Korean Wedding Etiquette for Guests: Gift Money, Dress, and Pyebaek

Guests at a Korean wedding hand gift money in an envelope at a reception desk, sign a guest book, and receive a meal ticket; the usual amounts are 30,000, 50,000, or 100,000 won, and white clothing is avoided. These points come from Korea.net, the government's official portal, in its "While in Korea" series for foreign residents. Its K-Matrimony series and the National Folk Museum of Korea explain where the customs come from.

1. Before you go: what to wear

Korea.net's first rule is simple: don't wear a white dress. The bride should be the one who stands out on her day.

2. Arriving early for photos

Korea.net notes that friends of the bride usually arrive early to take photos with her in the bride's waiting room. If you want a picture with the bride, it suggests getting to the wedding hall about 30 minutes before the ceremony. Selfies are welcome, and Korea.net adds that couples are happy to receive photos and videos guests take, including of the wedding march.

3. The gift-money desk

The biggest difference from many Western weddings is the gift. Korea.net explains how it works:

1. Near the entrance you will see a reception desk with two sides: one for the groom and one for the bride.
2. Go to the side of the person you know, and hand over your gift money in an envelope.
3. Write your name in the guest book.
4. You receive a meal ticket for the wedding hall's restaurant.

Korea.net adds that giving money is not mandatory; close friends sometimes give a gift instead.

3.1. How much?

Korea.net says gift amounts customarily begin with an odd number or end in zero, with examples of 30,000, 50,000, or 100,000 won. Its K-Matrimony series adds that today guests decide the amount based on the cost of the meal and how close they are to the couple.

This cash custom is fairly recent in its current form. Korea.net notes that in the 1970s and 80s, practical gifts such as electric rice cookers and savings account ledgers were popular, and that culture has since shifted completely to cash.

4. What the ceremony looks like

Korea.net's K-Matrimony series describes many of today's ceremonies as Western-style weddings held in wedding halls, and points out two customs that make them distinctly Korean:

• The mothers' entrance. The two mothers walk in hand in hand and light candles, which signals the start of the ceremony.
• The mothers' hanbok colors. Following the idea of yin-yang harmony, the groom's mother wears hanbok in shades of blue (blue, navy, mint) and the bride's mother wears shades of red (pink, red, coral). Korea.net calls this tradition firmly entrenched even at modern wedding halls.

5. Pyebaek: the family bow

After the main ceremony, some couples change into hanbok for pyebaek (폐백). Korea.net describes it as a ritual in which the newlyweds formally pay their respects to parents and relatives, affirming the bond between both families.

During pyebaek, parents throw jujubes and chestnuts onto the bride's skirt; Korea.net explains these symbolize children. It also notes that pyebaek is now optional, depending on the couple's values.

The National Folk Museum of Korea traces pyebaek back to the late Joseon period. In its description, the wedding was held at the bride's home, and then, the same day or three days later, the groom returned home, where pyebaek took place: the bride's formal greeting to her parents-in-law with a deep bow and gifts. The museum adds that while venues and clothing have changed, the basic structure and meaning of the wedding have not changed much.

6. How weddings have changed

Korea.net's K-Matrimony series sketches the history:

• Traditional weddings were community festivals involving the whole village and extended family.
• In the 1970s and 80s, companies hosted in-house group weddings as an employee benefit, with dozens of couples marrying at once in venues such as gymnasiums.
• Today, weddings are shaped by the couple's own taste, often booked as a "studio, dress, makeup" package, and popular halls can be reserved a year in advance.

7. A quick guest checklist

• No white dress.
• Cash in an envelope, in an amount such as 30,000, 50,000, or 100,000 won.
• Go to the groom's or bride's side of the desk depending on who invited you.
• Sign the guest book and keep your meal ticket.
• Arrive about 30 minutes early if you want a photo with the bride.

8. Key takeaways

• Don't wear white; the bride should stand out.
• Give gift money at the groom's or bride's side of the desk, sign the guest book, and collect a meal ticket.
• Korea.net says amounts usually start with an odd number or end in zero, such as 30,000 or 50,000 won.
• The groom's mother wears blue-toned hanbok and the bride's mother red-toned hanbok.
• Pyebaek, the couple's formal bow to their families, is now optional.