Groom vs Bride: Couples wrestle at wedding to settle who’ll do household chores; loser says, ‘Of course, I had to lose’

A couple in China settled housework chores at their wedding in a unique way. They did it inside a wrestling ring. The groom, He Yinsheng, is a professional wrestler from Zunyi. He is based in Guizhou province. He staged the unusual celebration with his wife in early May. The venue was a local hotel.

The couple replaced the traditional wedding stage with a wrestling ring. A giant screen showed a dramatic "Groom vs Bride" poster. The newlyweds led their respective teams into a best-of-three contest, the South China Morning Post reported.

One lighthearted rule governed the match. The losing side would do all the housework.

Performers entered the ring first. They delivered body slams, takedowns, and close-range grappling moves. Guests watched in complete fascination. Some children stood with bowls in hand. They were too engrossed to eat.

The bride and groom then stepped into the ring themselves. The bride quickly gained control. She evaded her husband's attacks.

She then floored him with a sharp shoulder throw. The referee declared her the winner. She was announced as "exempt from doing housework for life".

The sequence had been choreographed in advance. Guests remained captivated regardless. He told Xiaoxiang Morning Post that all performers were professionally trained. Safety was prioritised throughout.

"Of course I had to lose," He said. "I could not let her do the housework."

The idea came during wedding planning. The budget was running over expectations. He chose wrestling instead of hiring singers and dancers. His wife agreed immediately. Both sets of parents said they did not understand it. But they respected the choice.

Nearly 300 guests attended. That was far more than the couple expected. The wedding went viral on Chinese social media.

“Our wedding had food and a show, so people were happy to attend. In the end, nearly 300 guests turned up, far more than we expected,” SCMP quoted He as telling the mainland media.

He said he also hoped to introduce more people to wrestling. Professional wrestling in China remains a small subculture. It is mostly confined to bars, beer festivals and corporate events.

“Can I buy a ticket to their wedding?” one of them asked.

“They should take this wedding on a nationwide tour,” another quipped.

“Western couples: therapy. Chinese couples: wrestling ring. One of these works faster,” joked one user.

Another user wrote, “Marriage counselling is about to become a pay-per-view industry.”

“Honestly, this might be the healthiest way to settle it compared to passive-aggressive dishwashing wars,” came from another.