Shanghai Concert Hall plans to start renting out its individual halls next year to serve as venues for wedding receptions, the Shanghai Morning Post reported Wednesday.
The hall, one of the city's most prestigious concert venues, decided to open five of its auditoriums, the largest of which can accommodate 1,200 people, to the public after receiving many calls from couples inquiring about whether they could host their wedding receptions there, said a staff member with the hall's press office.
"We have received many calls from local couples who expressed their desire to hold their wedding receptions at the hall with musicians playing live," she told the Global Times.
The concert hall spent a year researching the feasibility of the business. It plans to offer clients a variety of performance options, including music ensembles, choirs and even mini musicals specifically arranged for each couple, according to their personal tastes, the staff member said.
"There are only two requirements for holding a wedding reception here," she added. "They should focus on music and they can't be planned by an outside wedding planner."
It turns out that the concert hall has its own planning service to help couples.
Shanghai Concert Hall didn't reveal how much any of this would cost. The staff member said the price depends heavily on the specific arrangements of each couple.
Musical performances will remain the hall's priority, so no wedding receptions will take place at the same time as a concert.
The staff member recommended that couples book reservations far in advance.
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