South Korean wedding costs hit record highs in early 2026
The average cost of wedding services in Korea reached 21.4 million won ($14,090) in February, up 2.3 percent from January, which also saw a 2.3 percent increase from December 2025, data showed Monday.
The figure includes wedding hall rental fees and bundled packages for studio photography, wedding dresses and makeup services, according to the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA).
By region, three southern Seoul districts - Seocho, Gangnam and Songpa - recorded the highest average cost at 34.7 million, followed by the rest of the city excluding those three districts at 28.9 million won and Gyeonggi at 19.1 million won. The lowest average appeared in the Gyeongsang region at 12.8 million won.
In February, Jeju recorded the largest increase at 19.2 percent compared to December last year, followed by Seoul areas outside the three southern districts at 14.3 percent and Gwangju at 12.5 percent. Rising meal costs drove overall increases in all three regions.
In Jeju, an increase in large weddings also drove up costs. In the Seoul areas outside the three southern districts and in Gwangju, venues raised the minimum guaranteed number of guests from around 100 to about 200, meaning couples had to pay for more guests even if fewer people attended, which pushed up total expenses.
In contrast, the three southern Seoul districts recorded a decline. Average costs fell 3.7 percent in February from 35.9 million won in December last year, while per person meal costs dropped 2.2 percent from 90,000 won to 88,000 won during the same period.
Venue rental fees showed the sharpest increase among cost components.
The median venue rental fee rose 16.7 percent from last December to 3.5 million won in February. In Gwangju, the median increased from 1 million won to 2.5 million won over the same period.
Package costs for studio, dress and makeup services reached 2.9 million won, up just 0.3 percent during the same period.
By meal type, full-course meals were the most expensive at an average of 119,000 won per person in February, followed by buffet meals at 62,000 won and traditional Korean set meals at 55,000 won.
Full course meals, on average, also required the largest minimum guaranteed number of guests at 218, forcing couples to pay for a higher number of guests regardless of turnout, which drove up total meal costs. Traditional Korean set meals required 199 guests and buffet-style meals 194.
The minimum guaranteed number of guests for course meals varied by region.
Five regions, including Seoul, required an average minimum of 224 guests, compared to about 102 in four regions, including Busan. With both higher minimum guest counts and more expensive meal options in some areas, total costs could be up to six times higher.
"Consumers should plan their budgets carefully by considering the minimum guaranteed number of guests, as some venues require large guest counts even when per person meal prices appear low," a source at the KCA said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
