A couple in East China’s Zhejiang Province engaged, with the bride’s family ought 9.98 million yuan ($1.42 million) in cash as “bride prices” in a cash truck. Photo: Sina Weibo

A couple in East China's Zhejiang Province got engaged, with the bride's family bringing 9.98 million yuan ($1.42 million) in cash as a "bride prices" in a cash truck, in addition to gold bars and expensive watches.

The groom-to-be said that this is a local custom and is very common there. The huge amount of cash was escorted to the bank by the staff of a professional escort company and deposited into the bride-to-be's bank account.

According to the video taken by people at the scene, the cash was packed in a red safe, highlighting the festive atmosphere of the betrothal. In addition, the groom-to-be also prepared gold bars and luxury watches, also wrapped in red packaging, which were delivered to the scene in a truck.

The high bride prices have sparked mixed comments online, with some expressing envy for the bride-to-be, but others in Taizhou said the high bride price is not representative of the situation there and that a happy wedding that does more with less is what people expect.

Recently, many cities and provinces across China have intensified their efforts in reining in exorbitant bride prices, as the custom has increasingly become a heavy burden for families, especially those in rural areas.