WHILE many Shenzheners picked Saturday (Dec 9) as their wedding day, perhaps only Wu Zhiqing chose to take his bride home on a tricycle.

The ninth day of the last month of 2006 is a hot choice for weddings, since nine, in Chinese, is pronounced as "permanency."

But compared with normal wedding motorcades of deluxe limos, Wu's choice was much simpler but there was nothing short on the glamour.

The wedding was attended by 30 volunteers from the Longgang District Volunteers' Association who publicized environmental protection by buying 20 new bicycles to accompany Wu's tricycle home. Pink balloons and red banners written with "Happy Together 100 Years" in Chinese decorated the bikes, with riders dressed in volunteer's uniforms of red waistcoats.

The bridegroom, in a Western suit and wearing a flower on his lapel pedaled the tricycle, while the bride dressed in a pure white wedding gown sat on it along with two flower children. The newlyweds smiled at passers-by all the way home.

"We wouldn't have married if we had not joined the volunteers' association," Wu said.

Wu Zhiqing and Guo Shuiying met, got to know each other and fell in love during their voluntary work.

"It would have cost at least 600 yuan (US$75) just to decorate the cars, let alone the rent, if I had hired a motorcade," Wu said.

Guo proposed using bicycles instead. "We are volunteers. A bicycle team is simple, environmentally friendly as well as cheap. It's good to promote simple wedding ceremonies."

Their volunteer friends applauded her idea. "It's fun and helps attract people's attention to the idea of environmental protection," said Deng Shanshan, secretary to the Longgang District Volunteers' Association.

"We have got to know each other well through our volunteer work together. We are sure that our life ahead will be filled with joy," the new couple said.

Editor: Wing