"Even 100,000 won isn’t enough for a friend’s wedding"... Gangnam wedding venues charge 90,000 won just for the meal

[The Financial News] While overall wedding costs have stabilized, expenses for ceremonies in the Seoul Gangnam area continue to rise, widening the regional gap to as much as threefold. In particular, the average meal cost per guest in Gangnam has, for the first time, entered the 90,000-won range.
According to the "Wedding Service Price Trends for December 2025" released on the 30th by the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA), the average wedding cost across 14 regions nationwide was 20.91 million won. This is a 0.2% increase from October’s 20.86 million won, indicating that prices have remained largely flat over the past three months.
The surveyed costs include the total of essential wedding package items, such as venue rental fees, studio photography, wedding dress, and makeup.
However, regional disparities were pronounced. The average wedding cost in the Seoul Gangnam area reached 35.99 million won, up 2.8% from October and the highest level since the survey in April. Notably, the average meal cost per person in Gangnam rose from 88,000 won in October to 90,000 won in December, a 2.3% increase, surpassing the 90,000-won mark for the first time on record.
KCA analyzed that high-end wedding venues in the top 10% price bracket raised their meal charges by 18.3%, which drove the overall price increase.
In contrast, the average wedding cost in Gyeongsang Province was just 12.28 million won, roughly one-third of the level in the Seoul Gangnam area. In Daejeon Metropolitan City and Gwangju Metropolitan City, some venues ran discount promotions, leading to price drops of 4.4% each compared with October, the largest declines among all regions.
An official at KCA said, "Wedding service costs vary greatly by region and provider, and additional charges may apply depending on the options you choose," adding, "Before signing a contract, it is important to carefully review detailed item-by-item prices using the estimated quote search function on the Price Information Portal 'Chamgagyeok' website."
hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter