Wedding industry embraces AI

Artificial intelligence is poised to bring a love story makeover to China's wedding industry, as Hunliji, a leading Chinese wedding service platform, embraces AI to meet the demands of a younger, tech-savvy generation.

Yu Zhe, founder and CEO of Hunliji, said that technology is reshaping the way young couples say "I do "and soon-to-be-weds prepare for their critical moment, through the company's various AI-powered business from virtual dress fittings to AI-powered wedding planning.

"AI won't replace humans, but it can serve people better, and will redefine the industry by marrying efficiency with unforgettable user experiences," Yu emphasized.

As a trailblazer in wedding tech, Hunliji has rolled out cutting-edge AI tools to streamline the industry. Highlights include the magic mirror for instant photo editing, a 24/7 AI sales assistant, a virtual wedding dress fitting tool and smart wedding planning features.

The magic mirror, today, edits over 5 million photos daily, proving indispensable to the industry.

"AI plus wedding is not just about streamlining operations for Hunliji," Yu said. "It's about unlocking new creative possibilities and setting the entire industry on a smarter path."

The past five years have thrown challenges at the wedding industry, like declining bookings, shrinking budgets and soaring marketing costs. At the same time, a new generation of couples crave weddings that are as unique and high-quality as their love stories.

"That's where Hunliji is at the heart of this revolution," said Yu, who has been an internet veteran for decades and had founded several internet firms. "We have been stepping up to the altar as a pioneer in this shift, offering a blend of digital innovation and creative solutions to make wedding planning easier for couples and businesses alike."

According to him, Hunliji delivers a bouquet of services to soon-to-be-weds, including inspiration boards, vendor matching tools, AI-driven assistants and personalized wedding advisors.

On the business side, the company equips vendors with tools to attract more customers, refine marketing strategies, close more deals, and enhance client relationships.

With a 90 percent reach among mobile wedding users in China, Hunliji has become a go-to platform for young couples planning their "big day". According to iResearch, the company dominates online wedding service channels, outpacing competitors by a wide margin.

In 2023, China celebrated a marriage rebound, with 7.68 million couples tying the knot — a 13.52 percent rise in first-time marriages from the previous year. Industry experts also believe that the figures also reflected growing optimism in the wedding sector after years of uncertainty.

Yu also highlighted the wedding industry's role in addressing China's demographic challenges, including declining birth rates and an aging population.

Recently, the Chinese authorities launched a series of policies promoting a "sweet economy" and modern marriage culture aiming to ease economic pressures on families while supporting sustainable population growth.

"The healthy development of the wedding industry is essential for optimizing population structures and fostering family happiness," Yu said.

With policies encouraging integration between wedding services, retail and catering, the wedding sector has become a key driver of local economic growth. For Yu, these initiatives, paired with AI innovation, are a perfect match.

"Innovation is the lifeblood of progress," he said. "The future of weddings will always come down to user experience, and AI is the game-changer that will take it to the next level."

Wu Hequan, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said in a separate interview: "China's internet sector must find its position in the new era, in order to really transform and be digitalized to drive high-quality economic development. AI, without a doubt, holds the key to this evolution."

According to data from market research company CCID Consulting, China's AI industry will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan ($236.7 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the world's total.