Beijing, Dec 20 (IANS): Twenty couples held a group wedding on the frozen Khanka Lake located on the China-Russia border, the authorities said on Wednesday.

Four couples came from Russia. Pavel Karasev and Elena Kazakova had been dating for five years before crossing the border for their wedding in Heilongjiang province, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I have always wanted to come here. It is very meaningful to celebrate our wedding with so many couples," Karasev said.

Liu Yongshuang, a Chinese groom, believed the white world of ice and snow made a romantic and pure love story.

"I promised to give my wife the most romantic wedding in the world, and this is perfect for us," he said.

This was the first group wedding to be held on Khanka Lake.

Sitting on the border between China and Russia, the lake and its surrounding area attract many tourists who come to take part in autocross, ice and snow-related sports and cultural activities.