Get Ready to Attend Korean Wedding - How to dress for a Korean wedding | Korean wedding gift

As Covid restrictions ease up, you might be getting some wedding invitations. You probably are looking at the invitation and wondering, how do I prepare? What am I supposed to wear?  Or maybe you haven’t received an invitation but are curious anyway. Well, let me help you out with that.

 

How to dress for a Korean wedding

For both men and women, keep two words in mind: “simple” and “smart.” For men, you will most likely be wearing a suit. Whether or not to wear a tie is up to you. What if I don’t have a suit? Well, no need to panic because these days the dress code is becoming more casual. You can simply wear a dress shirt and trousers. For women, you can wear a solid-colored dress or a blouse paired with a blazer or coat. Basically, anything that doesn’t really stand out.

 

What not to wear Korean wedding.

While it is important to know what to wear, it is more important to know what not to wear so that you won’t be stared at the whole day.

You should not wear shorts, slippers, or any attire that stands out too much.

Also, for women, you should be careful not to wear white or red because we want the bride to be the center of this wonderful ceremony.

I hope you have a clear idea of what to wear but have you heard that at Korean weddings you are expected to give a gift? Well, I said gift, but what I really meant is money. In Korea, we always give money to the happy couple. When you get to the venue, you should see two tables at the entrance of the main hall, one table each for the bride and groom’s side respectively. The table you approach depends on who the invitation you received came from. Now that we have all of that cleared up. You might be wondering, how much do I give?

 

Korean wedding gift

The standard has gone up from previous years due to inflation. Now, let’s talk about numbers.

There are 3 standard amounts that people often give.

30,000 Won (about $24)

This is the amount you give if:

• You are a student without a source of income. This amount is simply given as a token of gratitude. 

50,000 Won (about $40)

This is the amount you give if:

• You do not know the person well but you are invited anyway. (maybe a person that you know from work)

• You do keep in touch from time to time but are not really close to the person

100,000 Won (about $80)

This is the amount you give if:

• You know each other well at work

• The person who invited you is a person that you have to please such as your boss or someone that you meet often 

• You are a close friend or family member

If you might wonder, why do I have to give out this much? Well, the reason is that the food or buffet that is served after the ceremony is quite pricey. The cost can start anywhere from 30,000 Won and can go up to 70,000 Won depending on where the ceremony is held. So, you are basically paying for the meal.