PETALING JAYA, Jan 11 ― With the upcoming date of January 19, some couples got ahead of the game when it came to getting their preferred wedding venue. They booked a year ahead.

In Chinese, the word “nine” sounds similar to the word “long-lasting” and the fact that it appears twice in this year’s date for January 19 makes it especially attractive for brides and grooms who are hoping for an evergreen union.

On top of that, the date falls on a Saturday, making it a popular choice for couples looking for a memorable anniversary date.

Le Meridien KL assistant director of marketing and communications Jesslyn Ng said the lucky lovebirds had booked the venue well in advance to avoid vying with other hopefuls for the same slot.

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“For the wedding taking place at Le Meridien KL, the couple booked since last January in 2018.

“There were four other requests but we had to accommodate on a first come, first serve basis and had to decline the others,” said Ng.

Sunway Putra Hotel marketing communications manager Azira Arif said their hotel is slated to host a January 19 wedding for a couple who made sure their plans were made a year ahead of the big day.

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It’s not just hotels that are feeling the January 19 fever as Chinese restaurants have also been juggling requests to host wedding banquets next weekend.

According to Tai Thong Group assistant marketing manager Friae Ong, one couple managed to snag the coveted date for a wedding dinner at one of their restaurants.

“Our Petaling Jaya outlet (Imperial Garden Restaurant) is booked for a wedding function on January 19. They made the booking about a year ago,” she said.

It is a common trend for marriages to take place on days where specific “lucky” numbers appear twice or even three times in the date, with many seeing the pattern as a harbinger of luck to their relationship.

The Star reported last year on mass weddings that took place on August 8 at the Ipoh Chinese Chin Woo Athletic Association, the Sibu Foochow Association, and the Tiong Hua Association.

A date with several eights is considered to be especially auspicious in Chinese numerology as it sounds like the word meaning “to prosper” in Chinese.