SUZHOU, China: At one of China's biggest bridal hubs, shop owners are watching demographic data as closely as fashion trends, hoping a recent rebound in marriages will translate into steadier business after years of declining demand.

Vendors at Huqiu Bridal City in Suzhou said they are cautiously optimistic that an increase in marriages seen last year will continue into 2026. The sprawling market is one of China's largest centres for wedding dresses, home to more than 800 stores selling gowns made of taffeta, silk and lace.

The uptick in marriages during the first nine months of 2025 has offered a rare bright spot in China's otherwise bleak population outlook. Official data released on January 19 showed the country's birth rate fell to a record low last year, while the overall population declined for a fourth consecutive year.

Marriage registrations rose 8.5 percent in the first nine months of 2025 compared with a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, helped by policy changes and favourable cultural factors. The increase raises the chances that total marriages in 2025 could halt a long-running decline that has stretched back more than a decade.

Chen Juan, co-owner of Luoyi Bridal, said business suffered in 2024 because it was widely viewed as an inauspicious year for weddings, prompting many couples to postpone their ceremonies.

At her store, wedding dresses are priced from about 1,000 yuan (US$143.51) to roughly 4,000 yuan for more elaborate designs.

A nationwide policy change in May 2025 also helped fuel the rebound, Chen and other vendors said. The new rules allow couples to register marriages anywhere in China rather than only in their place of residence.

In response, local governments moved quickly to attract "marriage tourism," setting up registration offices at scenic sites, music festivals and even in subway stations, shopping malls and parks.

Chen said she expects the positive trend to continue this year, noting that the Year of the Horse is traditionally seen as a symbol of success. Still, she said additional government support would be needed to make a meaningful difference.

"If the government can introduce some relevant incentive policies, this would be very good, because young people's attitudes (to marriage) have changed," she said.

A declining appetite for marriage and starting families among younger Chinese is often blamed on the high cost of childcare and education. Some cities and regions have introduced cash incentives for newlyweds in an effort to reverse the trend.

Zhu Jiaomei, a 31-year-old seller of made-to-measure gowns at Huqiu Bridal City, said broader economic conditions matter more than wedding-specific policies when it comes to whether people decide to marry — and how much they are willing to spend.

"The most important thing is that the economy improves, and everyone has confidence in the future. Now, jobs are less stable, so people are tightening their belts," she said, adding that wedding budgets are often about half of what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.

For some vendors, the issue is also deeply personal. Wedding shoe seller Cheng Yonggui, 48, said the prospect of more marriages carries special weight as her two sons approach marriageable age.

Cheng said she and her husband are "very anxious" about their sons' chances of finding a partner in a country where men significantly outnumber women, a legacy of long-standing cultural preferences for male children.

In China, parents of the groom are typically expected to help pay for an apartment, a car and, in some cases, a dowry before a marriage. Cheng estimates the cost will be "at least a million" yuan per son.

"For us, the pressure is immense, but we're trying our best," she said. "I hope more and more people get married, I hope our business gets better and better, and I hope our children live happier and happier lives."