KUALA LUMPUR - Romantic couples across the country will tie the knot today -- 12-12-12 -- making it a special and memorable day for them.
Couples view the date as "once in a life time", as a similar alignment of triple digit date will not recur for another 89 years, and that will be only on Jan 1, 2101.
A National Registration Department spokesman said 306 couples would get hitched at its offices here, Selangor and Putrajaya today. She said the couples made early arrangements to tie the knot today as soon as the date was unlocked.
"Couples are required to book their dates six months ahead of the registration date and when we opened the date for booking, the slots were filled out within days," she said.
She added that on normal days, only about 100 couples were registered at state NRD offices.
Due to the higher demand, the headquarters at Putrajaya agreed to register 114 couples today.
She said 99 couples were expected to tie the knot here and another 93 in Selangor, today.
G. Linda Devi, 22, said she picked the date to get married as the number 12 symbolised the years of courtship with her fiance, P.Bubala, 27.
"We want it to be as memorable as possible. I remember the time Bubala proposed. The date was filled with twos -- 22-2-2000 and our union date being 12-12-2012," said the administrative assistant.
The couple will be married at the Sri Venkatachalapathi Swami Sannadhi temple in Batu Caves today.
Reuben Rethinalingam, 29 said apart from the easy-to-remember date, he felt it had a divine meaning.
"When the numbers are added, it showed a divine number, 333, which represents eternal love and abundance of happiness, which every couple would expect in a relationship.
"I guess the choice of date is all about the unique sequence of numbers involved."
Reuben and his fiance, Renuga Devi Manohar, 32, had been together for almost four years.
"We will have no excuse for forgetting our anniversary now," he said, adding that they would be getting married at the Putrajaya NRD office today.
Feng Shui consultant and professional trainer with more than 30 years of experience, Master Peter Lai, said the date 12-12-12 was a good date for marriage.
He said the date was also more suitable for starting up a business, travelling and to start renovation works.
"It's not a perfect date for marriage, but if one chooses to put on the wedding ring and kiss the bride at the auspicious time of the date, it will enhance the couples' romance energy and luck."
Lai said choosing an auspicious date for one's wedding day could help ensure the big day went smoothly without much stress and difficulties.