International   

Calamity, rehabilitation and online weddings

BEIJING: Every woman dreams of her big day when she ties the knot with the right man, but for Chang Fang, the march up the aisle ended at a video screen rather than her bridegroom’s side.

Husband-to-be Lang Meng was at the other end of China, taking time out from trying to save the lives of earthquake victims to pledge his troth by video link.

That didn’t stop Ms. Chang and the two families from celebrating in full ceremonial style. She arrived at 9 a.m. sharp on Saturday at the hotel they had booked, attired in her fire brigade dress uniform.

The wedding of the two fire brigade officers took place in Xinmin city, in northeast China’s Liaoning Province, despite the groom, a member of the Baita fire control detachment of Liaoyang City being away helping quake survivors in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

Ms. Chang and Mr. Lang had repeatedly rescheduled their marriage date because of other obligations before settling on May 17.

But Mr. Lang was called away early on Wednesday after the 7.8 magnitude quake rocked southwest China on Monday.

To the tune of Hong Kong pop diva Faye Wong’s “I am willing,” the groom’s mother slipped a diamond ring on the bride’s finger and they hugged and wept.

On the video, Mr. Lang held a bottle of mineral water high, toasting Ms. Chang who was holding a glass of wine.

“I’m okay here, and I’m sorry for not being there at the ceremony, but I will make up for it when I return,” he said.

Meanwhile, bride Qiu Yuanyuan, in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, also tied the knot with the aid of telecommunications technology.

Qiu’s army pilot bridegroom, Rao Xin, had his leave cancelled in order to fly quake relief missions in Sichuan well before his pre-planned wedding on Friday.

The ceremony, however, went ahead — if not as planned.

Ms. Qiu was presented by her parents to Mr. Rao’s parents, with Mr. Rao’s mother helping Ms. Qiu put the wedding ring on.

Their ceremony became a fund-raising occasion for quake-hit areas, through which more than 160,500 yuan was raised. — Xinhua

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Nuclear facilities safe and secure, says China
Tension rises as U.S., Iran trade charges
Calamity, rehabilitation and online weddings
Bhutan tigers reach new high
Pandas missing after quake

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu