Only 380 couples participated in the formal ceremony on the lawn of the historic Jinjiang Hotel.

619 others later joined in for a parade and further festivities in Fuxing Park including firecrackers and the release of a giant flock of doves.

The total number, 999, is considered propitious for unions because the number nine is a homonym for a Chinese word meaning ``long-lasting''. Some 10,000 roses were used to adorn the entire event, according to the official media.

Authorities recruited couples for the mass wedding through a campaign of newspaper advertisements and registration displays in major department stores.

The scheme in part aimed to promote retail business in the district, as participants bought into a discountprogramme allowing them to make post-wedding purchases and host banquets at preferential rates. Other activities to kick off the tourism festival include an evening fireworks display over the skyscraper spires of the Pudong New Area.