A groom who was orphaned as a child was left stunned after thousands of strangers turned up to celebrate his wedding day.
Xu Chenghong, 24, took to social media to share an open invite after becoming concerned he would struggle to fill his side of the pews.
On October 25, he shared a post asking people to join him and his bride-to-be, Luo Chui, to celebrate their nuptials.
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He’d not held out much hope, and only expected a handful of people to respond.
But his appeal on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, went viral and saw thousands make the journey to attend the ceremony on Saturday (October 31).
Guests also came bearing gifts, with live ducks, food supplies and even a fridge listed among the bridal favours.
Others offered their help instead so the couple had everything prepared for the big day.
Some arrived early to help with cooking, photography and the bride’s make up, with one guest reportedly donating a luxury car.
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What Xu had feared would be a lonely occasion turned into a bustling community gathering, with footage showing an enormous party of guests filling out a venue.
Xu’s concern about a lonely celebration was not unfounded. The 24-year-old, from China’s Yunnan Province, lost his father when he was just three years old.
His mother remarried two years later, leaving him and his brother to be raised by their grandmother.
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Despite his difficult start, Xu had done all he could to put money aside for his wedding.
With money in the bank, he was most concerned about having no one there on his side of the wedding party.
According to reports, the huge turnout meant Xu had to find a new venue because the original one could no longer accommodate the guests.
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