January weddings cheapest in Korea, saving couples more than $2,300

A wedding photo shoot is underway at a pine forest in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, July 13. Yonhap

Couples who held their weddings in January spent an average of just over 19 million won (about $13,700), more than 3 million won (about $2,300) less than those who married during the peak season in April, according to a recent survey.

The Korea Consumer Agency analyzed monthly wedding service contract prices across 14 regions nationwide from April last year through June this year. The average cost of a wedding during the off-season in January was 19.13 million won (about $13,700), the lowest of any month. This was 3.25 million won (about $2,300) less than the 22.38 million won (about $16,000) average recorded in April, the most expensive month.

The average wedding cost during the peak season — March through June and September through December — was 21.56 million won (about $15,400), 2.02 million won (about $1,400) higher than the 19.54 million won (about $14,000) average during the off-season months of January, February, July and August.

Wedding venue costs also varied significantly depending on the season. The median venue cost during the peak season was 16.1 million won (about $11,500), compared with 12.5 million won (about $8,900) during the off-season, a difference of 3.6 million won (about $2,600). Among individual services, catering accounted for the largest price gap at 2.2 million won (about $1,600), followed by venue rental fees at 1 million won (about $700).

The agency attributed the differences to larger guest lists and greater demand for more expensive wedding venues during the peak season.

A survey of wedding service providers also confirmed a substantial gap between peak and off-season prices. The survey, conducted in April among 354 wedding venues and other providers, found that venue rental fees for weekday weddings during the off-season were only 69.1 percent of those charged for peak-season weekend lunchtime ceremonies.

Meanwhile, 32.8 percent of providers surveyed said they required additional items such as fresh flower decorations and wedding-day assistants for peak-season weekend lunchtime ceremonies.

More couples are also opting for pared-down wedding packages. The share of couples choosing a so-called “DME” package — dress and makeup services without studio photography — rose from 11 percent in April last year to 19.2 percent in June this year.

The median price of a DME package during the survey period was 1.6 million won (about $1,100), 1.32 million won (about $900) less than the 2.92 million won (about $2,100) median price for the more comprehensive “SDME” package, which includes studio photography.

However, as demand for DME packages has increased, their median price has also risen, from 1.4 million won (about $1,000) to 1.8 million won (about $1,300).

The Korea Consumer Agency advised couples that adjusting the timing of their wedding and the services included in their package can significantly reduce costs.

“If you are planning a wedding during the peak season, be sure to compare venues based on the total cost, as rental fees may be higher and additional mandatory services may be required,” the agency said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.