More than 200,000 Beijing couples will marry this year, a record for the capital, and many are preparing for the biggest day in their life during the upcoming National Day holiday.

Shi Kangning, director of Commission of Marriage Celebration Industry, said modern couples were less auspicious and were not as concerned about "lucky" dates. Odd numbers and the number 4 are usually considered unlucky in traditional Chinese thinking, but Oct 4 and Oct 13 banquet bookings have not been affected.

Most Beijing newlyweds booked restaurants or hotels more than a year ago, and as the big banquet day approaches, many are getting nervous jitters.

"I am looking forward to that day coming, but also, I am nervous," a man surnamed Sun told METRO.

The 26-year-old accountant tied the knot with his beloved at a local civil affairs department on Sept 16. The couple will host a 20-table banquet at Hongbinlou Restaurant on Oct 6. The 156-year-old Muslim restaurant in Xicheng district is famous for its wedding banquets.

Lin Suqin, general manager of Hongbinlou Restaurant, said most banquet reservations were made more than a year ago.

"Our restaurant will be full during the National Day holiday, except for Oct 1. And between Oct 2 to Oct 8 we have three couples each day," he said.

In September, Hongbinlou usually hosts 290-table wedding banquets, but 400-table banquets will be the norm during the eight-day holiday.

Kaorou Wan, or Roast Meat Wan, another famous Beijing restaurant, will experience the same rush during the upcoming holidays.

"We cannot host any more people," manager Yang Wenhui laughed.

The restaurant will rename several special dishes with auspicious titles for the newlywed couples. One dish made of lily and vegetables will be renamed Baihe Shishu, indicating a harmonious married life in Chinese.

Meanwhile, wedding banquets will be hosted on Oct 1 and 2 at the Fragrant Hill Hotel, a four-star venue in Haidian district, designed by renowned architect Leoh Ming Pei.

But not all couples want to host their marriage banquets in the city during the holiday period. Some couples are choosing to travel out of town so they can host bigger parties.

"The city will have in place strict traffic controls, so some people are concerned about the inconvenience it will cause their guests to attend the banquet," said Lin from Hongbinlou.