单项选择题

Oversize cupids in pink, furry outfits hand out heart-shaped balloons with "I Do" written on them (in English) at a wedding-themed trade fair in Beijing. Vendors offer romantic photo-shoots of couples under water, personalised wedding cigarettes, and biscuits with names. An emphasis on love is a new addition to Chinese weddings—and shines a pink-filtered spotlight on social change.
For centuries, marriage in China was about ensuring heirs for the groom"s family. Both the groom"s and the bride"s family exchanged money or goods. The more money changed hands, the more opulent the wedding.
In 1949, frugality was imposed. Dowries consisted of necessities like bed linen or a bicycle. But since the 1980s the extravagance of weddings has matched the country"s rise. Celebrations moved out of homes into hotels. Brides swapped traditional red dresses for white ones.
A large industry has emerged to serve the 13 million couples who many each year. Wedding planners are increasingly common, particularly in cities. A decade ago Cosmo Bride, an American owned lifestyle magazine, launched a Chinese-language edition in China. An average wedding cost $12,000 in 2011—the equivalent of more than two years" income for the average urban household. An increase in the average marriage age by 2.5 years since 1990 has given parents (who still usually pay for weddings, despite the earning power of their children) more time to save up.
The change in wedding also reflects a fundamental shift in society. For the first time in the history of Chinese family life, the child—rather than ancestors or parents—is regarded as the centre of the family, says Yan Yunxiang of the University of California, Los Angeles. Most newly-weds now are single children, born since the one-child policy was introduced more than 30 years ago. Parents have more to spend if they only have to afford one wedding.
William Jankowiak of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has documented relationships in China for 30 years, says love plays a larger part in young people"s lives—both in choice of partner and in their relationships with parents. The result is evident in weddings, which now focus on the couple. Both sets of parents are represented, but their position is peripheral. Weddings often feature a day of wedding photos, shot before the event, with the couple in a range of outfits against romantic backgrounds, but with no family members. The wedding-themed trade fair in Beijing is used to ______.