Joe Nieh and Vivian Chow leave a restaurant on December 24, 2008. [Photo: Ming Pao]

The celebrity couple who hit the headlines over a split and surprise marriage have made their first public appearance in the past two weeks.

Joe Nieh and Vivian Chow spent Christmas Eve dinner with friends at the luxurious clubhouse Hong Kong Parkview, followed by dozens of reporters. Their wedding ceremony will be held there next month, local newspaper The Sun reported.

The public appearance was described as "extreme chaos". Vivian and Joe, hand in hand, left under escort of the restaurant workers without answering questions from frantic reporters.

The marriage ceremony will last two days. Family members and relatives are expected to appear on January 5th, and friends and business partners on January 7th, The Sun said, quoting "a reliable source."

(CRI December 25, 2008)