In Asian cultures the number eight is considered a lucky number for building wealth and affluence. It is a moniker so admired it was chosen as the date to open the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Now, couples all over the world are trying to cash in on this symbol of good luck on the day being dubbed 08-08-08.

More than Chinese 16,000 couples in Beijing alone are choosing to have their nuptials on the eighth day of the eighth month of the eighth year - the luckiest day of the century.

Amy Lo is getting married to her longtime beau Krish Chan on August 8 in Vancouver. She says the lucky day certainly made the decision for her fiancé.

"When he proposed he chose the date because he thought it would be nice for my family because it means wealth, family and luck," said Amy.

Lo says the date also holds special significance in her relationship.

"We've been together for eight years so it's just a great match. A perfect match," she said.

Elana Lancit, a prominent B.C. wedding planner for Sweet Beginnings, says she is quite literally run off her feet by the volume of ceremonies planned for the day.

"I've never seen anything like it," she said.

"I have six weddings on a Friday. That's very unusual and certainly unprecedented."

In Chinese phonetics, the word eight in Mandarin (ba) sounds like fa - the word for wealth or prosperity. It's a lucky concept in anyone's tradition, but especially Chinese traditions.

And with Canadian divorce rates hovering near 50 percent, young couples can still use all the help they can get.