On the morning of October 19, newlyweds Yuan Zhu and Zhou Jing held an eco-friendly wedding on the streets of Jiangyan. Thirty-nine cycling enthusiasts from the Jiangyan Pioneer Cycling Club rode bicycles throughout the event, promoting the theme of "low-carbon, environmental protection, and practicing thrift" while spreading joy and laughter.
The 28-year-old groom, Yuan Zhu, lives in Beiyuan Xincun, Jiangyan, and the 25-year-old bride, Zhou Jing, is from Fujian, Guangxi. Both attended university in Nanjing and share a love for cycling. Over the past two years, Yuan Zhu and Zhou Jing have cycled all over Nanjing, attaching plastic bags to their bikes to pick up litter along the way. On several occasions, they witnessed extravagant bridal convoys parading noisily through the streets, leaving behind scattered firecracker paper and thick smoke. This led them to share a common thought: "When we get married, we must hold an eco-friendly wedding." During this year’s National Day holiday, Yuan Zhu and Zhou Jing set their wedding date and finalized their plan for an eco-friendly ceremony, gaining support from many fellow cyclists in Yuan Zhu’s hometown.
At around 8:50 a.m. that day, the bridal procession arrived at the Yellow River Hotel in Jiangyan. Following local custom, Yuan Zhu carried the bride on his back to the bicycle. Dressed in red and beaming with happiness, the bride sat on the back seat of the groom’s bicycle. “Let’s go — ride around the city!” Yuan Zhu called out, leading the way with the bride in front. Whenever the convoy approached within about 200 meters of a traffic light intersection, Yuan Zhu would dismount, hand the bike to the best man, and then carry the bride on foot. In total, Yuan Zhu carried the bride for 2 km and biked with her for 6 km.
Zhou Jing said she enjoyed every bit of the sweet journey over those 8 km.