The average cost of a wedding in South Korea has reached ₩21.01 million KRW. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 29 (Korea Bizwire) — The average cost of a wedding in South Korea has reached ₩21.01 million (approximately $15,400), with costs in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district soaring to nearly three times that of the most affordable regions, according to a newly released nationwide survey by the Korea Consumer Agency.
The agency’s first comprehensive analysis of wedding service prices, released on Wednesday, examined contracts from 522 wedding venues and planning agencies across 14 regions in April. The findings revealed significant regional disparities, with Gangnam averaging ₩34.09 million per wedding, compared to ₩12.09 million in the Gyeongsang provinces.
The study analyzed 5,000 contracts for essential wedding venue items — including rental fees and meal charges — and 1,814 contracts for the so-called “S-D-M” package, which includes studio photography, dress rentals, and makeup.
The median cost of a wedding venue was ₩15.55 million, with Gangnam again the most expensive at ₩31.3 million and Busan the lowest at ₩8.15 million. Peak wedding months — April, May, October, and November — saw median venue costs of ₩16.2 million, ₩4.5 million more than the off-season.
Meal expenses proved to be the single largest cost factor, with the average per-guest meal priced at ₩58,000. Gangnam topped the list at ₩85,000 per guest, while Gyeongsang came in lowest at ₩44,000. The median total food cost, based on the minimum guest guarantee, was ₩11.83 million nationwide.
Rising prices and hidden fees charged by vendors have left many couples preparing for their weddings this year dismayed. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Venue rental fees alone averaged ₩3 million, ranging from ₩7 million in Gangnam to ₩1 million in Gwangju and Jeju. Some regions charged additional fees for venue decoration, such as Daejeon’s ₩500,000 fee.
The median cost of the S-D-M package stood at ₩2.9 million. The most expensive regions were Jeolla (₩3.45 million) and Gwangju (₩3.41 million), while Incheon offered the most affordable option at ₩2.12 million. Within the package, median prices were ₩1.35 million for studio photography, ₩1.55 million for dresses, and ₩760,000 for makeup services.
Among 58 optional add-ons, the “early start fee” — charged for pre-dawn makeup sessions — was notable. Roughly 74% of vendors applied a time-based surcharge, with services between 4–5 a.m. averaging ₩200,000.
Wedding bookings are typically made well in advance, with over half of couples securing dates 12 to 18 months ahead.
Despite the survey, the agency noted that over 63% of vendors declined to disclose pricing to the public, citing concerns over standardization and competitive disadvantage. To promote transparency, the Korea Consumer Agency plans to continue monthly price monitoring and provide bi-monthly updates via its “Price Info” website (www.price.go.kr).
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
