Wed& Insider Newsletter #10
What's happening in weddings around the world | Issue #10 | 23 November 2025
This Fortnight’s Focus: Client expectations for transparency, technology, and sustainability are changing how Asian vendors offer their services and set prices.
TRENDS THIS FORTNIGHT
South Korea Demands Upfront Pricing: Government Action
What’s happening: A recent Korea Herald article highlights South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission now requiring wedding vendors to disclose full pricing before contracts, starting 12 November. This law targets the tricky “sudeme” package system (likely including photography, dress, makeup), where couples often found surprise fees for extras like photo edits or early appointments that weren’t mentioned at the start.
Why it matters: When governments step in to make wedding pricing clearer, couples everywhere start to expect more transparency. More Asian couples now demand that all vendors provide complete, upfront prices.
Singapore Planners See Shift to Coordination Services: Impact of AI
What’s happening: The Straits Times reports that 50–70% of Singapore wedding clients now want coordination-only help, up from 30% five years ago before ChatGPT. Couples are using AI tools to plan their wedding and just need help executing, not full-scale planning.
Why it matters: Across the region, AI tools let couples plan on their own, so planners and vendors must focus on services like day-of coordination and vendor management, not just traditional, comprehensive planning.
Indian Couple Uses Handkerchief Invitations: Eco-Friendly Trend
What’s happening: According to ETV Bharat, a couple from Kota, Rajasthan, printed wedding invitations on cloth handkerchiefs, costing ₹30 each; about the same as standard cards. The handkerchiefs can be washed and reused, so they don’t turn into litter or waste.
Why this is significant: Eco-friendly wedding stationery is moving toward reusable, useful items. Couples will pay similar prices for sustainable options that guests can use again.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
Transparent Pricing = Builds Trust
South Korea’s new rules aim to stop hidden add-on fees for basic wedding packages. Couples now look up reviews and compare transparency before booking, steering clear of vendors who aren’t upfront. Vendors who list all possible add-on fees (like travel, overtime, rush orders, etc.) build trust and stand out from those who just say “starting from.”
The opportunity: Listing all your prices clearly gives you a competitive edge and attracts couples looking for honest vendors after past bad experiences.
Coordination Services Are Newly Valuable
Singapore planners report couples using ChatGPT to answer wedding questions, then hire professionals for coordination and execution. This has created more demand for packages that just cover coordination (like managing vendors and timelines) at a lower price than full planning. Planners should offer special coordination pricing, while photographers, florists, and venues will notice couples arriving with detailed ideas but little experience managing vendors.
The opportunity: Coordination-only packages priced at 60-70% of full planning can win over couples who planned themselves but need expert help pulling it off.
Sustainability = Practical, Not Just Symbolic
The handkerchief invitation shows that sustainability is shifting from “recycled paper” to products that guests can reuse. Couples agree to eco-friendly pricing if it’s practical; just like favours have moved from knick-knacks to things people actually want or eat. Stationery and other vendors (like florists or décor) must now offer sustainability benefits that guests value, not just “eco-friendly materials.”
Ask yourself: Are your sustainable products useful for guests, or do you just rely on the idea that they’re good for the planet?
WHAT TO DO/ASK YOURSELF
Possible Action Steps
Review Your Pricing: Update your quotations to clearly list every possible extra fee (for travel, overtime, revisions, rush, extra products, etc.). Avoid phrases like “additional charges may apply” that send up red flags for couples.
Assess Your AI Strategy: Figure out what couples are already doing with free wedding-planning AI tools (like research, timelines, vendor comparisons) versus what only a professional can handle (vendor relationships, crisis fixes, cultural details). Market your business as expert coordinators, not just information sources.
Strengthen Your Sustainability Pitch: Make sure your eco-friendly offerings deliver real value or convenience to guests (reusables, consumables, or genuine utility), not just an environmental message.
Questions Worth Asking Yourself
About pricing transparency:
Does your quote list every extra fee with exact pricing, or do you use vague phrases?
Can couples easily compare your prices to others, or do you hide breakdowns to avoid objections?
About service model:
Which client questions could AI answer (tradition explanations, timeline templates, vendor research), and which are better handled by you (relationship management, cultural navigation, crisis response)?
Are you targeting couples who want coordination, not just planning from scratch?
About sustainability:
Do your eco-friendly products offer clear benefits to guests, justifying the price?
Can you easily explain why your sustainable products are better for guests, or just say they’re “better for the planet”?
Skills Worth Developing
Comprehensive quotation formatting: Detailed pricing documents that show every fee, building trust with clients.
Coordination service packaging: Standalone coordination packages, clearly outlining what’s included.
Functional sustainability communication: Sustainability messaging that highlights how offerings are genuinely helpful, not just environmentally friendly.
Forward this newsletter to fellow vendors interested in what couples want today.
Want more wedding industry insights? Check out Wed& Main for couple-focused articles and planning guides.