[Luxury World] 100 Million Won for Flower Decorations? 'Eok-sori' Hotel Weddings Sold Out Until Next Spring

Wedding Costs at 5-Star Hotels Easily Exceed 100 Million KRW
Meal Prices Up to 300,000 KRW, Flower Costs Charged as Quoted
Inviting 300 Guests Costs at Least 120 Million KRW

The queen's wedding was magnificent. Hundreds of flowers embroidered along the virgin road and the green leaves installed throughout the wedding hall made the figure queen's pure white dress stand out even more. This is why the wedding of former figure skater Kim Yuna, held at the Shilla Hotel Dynasty Hall in Seoul in October 2022, is talked about every wedding season.

The Shilla Hotel is where famous celebrities and chaebols have held their weddings, including former athlete Kim Yuna, the couple Jang Dong-gun and Go So-young, Yoo Jae-suk and Na Kyung-eun, and former Doosan Magazine CEO Park Seo-won. Many brides-to-be consider it a "dream wedding venue."

Photo by Kim Yuna Instagram

According to the hotel industry on the 28th, when preparing a wedding at a major 5-star hotel in downtown Seoul, the expected cost for 300 guests is at least 80 to 90 million KRW. If fresh flowers and meal menus (such as banquet noodles) are added, the price becomes unlimited. More than 80% of the wedding cost is spent on flower and meal expenses. In particular, the flower estimate is based on the minimum price. Depending on the flower decorations, wedding costs can reach several hundred million KRW.

In the case of the Shilla Hotel, the bride and groom can use flowers as they wish, making it one of the places where the maximum flower cost cannot be measured. The representative wedding halls are the 'Dynasty Hall' and the outdoor 'Yeongbingwan.' The Dynasty Hall is Shilla Hotel's large banquet hall (maximum 700 people). Former athlete Kim Yuna's wedding here increased its recognition. Yeongbingwan accommodates fewer people (200-300) than the Dynasty Hall but has the advantage of outdoor weddings.

The Shilla Hotel charges 22 million KRW (including tax) for the venue rental. Meal prices range from 160,000 to 300,000 KRW. Flower costs vary depending on the consumer's preferences, contents, and quantity, with a minimum expected cost of 40 million KRW. Simply estimated, if 300 guests are invited with a meal cost of 200,000 KRW, the total is about 120 million KRW. Venue rental discounts of 30-70% are applied seasonally.

For Yeongbingwan, since flowers are considered the core of the atmosphere in outdoor weddings, adding fresh flowers is an essential option. The Dynasty Hall, with more empty space, pays more attention to flower decorations than Yeongbingwan. If additional flowers are installed along the virgin road (the path the bride walks), trees, inside the hall, bride's waiting room, and lobby, flower costs alone can reach 100 million KRW. On top of this, drinks such as wine and champagne, stage production, and reception costs must be added.

Among hotel wedding halls located in central Seoul, the one with the lowest price entry barrier is Lotte Hotel Seoul. Meal prices at Lotte Hotel Seoul range from 165,000 to 300,000 KRW. Flower estimates start from the mid-10 million KRW range. However, if the bride's waiting room is changed to the 'Athena Garden' and additional flowers are added, the price can increase further.

The Westin Chosun Seoul, located near Lotte Hotel Seoul, has a minimum meal cost of 160,000 KRW. Flower costs typically exceed 20 million KRW. The hotel's signature decorations, such as 'Aurora' or chandeliers, increase the price further if added.

The Grand Intercontinental Parnas Hotel, located in the Gangnam area with a hall that can accommodate up to 900 people, charges a venue rental fee of 8.8 million KRW, with an average meal cost per person of 200,000 KRW, up to 300,000 KRW. The basic flower price is 22 million KRW, but on average, an additional 20 million KRW is spent on extra flowers.

Until a few years ago, weddings costing over 100 million KRW were rare. However, recently, just adding a few options easily exceeds 100 million KRW. After COVID-19, prices for food ingredients, labor, and gas have risen significantly, and hotels have slightly increased prices as they renovated their halls. Additionally, some hotels have moved items that were previously included as standard in general wedding halls to optional items, causing a large gap between estimated and final costs in some places.

Conversely, some hotels have raised their starting prices by including flower and tree installation options as standard. A wedding industry insider said, "Many people are curious about hotel wedding prices, but it varies depending on how many flowers and options are added, so it cannot be specified. Since many visit hotel wedding halls for flower displays, adding flowers should be considered natural."

Major 5-star hotel wedding halls in Seoul have mostly completed reservations for next year's peak season. The wedding industry classifies peak and off-peak seasons based on weather. Off-peak seasons are January, February, July, and August, while the rest are peak seasons. The months with the highest demand and fastest bookings are considered the high peak season, which are April and May when the weather warms, and September and October when cool breezes blow. A hotel industry official explained, "Since COVID-19, interest in 5-star hotel weddings has increased, and most hotels maintain a reservation rate of over 80%. As demand for hotel weddings surges, the distinction between peak and off-peak seasons is gradually disappearing."

In fact, at the Westin Chosun Seoul, weekend slots in July and August, when weddings decrease due to heatwaves, are fully booked. Winter weddings in January and February next year are also fully booked on weekends. Wedding hall reservations typically start one year in advance. Currently, dates from April to June next year are being accepted, and popular weekend time slots are filling up quickly. Lotte Hotel Seoul's reservation rate this year is about 80%. For weddings in March and April next year, except for small halls, high-demand time slots are fully booked. The Intercontinental Seoul Parnas Hotel has completed reservations for September and October this year and March and May next year. Reservation rates for January and February next year are 50%, and June is about 30%. However, considering that inquiries increase toward the second half of the year, it is expected that all dates will be available for booking by the end of the year.