A couple looks at wedding dresses on display during a wedding fair at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on July 6, 2025.NEWS1
Korea's wedding market is booming as a rise in marriages and growing spending power among newlyweds fuel competition among department stores and fashion brands eager to cash in on demand.
The country's three major department store chains are stepping up efforts to attract soon-to-be-married couples by easing membership requirements and extending the periods during which wedding-related benefits are available.
Lotte Department Store has revamped its wedding membership program that gives gift certificates based on the amount newlyweds spend. It scrapped its previous requirements such as purchasing from at least five brands and visiting stores on at least five separate days. Customers can now qualify for benefits simply by meeting a cumulative spending threshold.
The change reflects the shopping habits of a growing number of dual income couples who prefer to purchase wedding essentials, including household appliances, furniture and jewelry, in a single weekend shopping trip.
Shinsegae Department Store, which revived its wedding membership program after nine years, set an extensive eligibility period for benefits. The move targets newlyweds who continue spending on home furnishings and appliances after their wedding ceremonies.
Hyundai Department Store has doubled the number of wedding fairs it holds annually from two to four. It has also expanded its benefits beyond purchases of wedding essentials to cover the entire wedding preparation process, including venue bookings, wedding photography, dresses, makeup and honeymoons.
The competition comes as marriages in Korea continues to rise.
The number of marriages increased from 191,690 in 2022 to 240,326 last year, according to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Sunday. A total of 146,656 marriages were registered between January and July this year, the highest figure for the period in eight years.
Newlyweds having greater purchasing power has also pushed the move. The average annual income of couples in their first marriage reached 76.29 million won ($57,100) in 2024, up 5 percent from the previous year. The figure represents a 32.4 percent increase from 55.45 million won in 2019.
A wedding promotion at electronics retailer Lotte Hi-MartLOTTE HI-MART
Retail industry officials say demand for premium wedding household purchases remains strong, particularly among high-income dual-earner couples.
“Couples preparing for marriage are valuable customers with significant long-term potential, as their spending can extend from wedding purchases to baby products after childbirth and everyday household goods,” a department store industry source said. “We will further strengthen our wedding membership benefits to attract these customers.”
Other retailers are also racing to capitalize on growing wedding demand, with the fashion industry undergoing a particularly noticeable shift.
While wedding preparations traditionally focused on brides, retailers are increasingly turning their attention to grooms. In the past, grooms typically purchased a single tuxedo or suit for their wedding. Now, more are seeking different outfits for studio photo shoots, casual wedding photography, ceremonies and receptions.
Sales of made-to-measure (MTM) suits at Maestro, a menswear brand operated by LF, rose 15 percent year on year in August and September. The service allows customers to customize fabrics, linings, buttons and silhouettes to suit their body types and preferences.
In June, Maestro expanded its MTM service to include shirts and increased the range of formalwear available through its complimentary rental service for suit buyers from three types to seven.
“More than 80 percent of our MTM customers are grooms preparing for their weddings,” a Maestro representative said. “Most want to wear their suits for their weddings and continue wearing them in everyday life afterward, so they tend to buy multiple suits and choose subtle designs.”
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.
