Bao Xishun, the world's tallest man, reaches in to retrieve objects from the stomach of a sick dolphin at an aquarium in Fushun, in China's northern Liaoning province, Wednesday, Dec. 13.
The world's tallest man has found his soulmate and gotten married, though his new bride is almost half his height and half his age.
Bao Xishun, at 7-ft, 9-inches, married 5-ft, 6-inch Xia Shujuan Thursday in a traditional Mongolian ceremony near Erdos city.
"I am very happy. My life is full now," Bao said.
The herdsman from China's Inner Mongolian region -- the tallest living human being as confirmed last year by Guiness World Records -- came to the world's attention with the official designation last year.
He also made headlines after using his long arms to remove debris from the bellies of two dolphins last year, likely saving their lives.
But Bao received the most attention after he placed ads around the world early this year searching for a wife.
"He's 56, he's longed for his soulmate and he thought he could find her worldwide, and ultimately he found his bride, who is 28 years old, only about 100 miles away from his hometown," said CTV's Steve Chao, who attended the ceremony.
The elaborate wedding cost about $200,000 and was paid for by corporate sponsors and the local government as a means of promoting the poverty-stricken region and attracting tourism, Chao said.
Hundreds of members of the media and spectators flocked to the Genghis Khan holiday resort in China's grasslands for the ceremony.
"He's a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, so the entire wedding was styled in the Mongolian tradition of 13th century nobles. There were elaborate outfits, elaborate rituals where he marched to pick up his bride, and then there was a celebration later in a Mongolian gur, or hut," Chao told CTV Newsnet.
The couple were legally married in March, shortly after meeting in February when Xia responded to his advertisement and friends introduced them.
He has said it was love at first sight and the couple decided to get married right away, then began saving for a proper traditional ceremony.
In traditional Mongolian style, Bao was pulled to his wedding on the back of a mobile tent that was pulled by camels.
Bao wore a shimmering coat made of blue silk and waved to the crowd before entering a large hut.
Inside, guests ate lamb and cheese while they watched traditional performances.
Bao once served in the army and was recruited for a basketball team, but his bad legs cut short his athletic career.
He now herds livestock and appears for publicity stunts.
The previous holder of the world height record was Radhouane Charbib of Tunisia. He is just two millimetres shorter than Bao.
