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They must not be “too beautiful and not too ugly”: In China, the business with bridesmaids is booming
Wedding couples in China are increasingly relying on paid bridesmaids and groomsmen
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In China, many weddings take place with paid bridesmaids. An entire industry grew out of it. Social pressure plays a role in this – but above all the pandemic is responsible for the hype.
Bridesmaids are part of a wedding – also and especially in China, where the ceremonies sometimes have to follow clear rituals and social guidelines. But for some people who want to marry, it is difficult for various reasons to have girlfriends by their side when saying yes. However, they do not want to do without it. And so the market for hiring bridesmaids in China is booming right now.
He expects the industry to grow another 25 to 30 percent next year, says Cao Zhonghua, an expert on Chinese culture. Agencies that provide suitable bridesmaids and witnesses are practically springing up in China – because the demand is correspondingly high. According to a report by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, one of these agencies has already registered 50,000 men and women who can be hired. There are ten to 20 inquiries every day.
Bridesmaids earn 75 to 300 euros per session
Young women in particular see the new trend as an opportunity to earn money. The equivalent of 75 and 300 euros waving for each bet, reported a professional bridesmaid “The Sixth Tone”, a state-run Chinese news website. Some fly all over the country and do dozens of weddings within a year. On the wedding day, they pretend to be the groom’s or bride’s best friend – a role they must play perfectly.
Because there are also requirements: “Not too beautiful and not too ugly” should be the bridesmaids, according to a media report. You must be unmarried and not too conspicuous yourself. This also includes that the bridesmaids must not be taller than the bride herself.
The Covid-19 pandemic posed problems for bridal couples in China
A big factor in the emergence of the bridesmaid industry was the Covid-19 pandemic and China’s “zero Covid” policy. The industry existed before the pandemic. But because entire metropolises were put into a lockdown with just a few corona cases, it happened more and more often that the real friends of the bridal couple were unable to travel. Planning security was therefore not given until the very end, so more and more bride and groom hired professional helpers.
“The pandemic is a double-edged sword,” says bridesmaid Xie Yuke. “On the one hand, many couples are postponing their weddings. On the other hand, many brides’ girlfriends are unable to travel because of the pandemic.”
Sources: “The Sixth Tone” / “fortunate” / “South Morning China Post”
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