FOR Ms Jerlyn Soh, the date on which she ties the knot is of utmost importance.

Not only must it be easy to remember, but it must also be “special” to her and her partner.

So Ms Soh, 27, was quick to decide on Oct 10, 2010 (10.10.10) for her upcoming nuptials.

In Mandarin, the number 10 – shi – can allude to shi quan shi mei – a Chinese idiom which means “perfect in every way”.

The private-school student told my paper: “We want our wedding to be perfect.”

She and her husband-to-be have been together for 10 months and they intend to have 10 bridesmaids and 10 best men on their big day.

“If possible, we’d even like to have 10 cars at the wedding,” Ms Soh said.

While they have yet to consult a geomancer on whether their chosen date is considered auspicious, Ms Soh said she will not change her mind.

“As long as the date is special to us, it shouldn’t matter whether it is considered auspicious or not,” she said.

This same enthusiasm cannot be said for Sept 9 this year, 09.09.09.

Hotels my paper spoke to reported very few bookings for wedding-dinner packages because the date falls during the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Ms Patricia Yong, public-relations manager for the Grand Hyatt hotel, said: “This date is deemed an inauspicious one on which to hold a wedding (because of the Hungry Ghost Festival).”

Still, hotels said they are not offering any freebies or incentives to draw couples in, despite the slow take-up rate during this period.

“We are not offering any specials for this timeframe,” said Mr Eric Tan, banquet manager for the Tung Lok Group of restaurants, which caters to weddings at Orchard Parade Hotel.

And it seems picking an auspicious date for major life events is a popular trend among Singaporeans.

Last year, my paper reported a sharp increase in the number of women who underwent caesarean sections on Aug 8 – 08.08.08, a date considered lucky to some – compared to other days.

While some were scheduled by doctors, hospitals reported that a number of these procedures were requested by the expectant mothers.

In China, the situation was similar last year.

Hospitals across China also added extra beds as maternity wards were crammed with expectant mothers wanting to give birth on Aug 8 last year.

Ms Soh, however, would not go to such lengths despite her penchant for “lucky” dates.

“A good date is important because it is something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives and should mean something to us.

But when it comes to having a baby, I’d prefer to let it happen naturally,” she said.

For more my paper stories click here.