How much cash is appropriate to give at a wedding? Unmarried men and women put the figure at an average of 130,000 won, while married respondents said 290,000 won — more than double. As wedding costs soar and those who have already married factor in the gifts they once received, the standard for what counts as an appropriate amount is splitting sharply along marital lines.
Singles 130,000 Won vs. Married 290,000 Won: "Have to Count What I Received"
According to a survey on wedding costs and cash-gift perceptions released on the 27th by matchmaking firm Gayeon, the amount considered appropriate when attending a friend's wedding in person averaged 130,000 won among unmarried respondents and 290,000 won among married respondents. The figure for married respondents was more than twice that of unmarried ones.
The criteria for setting the amount also differed. Among unmarried respondents, 76.7% cited closeness to the person getting married and how long they had known each other as the most important factor. That was followed by whether the person would attend their own wedding later (9.1%), whether a physical invitation was delivered (7.5%), and the venue and catering cost (6.5%).
For married respondents, closeness and the nature of the relationship was also the leading criterion, at 70.7%. But 60.6% said they take into account the amount the other person gave at their own wedding, and 39.2% pointed to whether they were bringing a spouse or other companion.
A Gayeon official attributed the higher figures among married respondents to their experience of giving and receiving cash gifts at their own weddings and to the fact that many attend as couples. Sharply higher wedding costs in recent years were also seen as a factor.
The survey covered 506 unmarried men and women aged 25 to 39 and 502 married men and women in the same age range, and was conducted from the 4th to the 11th.
Average Cash Gift Tops 100,000 Won; Catering Alone Runs 80,000 Won Per Head in Seoul
Actual amounts are also climbing fast. According to Kakao Pay's 2025 Money Report, which analyzed the company's own transfer data, the average amount sent using its wedding cash-gift envelope feature topped 100,000 won last year for the first time. That is roughly double the average of about 50,000 won in 2019, reached in a little over five years.
Wedding costs have been rising alongside the burden of cash gifts. As of the 27th, the average cost of a wedding — combining venue rental with studio photography, dress and makeup, known collectively as "seudeume" — was 21.59 million won, according to Chamgagyeok, the price information portal run by the Korea Consumer Agency. In Seoul's Gangnam area, the figure rises to 34.54 million won.
Catering accounts for the largest share of the national average at 61.6%, followed by venue rental at 20.3%, studio-dress-makeup services at 14.8%, and basic venue decoration at 3.2%. Per-person catering costs also jump from 59,000 won nationwide to 80,000 won in Seoul, and the median minimum guaranteed headcount is 200 nationwide.
Adding various options pushes the burden higher. The average total contract price at wedding venues in Seoul is 34.54 million won, of which catering makes up 59.9%, or 20.69 million won. By simple arithmetic, covering that 20.69 million won in catering costs would require about 258 guests at 80,000 won each, or about 207 guests at 100,000 won each.
Actual guest counts are close to those levels. A 2024 survey of married men and women in their 20s and 30s by matchmaking firm Duo found an average of 279 guests. The most common range was 200 to fewer than 300 guests at 32.2%, followed by 100 to fewer than 200 (24.6%) and 300 to fewer than 400 (19.6%).
Government Steps In on "Weddingflation," With Fines Up to 100 Million Won
With wedding costs continuing to climb, the government has moved to address what has been called opaque pricing in the industry.
In November last year, the Fair Trade Commission revised its notice on material items subject to disclosure in labeling and advertising, requiring wedding venues and wedding-planning agencies to disclose details and prices for basic services and each optional item, along with penalties and refund standards for contract cancellations.
After a six-month grace period ended, complaints persisted that some businesses were still not properly disclosing price information, prompting the FTC to begin intensive compliance checks in August. The reviews examine whether the information appears not only on contract cover pages but also on company websites and on the Korea Consumer Agency's Chamgagyeok portal.
Businesses that fail to comply can face fines of up to 100 million won.
