Couples queue to say 'I do'

YUEN Siu - the Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day - was celebrated yesterday with romance and roses as more than 30 couples queued up to marry at City Hall.

But up the road at St John's Cathedral, Ms Maria Williams, the only daughter of US Consul-General Mr Richard Williams, tied the knot with her boyfriend of six years, Mr Charles Cypher.

Described by guests as ''fairly low profile'', the wedding was attended by Sir Run Run Shaw and Mr Li Ka-shing among others, while casino mogul Mr Stanley Ho, who sped back from Guangzhou for the event, was spotted among the 160 guests invited to the reception at the American Club.

Also making a brief appearance was singer Danny Chan's father, Mr Chan Pang-fee. Mrs Jane Williams is Danny's godmother.

After much champagne, the cake-cutting and celebrations, the bridal pair left for a month-long honeymoon in Spain and Italy.

Yuen Siu is traditionally an auspicious day to wed, and Mr Andy Tang and Ms Angela Chan left nothing to chance to ensure they were married yesterday.

The Sha Tin couple slept overnight outside the marriage registry offices in Queensway in November - the earliest opportunity they had to book a City Hall ceremony on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year.

''We got there at about 5 pm the day before, and queued until the next morning because it was important for us to get married today,'' 24-year-old Ms Chan said.