As a football fan, Wu Jingyu had never imagined that she and her would-be husband would register their marriage outside a football stadium during a match, exchanging vows and receiving their marriage certificate with the roar of the crowd in the background.

　　"It was truly unforgettable. The passion of watching football blended with the joy and romance of getting married," Wu said, recalling the couple's emotional moment outside the home stadium at a recent Jiangsu Football City League match in the city of Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province.

　　A photo wall and red ceremonial platform had been set up outside the stadium as a temporary marriage registration venue. Surrounded by cheering fans and family members, couples completed their formalities in a setting far removed from the conventional government service hall.

　　Such arrangements are emerging across China as local authorities seek to meet the preferences of younger couples and give marriage registration a greater sense of occasion.

　　In Nanjing, a city with around 2,500 years of recorded history in Jiangsu, couples interested in traditional culture can wear Han-style wedding robes and phoenix crowns, along with traditional makeup, for their registration ceremony. Other cities have incorporated marriage registration into music festivals, while some universities have organized group wedding ceremonies for alumni returning to their campuses.

　　By the end of 2025, China had established 1,330 outdoor sites for certificate presentation and 525 marriage registration sites in parks and other landmark locations, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

　　"Younger Chinese are exercising greater autonomy in their views on love and marriage," said Zhou Yongbo, a professor at Soochow University in Jiangsu. "They value not only the marriage certificate but also a personalized experience, a sense of ceremony and memories they can cherish."