the Tseung Kwan O new town – also part of the district – would continue to increase, raising demand for wedding venues. But there was no marriage registry in the district, so they had to go elsewhere for registry and wedding ceremonies.

Statistics show that, on average, every couple spends HK$200,000 for their wedding and more than HK$1 billion in total is spent on weddings each year in the city. It’s a promising business, Mr Ho said.

If the residents of Sai Kung could hold wedding ceremonies and banquets in the district, more jobs could be created.