10/10/10 – 10 October 2010

Today is (or rather has been) 10/10/10; a day which – according to a Facebook ‘like’ – will only come once every 1000 years. In actual fact, it’ll be the same six-figure date in October 2110 (a hundred years away), but it is highly unlikely that any of us will live to see that date.

Maybe, though, baby Niamh Bond will – born this morning at 10:10:10 BST.

“I was so surprised. When I looked at the clock and even saw the ten seconds as well I was gobsmacked. Everyone was shocked.”

– Keelie Hearne, on the birth of her daughter Niamh, 10 October 2010

Her parents were even encouraged to have a flutter on a £10,000 cash-prize bet, but they (rather regrettably) refused!

Across the country, weddings have been taking place in churches and registry offices (which normally wouldn’t be open on a Sunday). It’s been said that around 31,000 couples are now legally bound which weren’t yesterday.

So why pick such a date? In China, the number ten is seen to be lucky, and many couples there have been organising their big days for a long time.

“I tried to book a fancy hotel in March, more than six months ahead, but I found that all the good wedding banquets on 10 October were already sold out.”

– Liu Mengmeng, on the dilemma of not-quite-such last-minute planning

“We charge 3,588 yuan (£337) for each table, which is 20 per cent higher on 10 October than usual days.”

– Ma Chuan, marketing manager of the Chang An Grand Hotel Beijing

Maybe couples just like the sound of such a unique date.

“When I booked the wedding, I did think 10/10/10 did have a bit of a ring to it…”

– Catherine Knight, on the choice of her wedding date, 10 October 2010

Or maybe it’s simply that it gives the grooms no excuse to forget the wedding anniversary card in years to come…