If you don’t know by now, eight is a lucky number in China. Usually on the 18th or 28th of the month, you can see lots of wedding cars around.

August the 8th in the year 2008, is therefore a very lucky day and over 16,000 couples in Beijing got married.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Zhao, 30, after he and his bride received their marriage certificate at the Chaoyang District registry office in eastern Beijing.

The figure is four times the number of marriages than the same date last year.

Read more: Beijing couples rush to tie knot on lucky 08-08-08