08/08/08 Wedding Date Draws Couples to City Hall

It was busy for the City Clerk today--because the Chinese view the number eight as auspicious (it "sounds like ‘good fortune’ in Mandarin and Cantonese"). And, yes, that's why China wanted to have the opening ceremonies on 8/8/08--and about 16,000 couples got married in Bejing. An average Friday brings about 150 to 175 weddings across NYC, but the City Clerk's Chief of Staff Jose Gonzalez told NY1, "We'll probably hit the 700 or 800 mark today by the end of the day, with all five boroughs calculated. But as long as they're here on time, we'll take care of them." Let's hope that's true--especially in the Bronx. And the city's Manhattan marriage bureau will be getting a makeover.