Mr Guo Xusheng, a spokesman for the city's Civil Affairs Bureau, denied reports that the registry would close for the start of the games on Friday, Aug 8, the Xinhua news agency said.

The number eight is considered especially lucky in China because its Chinese character ba rhymes with the Mandarin word fa, which means 'to get rich'.

Beijing set the opening date for the Olympics for the eighth of August, the eighth month of the year, with the Games to start at 8.08pm.

The date was chosen after the International Olympic Committee turned down a request to hold the games in September after the peak of the city's torrid summer weather.

'Couples are free to tie the knot on any weekday, so why not on Aug 8?' Mr Guo was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Xinhua said 3,390 couples got married on that date last year, with some lining up outside the registry overnight.

'We've long been prepared for a stampede of newly wed couples,' Mr Guo said. He advised couples to make online reservations in advance.

Xinhua said hotels and restaurants were hoping to cash in on the date, with some offering wedding banquets priced at 2,008 yuan (S$396).

According to reports, Beijing had planned a group wedding for up to 10,000 people on Aug 8 last year, but the ceremony was cancelled.

ASSOCIATED PRESS