A 24-year-old man in China invited strangers to his wedding after worrying that only a few people would attend. Xu Chenghong, who grew up without several close family members, turned to social media with an unusual request, asking people he had never met to join his big day.
The invitation received thousands of responses, with people from across China expressing interest in attending. What began as a request for a few guests soon grew into a much larger gathering.
Chinese groom's difficult childhood
Xu's father died when he was three, and his mother remarried two years later. His grandmother took care of him and his elder brother, but she too passed away two years later. The brothers were then raised with support from neighbours, as reported by VnExpress.
Xu left school in Class 7 and worked in different places to support himself. He saved money over the years to marry his partner, whom he had met online. However, with very few relatives to invite, he feared that only around three tables of guests would attend his wedding.
{{/usCountry}}Xu left school in Class 7 and worked in different places to support himself. He saved money over the years to marry his partner, whom he had met online. However, with very few relatives to invite, he feared that only around three tables of guests would attend his wedding.
{{/usCountry}}Xu, who is from Yiliang County in China's Yunnan province, shared a video inviting strangers to the wedding. According to 8world, he initially hoped that around 10 to 20 people would accept his invitation and make the occasion livelier.
Strangers bring gifts and a Maybach for the wedding
The response went beyond people simply accepting the invitation. Several guests brought food supplies and household items, while others offered to help with the wedding arrangements. Some also brought livestock and other provisions for the celebrations.
Chefs volunteered to prepare food without charging for their services, NDTV reported. Well-wishers also arranged a fleet of wedding cars, with one person providing a Maybach for the bride and groom.
Guests helped with wedding decorations and preparations at the couple's home, adding to the support Xu received from people he had never met.
Wedding venue shifted as crowds grow
The growing number of visitors also brought logistical challenges. The original wedding venue was considered too small to accommodate the expected crowd, prompting a change in location.
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People travelled from different parts of China to attend the celebrations, while local residents and visitors who arrived early helped arrange tables, organise supplies and prepare the venue, VnExpress reported.
The local government coordinated the shift to a larger venue and helped make arrangements for traffic management, crowd control and food safety, according to The Paper.