Taiwan couples go whole 9 yards in mass wedding

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Newly married couples kiss during a mass wedding on the auspicious day of Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010, in Taipei, Taiwan. One hundred sixty-three couples in Taiwan were married in the mass ceremony at 9:09 a.m. Thursday, the ninth day of the ninth month of the 99th year since the founding of their republic. The word for nine in Chinese sounds exactly like the word for longevity, so there was method in the decision by Taipei city authorities to organize the nine-nine-nine-nine-nine-nine nuptials when they did. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) === The whole nine yards Everything that is relevant; the whole thing. For example, He decided to take everything to college--his books, his stereo, his computer, his skis, the whole nine yards. The source of this expression is not known, but there are several possibilities: the amount of cloth required to make a complete suit of clothes; the fully set sails of a three-masted ship where each mast carries three yards, that is, spars, to support the sails; or the amount of cement (in cubic yards) contained in a cement mixer for a big construction job. [Colloquial] === Taiwan couples go whole 9 yards in mass wedding (AP) – 1 hour ago TAIPEI, Taiwan — One hundred sixty-three couples in Taiwan were married in a mass ceremony at 9:09 a.m. on the ninth day of the ninth month of the 99th year since the founding of their republic. The word for nine in Chinese sounds exactly like the word for longevity, so there was method in the decision by Taipei city authorities to organize the nine-nine-nine-nine-nine-nine nuptials when they did. Taipei Mayor Hau Long-bin, naturally dressed to the nines, was all smiles during Thursday's event, going the whole nine yards to make everyone feel the true weight of the occasion. "I congratulate all the couples," he said. Groom Ryan Chen said participating in the ceremony to tie the knot with bride Chang Ya-chi was a no-brainer. "I was born on September 9, and my wife was born on the same date in the lunar calendar," he said. "So by picking this date we hope our marriage will last forever." As the clock struck the magic hour, couples placed rings on each other's fingers and kissed demurely, their eyes glazing over with — what else — cloud nine expressions.