Lotte Hotel Wedding Hall Reservations Available Starting the Year After Next
Most Luxury Hotels Fully Booked for the First Half of the Year
Surge in Suppressed Consumer Sentiment and Celebrity Weddings Impact
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, weddings that had been postponed are now possible, and news of celebrities' luxury hotel weddings continues to emerge, bringing renewed attention to luxury weddings. Reservations for luxury hotel weddings at places like Lotte Hotel Seoul, Hotel Shilla, and Walkerhill are so popular that bookings are only available for the second half of next year or even the year after.
According to Lotte Hotel Seoul on the 31st, all banquet halls are fully booked through mid-December next year for peak Saturday times. During the period of social distancing due to COVID-19, small-scale venues such as the 'Athens Garden' were in the spotlight, but recently, reservations for large venues accommodating around 300 guests have increased. This reflects a new wedding trend emerging in the endemic phase of the pandemic. A Lotte Hotel official stated, "While small-scale venues were popular during the period of strengthened social distancing, after the lifting of restrictions, there seems to be a renewed preference for large venues."
Hotel Shilla has also fully booked wedding reservations through the first half of next year. This venue recently gained attention for hosting the wedding of former national figure skating representative Kim Yuna. The Dynasty Hall and the Royal Banquet Hall at Hotel Shilla, which can accommodate 300 to 400 guests, have benefited from the lifting of social distancing measures.
The 'Aston House' at Grand Walkerhill Seoul, where actors Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin were married in March this year, is only accepting new reservations from June next year onward. Aston House is a venue suitable for small luxury weddings with 150 to 250 guests. It has steadily gained popularity since early this year when COVID-19 restrictions were still in place, and its popularity surged further following the celebrity wedding. A Walkerhill official said, "There tends to be an increase in inquiries after celebrity weddings."
The Westin Chosun Seoul is currently accepting wedding reservations starting from the second half of next year, with only limited dates available in the first half. Weddings at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, which attracts a continuous stream of large wedding clients, are fully booked for this year except for July and August.
For luxury hotel weddings, the basic cost for venue reservation alone runs into tens of millions of won, and most of the subsequent expenses are determined by the cost of floral decorations. An industry insider revealed, "The cost of flowers varies greatly, making it difficult to set an average wedding cost. In many cases, the flower expenses can be equivalent to the price of a luxury foreign car." Despite the high inflation era, the increasing demand for luxury weddings appears to be a way to relieve the pent-up consumer sentiment suppressed during the COVID-19 period. Additionally, the continuous media exposure of celebrity luxury hotel weddings has further fueled the 'luxury wedding craze.'
An industry official predicted, "Once a celebrity wedding takes place, inquiries explode for everything from fresh flower decorations, wedding dresses, and bouquets to return gifts. Considering the wedding demand that has been restrained due to COVID-19, the popularity of luxury hotel weddings is expected to continue for the time being."
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