Couples in South Korea are facing sharply rising wedding preparation costs, driven by inflation and hidden fees in a trend dubbed “wedding prep inflation.”
After booking a wedding venue, couples typically hire a planner and purchase bundled packages covering services such as photo shoots, dress rentals, and makeup. But prices for these services have surged in recent years, with a growing number of hidden charges adding to the burden.
According to data from Duo, a local matchmaking agency, the average cost for these services rose to 4.41 million won ($3,200) this year from 2.35 million won in 2020, an 87% increase over five years. That outpaces South Korea’s consumer price index, which climbed just 14% in the same period.
A major factor behind the surge has been opaque pricing and a growing list of surcharges tied to bundled wedding service packages. Even with a planner, final costs vary widely depending on the vendors selected and services chosen, leading to unexpected fees.
Cho, a 35-year-old office worker, said he was charged 270,000 won in “confirmation fees” after his engagement photo shoot, in addition to the base package price. After selecting 20 photos from 1,200 raw images, he was told he would need to pay extra just to view the retouched versions. “If I didn’t pay, I’d have to wait months until the album was printed to see the photos,” he said. “It felt like I had no choice.”
A government survey conducted last year found that 87.8% of newlyweds who opted for bundled wedding preparation packages ended up paying additional fees, averaging 1.73 million won, with some cases reaching as high as 13 million won.
Base packages typically cover limited services, with extra charges for early or late appointments, hair styling adjustments, and dress fittings. Brides often pay 50,000 to 100,000 won to try on three or four gowns, usually without the option to freely select designs or take photos.
Choosing vendors outside the bundled package often leads to higher charges. Planners tend to include lower-cost providers in base packages and impose “option fees” for upgrades. Even within the same boutique, trying on premium dress lines comes with additional “dress upgrade” fees.
Photo shoot days also bring added costs. A helper assisting with outfit changes can charge up to 250,000 won, while hairstyle adjustments may add another 300,000 won. Afterward, couples are typically asked to pay extra for digital files, additional photo edits, or changes to photo album designs.
