South Korean municipalities expand support for small weddings

Local governments in South Korea are expanding initiatives to promote small wedding cultures and reduce the financial burden on newlyweds.

Gyeongsangbuk-do is providing up to 3 million won in support for weddings with fewer than 100 guests held in non-private venues. A recent recipient of this program was a Korean-Japanese couple who held a traditional wedding in Geumdangsil Village in Yecheon.

In Ulsan, the ‘U:ON Wedding’ project offers public facilities as ceremony spaces and provides services including wedding attire, hair, and makeup for small-scale ceremonies. Meanwhile, Dalseo-gu in Daegu is implementing a rental program that provides free wedding equipment—such as chairs, wedding arches, and sound systems—for couples using public wedding spaces like Wolgwang Waterfront Park.

These programs aim to foster diverse marriage cultures and support young couples by easing the economic pressures associated with traditional, large-scale wedding ceremonies.