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Couples take last unusual wedding date of the century | Couples take last unusual wedding date of the century |
(about 7 hours later) | |
By Josephine McDermott BBC News, London | By Josephine McDermott BBC News, London |
Register offices across the country have reported an increase in wedding bookings as couples choose to marry on a day with special significance. | |
Thursday is the last day of the century when the date, month and year match. | |
Fifty-one ceremonies were booked in the district of Gretna in southern Scotland, which is well known for Gretna Green - a 25-fold increase on the same day last year. | |
It will be just over 88 years before 01/01/2101 comes around. | It will be just over 88 years before 01/01/2101 comes around. |
In Gloucestershire, west England, 12 ceremonies were due. The number of weddings on an average Wednesday is one. | |
'Won't forget date' | 'Won't forget date' |
In Barnet, north London, 14 were booked, about three times more than usual. | |
One couple said they particularly wanted the date because the number 12 has had significance their whole relationship. | One couple said they particularly wanted the date because the number 12 has had significance their whole relationship. |
Joeh Chan, 24, and Ginny Chan, 20, from Colindale, Barnet, exchanged vows at 12:00 GMT. | |
Joeh said: "We met on the 12th of the 12th four years ago at a friend's party." | Joeh said: "We met on the 12th of the 12th four years ago at a friend's party." |
He proposed on Ginny's birthday, the 12th of October. He added that he had planned to propose on 12/12 last year but Ginny was sick. He waited almost a year for the right date again. | |
"I waited until her birthday because I wanted an occasion that felt special. Twelve has been really lucky for me." | |
Ginny said: "He has no excuse now for forgetting the date." | Ginny said: "He has no excuse now for forgetting the date." |
'Year to remember' | 'Year to remember' |
Barbara Aves, 65, and David Donno, 67, were one of six couples marrying in Havering, north-east London. They also chose to wed at 12:00 GMT. | |
Barbara and David married partners a week apart in 1969 and were later widowed. They met seven years ago. | Barbara and David married partners a week apart in 1969 and were later widowed. They met seven years ago. |
12/12/12 is a big day for the new Mr and Mrs Chan of London. But it has proved a popular date for weddings around the world. | |
Venues from Las Vegas in the United States to Gretna in Scotland have reported a surge in demand for their services. It has been especially busy in China, where 12 is generally regarded as a lucky number and according to the Xinhua news agency 12/12/12 sounds a bit like in love/in love/in love in Chinese. | |
Some 4,700 couples tied the knot in Beijing alone - twice the daily average. After 10/10/10 and 11/11/11, 12/12/12 is the last date to feature the same number three times for 89 years. | |
By then Kiam Moriya of Alabama, USA will be 101 because on the 12th of December 2012 at 12.12pm he was exactly 12 years old. | |
Barbara, a retired civil servant, from East Ham, east London, said they chose the date because 2012 had been such a memorable year with both the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics. | Barbara, a retired civil servant, from East Ham, east London, said they chose the date because 2012 had been such a memorable year with both the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics. |
The couple became engaged in September. | The couple became engaged in September. |
"Twenty-twelve's been a really good year," she said. | "Twenty-twelve's been a really good year," she said. |
Marcus du Sautoy, professor of mathematics at Oxford University and president of the Mathematical Association, said he thought the rush to marry on 12/12/12 shows what a "mathematical mind" people have. | |
"They are drawn to these dates because they see a pattern," he said. | "They are drawn to these dates because they see a pattern," he said. |
"Although it looks trivial people being drawn to this date, actually it's a very powerful way of looking at the world. I think it's less trivial than it looks." | |
Speaking about the unusual nature of dates at the start of the century, he added: "We are all incredibly lucky to be living in this 12-year period because it's pretty fallow after that." | |
Councils have said that on 9/9/09 when the date proved similarly popular, it was of particular interest to couples in the emergency services. | |