Destination wedding gains traction in Dali, SW China's Yunnan

People pose for wedding photos at Erhai Lake in Dali, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Zhao Yu)

A wedding ceremony was recently held for a couple in the picturesque surroundings of Erhai Lake in Dali, southwest China's Yunnan Province.

"The wedding ceremony was meticulously planned and left a beautiful impression on us and our guests," Liu Siqi, the bride hailing from southwest China's Sichuan Province said, as she expressed her gratitude toward Yang Libin, the wedding planner.

Destination wedding is a new form of tourism that has gained popularity in recent years. It involves couples selecting their preferred travel destination to host a personalized and distinctive wedding ceremony, said Yang.

Yang added that last year, his team organized over 400 wedding ceremonies, and this year's bookings are already scheduled until September.

Organizing a wedding ceremony usually requires a minimum of two months. To curate a personalized experience for couples, wedding planners need to grasp their preferences, unravel their love story, and determine their wedding theme in advance, according to Yang.

Zhao Canhui, head of the association for destination wedding ceremonies under the tourism association in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, said that the destination wedding industry in Dali has experienced rapid growth in recent years. In 2023, Dali hosted over 4,400 destination wedding ceremonies, and 90 percent of the customers had come from outside the province.

Records show that there are currently more than 100 wedding planning entities in Dali, which have stimulated the growth of over 120 related businesses such as wedding hosting, photography, makeup, and decorations.

The rise of the destination wedding industry in Dali can be attributed to its beautiful natural scenery.

Zhao explained that as ecological conservation efforts continue to progress, Dali has become a popular wedding destination among many young people.

Zhou Liling, deputy director of Dali's culture and tourism bureau, said that Dali has implemented measures to integrate wedding and tourism, and formed a diverse business chain. These efforts have significantly supported the growth of the destination wedding industry.