In a highly unusual turn of events, a wedding planned in China’s Henan province was abruptly canceled when the bride-to-be demanded a peculiar sum of money from her ex-fiancé. She requested approximately $4,200 (30,000 yuan) as a “hugging fee” from the betrothal gift, a traditional sum exchanged between families before marriage.
The couple, who met through a matchmaker and were engaged in January with a November wedding planned, reportedly saw their union called off because the bride-to-be found her fiancé “too honest” and believed his income was insufficient. The matchmaker, who has facilitated over a thousand couples, described the bride’s family as the pickiest she had ever encountered, deeming the “hugging fee” demand immoral.
The photographer had apparently asked the couple to pose for pre-wedding photos, which involved hugging. The bride, however, insisted this physical contact warranted compensation, alongside other alleged expenses from their time together. After difficult negotiations, the families agreed that the bride would return a portion of the betrothal gift, amounting to around $24,000 (170,500 yuan).
Betrothal gifts are a deeply ingrained custom in China, often ranging from $28,000 to $70,000, and can place significant financial strain on the groom’s family, particularly in rural areas with gender imbalances making it harder for men to find brides.