Basketball superstar Yao Ming recently wed his long-time girlfriend Ye Li. The 7 foot six inches tall Houston Rockets center painstakingly arranged a marriage despite still recovering from an injury-filled and intense NBA season. The two were wed in a five-star hotel in Shanghai. Ye Li doesn’t that tall next to her tall groom, but at 6 foot 2 inches, she’s already among the tallest women in the ceremony. Incidentally, Mrs. Yao Ming also plays basketball for the Chinese National Team.
Pictures of the happily wed couple started circulating weeks before the actual ceremony showing the two looking very much in love in a picturesque resort in Eastern China. Yao looked dashing in a well-put-together dark suit while Ye Li looked stunning in a very daring white gown that showcased her svelte figure. This has made the two the talk of the town yet again. You just couldn’t get enough of a sweet couple, right?
After the ceremonies at the hotel, Yao and Ye along with their guests went on a cruise of the Huangpu River on a luxury houseboat. The entire wedding cost $130,000 – not a big deal considering Yao’s income from his day job and of course, his dozens of advertisement contracts.
The event was relatively intimate – only 100 people were invited and none of them were teammates or national team members. Despite the short guest list, the security detail was absolutely topnotch. Over a hundred security personnel were on hand. Even though they didn’t invite their teammates, they plan to host a special dinner with them sometime this month to formally share their joy as a couple to those who saw them progressed into their relationship.
Yao and his beautiful bride will play a key role in China’s proclamation of the one year countdown to the 2008 Summer Games this month. Despite his popularity, Yao has been criticized for being less willing to play for the National Team – citing extended breaks during the off-season and excessive planning of his wedding.