Hello! Welcome to my series of Korean wedding blog posts. In today’s blog post, we will cover everything Korean wedding gifts: tradition, gift ideas, and examples of the gifts depending on who is giving to whom.

It seems like there are some demands for information about Korean weddings on the internet, so I researched in Korean to tell the world about it.

My Other Articles About Korean Weddings

• Korean Wedding Attire for Guests | Men & Women Outfits | Spring, Summer
• Korean Wedding Attire for Guests | Men & Women Outfits | Fall, Winter
• Korean Wedding Makeup | Natural Romantic Look
• Korean Wedding Hairstyles

Then let’s look at what Korean weddings are about.

My Experience with Korean Weddings

As a Korean, I have a bit of experience with Korean weddings. I attended weddings, held my wedding in Seoul, and helped coordinate my brother’s wedding.

Also, my parents have been to numerous weddings in Korea, as it is customary to invite many people from the parents and friends of the couple who are getting married. I explained more about it in my previous post about Korean wedding attire for guests.

Therefore, I know a thing or two about Korean weddings 😉

For today’s topic, I wanted to talk about Korean wedding gifts. Giving gifts at a wedding in any culture is a great way to show appreciation for each other. So what are the customs like in Korea when it comes to wedding gifts?

A Bit About Korean Wedding

Korea is a society that emphasizes family unity.

The wedding ceremony in Korea also heavily reflects that part of Korean culture.

Korean wedding also has a rich history within the ruling class, which expanded to common people in the late Joseon Dynasty and continues today.

Therefore, the Korean wedding has somewhat complicated (but rather short) procedures, including the wedding gifts.

Introduction to Korean Wedding Gifts

The wedding gifts exchanged during the wedding ceremonies—from the guests to the couple getting married and vice versa – are quite formal and specific.

So here I am, to give you all the information on Korean wedding gifts that are expected in Korea.

Are you ready? Let’s start!

Korean Wedding Gifts from Who to Who?

There are gifts for these three parties in a Korean wedding:

• From the wedded couple’s family to guests
• From the wedded couple to the parents
• From the guests to the wedded couple

Korean Wedding Gifts for Wedded Couples

As the most important gifts at the wedding, people who are invited to the weddings give gifts to the couples getting married.

The Korean wedding gifts for wedded couples are usually monetary.

However, some close friends or family who know the couple very well and know what the couples need might buy the exact item for them.

Korean Wedding Gifts for Guests 답례품

There is a word in Korean for wedding gifts for guests who didn’t make it to the wedding but still sent gifts to the couples getting married.

As a gift in return, there are certain things to consider when preparing the gifts for the guests. I will share more about it down below.

Korean Wedding Gifts for Parents

There are gifts prepared for the parents of the married couple.

A bride’s family prepares gifts for the groom’s parents, and the groom’s family prepares gifts for the bride’s parents.

The gifts exchanged between the couple’s families can vary quite a lot, from luxury bags and brand watches to a fruit basket.

More details are followed down below!

The Tradition of Korean Wedding Gifts

In the rich tapestry of Korean culture, weddings stand out as vibrant celebrations where the exchange of gifts is one of the central customs.

Nowadays, the monetary gifts from the guests to the wedded couples are the biggest part of the Korean wedding gifts.

But it wasn’t always like that.

In the Josun dynasty in Korea, the gifts exchanged between the bride’s and the groom’s families were the biggest part of the wedding gifts. It’s called Honsu, 혼수.

Honsu: Traditional Gifts Exchanged 혼수

Honsu in a Korean wedding refers to the gifts exchanged between the bride’s and the groom’s families (including between the bride and the groom) right before the wedding as a promise to get married and wish a great new start to the marriage life for the couple.

Typical Honsu includes something like these below.

• Wedding rings exchanged between the bride and the groom
• A bag and jewelry for the bride
• A watch for the groom

However, now Honsu includes more practical items like furniture and electronics for the new home for the couple getting married.

We learned a little bit about the background and history of Korean weddings and wedding gifts.

Then let’s look at more details into the Korean wedding gifts for guests, wedded couples, and the parents of the wedded couples!

Korean Wedding Gifts for Guests

Traditional Korean Wedding Gifts

Traditionally, when a wedding between a couple is officially announced, some families hold a feast with rice cake.

Back in the day, rice cake was a luxurious dish.

You could only eat on special days or holidays like Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving.

For Guests Who Came to the Wedding

1. A Buffet After the Wedding Ceremony

The tradition of holding a feast for the guests at a wedding still exists in modern Korean weddings.

To show gratitude for the guests who joined the wedding, there is always a buffet after the wedding ceremony in Korea.

It is the best wedding gift for the guests to enjoy a delicious buffet with other guests. It is also a great place for the guests to meet their friends they haven’t met in a while.

For Guests Who Couldn’t Make It

For those guests who couldn’t join the wedding buffet but still contributed monetary gifts to the wedded couple, there are some gifts for them.

Sometimes, there were too many guests and some of them might not be able to enjoy the buffet.

Most wedding halls would prepare gifts for this emergency – the halls would have some bottles of wine or a gift set in case too many guests joined the wedding and the buffet.

But for those guests who didn’t come to the wedding at all, the wedded couple would prepare gifts in return for them.

Here are some of the most common Korean wedding gifts in return for gratitude.

Some delicious rice cake is a popular gift at any Korean event!

1. Rice Cake

One of the most popular return gifts for guests is rice cake, as it has traditionally been.

Rice cake has been an icon for Korean desserts and a must-have at Korean feasts and festivals for thousands of years.

Rice cake, still to this day, is a great gift item for many occasions like birthdays, congratulations, and weddings in Korea.

A box of gourmet chocolate or confectioneries can be a great gift for guests.

2. Confectionery Gift Set

Like rice cake, a confectionery gift set is also a popular choice for Korean wedding gifts in return for guests.

Korean traditional desserts or luxury cookies from famous bakeries are a great way to show gratitude!

When you place an order for a confectionery gift set as a gift in return, you can also put a note with a message in the gift box.

A bottle of good wine to show gratitude to your guests.

3. Wine

A bottle or two of wine is a great choice for guests!

This is an easy way for the wedding halls to prepare gifts for the guests who couldn’t join the buffet because it has a much longer shelf-life than rice cake or confectioneries.

This was also a choice at the wedding hall where I had my wedding. 👰🏻🤵🏻

4. Electronic Gift Cards

Everything is digital these days, and so is a gift card!

Some couples send out electronic gift cards to their guests. Sending out electronic gift cards to show gratitude for someone is common in Korea.

Others

Other gifts in return that my family received at a wedding include an umbrella, castella, Korean ginseng health supplements, and a salt & sesame seeds gift set.

Korean Wedding Gifts for Wedded Couple

Traditional Korean Wedding Gifts

From Groom’s Family to Wedded Couple

Traditionally, the groom’s family would get a new home for the soon-to-be-married couple.

Of course, this tradition is old-fashioned and many couples combine their finance to get a home together.

Modern Korean Wedding Gifts from Guests

1. Monetary

The Korean wedding gifts for wedded couples are usually monetary in Korea. The amount can vary significantly, but the minimum is about $50.

When entering a wedding hall, you will be guided to the receptionist.

Then you will give out money in an envelope to the receptionists with your name. The receptionists will then count the money and write the amount and your name on the account book.

The receptionists will give you an entrance to the wedding buffet.

2. Home appliances

If you are very close to the bride or groom and have many mutual friends (e.g. you are in a college friend group with the bride) then you may want to buy some home appliances with your friends.

Usually, you know the bride or the groom very well and they will tell you what they want as a gift.

These include home appliances like a TV, refrigerator, and washing machine.

A huge bouquet is a great gift as a token of gratitude!

Modern Small Korean Wedding Gifts Between Families

At a Korean wedding, gifts are exchanged between the family of the groom and the bride. The gifts can vary quite a lot from family to family, but nowadays some people opt for something smaller

but it is quite common to share gifts between the bride’s family and the groom’s family, as below.

• A fruit basket
• A huge bouquet
• An envelope with some allowance

Korean Wedding Gifts for Parents

Traditional Korean Wedding Gifts

From Groom’s Family to Bride’s Family

It is quite common for the groom’s family to give the bride or the bride’s family luxury bags, jewelry, and some money the couple might need to establish their marriage life.

The groom’s family used to send silk to the bride’s family.

Then the bride’s family would use the silk to make blankets and clothes for the groom’s family and send it back to them!

Korean aristocracy used brass crockery sets and it was one of the wedding gifts a married couple would receive for their new home.

From Bride’s Family to Groom’s Family

Traditionally, the bride’s family would prepare these gift items for the groom’s parents. The meaning of each item is as follows:

• Blanket: Wishing for health and happiness
• Silver Spoon: Wishing for good health and meal
• Korean brass crockery set: Wishing for good luck with formal and well-thought meals

However, it is becoming more and more popular to give these traditional gifts to the groom’s parents.

Modern Korean Wedding Gifts

Interestingly, a box of fruits is a very popular gift item to say thank you in Korea. Many department stores sell luxurious fruit boxes with premium-quality fruits.

Nowadays, these traditions have gotten much simpler. Some families still follow the old traditions, but some gifts to the family or the parents of the couple could be a beautiful bouquet or high-quality fruits.

Summary of Korean Wedding Gifts

I hope this blog post helped you prepare for Korean wedding gifts, whether you are a couple getting married, a guest attending a Korean wedding, or a parent of a couple going to have a Korean wedding soon.

Whether you want to follow a traditional or a modern way, make sure to personalize the gift and have gratitude for the people you are giving it to. 💗

Wish you all the best wedding events!

If you enjoyed this post, check out my other blog posts about Korean weddings.

Korean Wedding Attire for Guests | Korean Wedding Traditions & Tips