Wedding plans ruined as events limited to under 50 people
- 4 years ago
50인 이상 결혼식 금지에 예비부부와 예식장 울상... 해결책은 어디에?
The recent raising of social distancing measures to level two on the three-tier system means indoor gatherings of 50 or more people are forbidden with limits placed on events such as weddings here in Korea.
Heartbroken couples and struggling wedding halls have been left fighting over who should foot the bill for all the cancelled ceremonies.
Kim Yeon-seung has the story.
31-year-old Lee Kyong-yong has a wedding scheduled for this month.
It was meant to be the happiest day of his life.
But with COVID-19 prevention measures limiting wedding guests to under 50 people... just a week before the ceremony, all of his plans are in tatters.
"A wedding should be surrounded by many blessings. My bride-to-be is also heartbroken that the ceremony has to be held with less than 50 people."
He had to slash three-quarters of his guests from the list, but the wedding venue told him that he still has to pay for the meals of 150 guests.
As a result, he stands to lose 4-thousand-2-hundred U.S. dollars.
From August 14th to 21st, consumers reported 8-hundred-38 cases of unfair treatment from wedding venues.
Many of their stories are similar to Lee's.
Wedding halls are refusing refunds or demanding cancellation fees.
But it's hard to pin the blame on the wedding halls.
They're also struggling to keep their businesses afloat with couples cancelling left and right.
In this deadlock between consumers and businesses, some organizations are trying to mediate the issue.
Gyeonggi-do Province consumer center is one of them.
"First we receive complaints through the consumer center. And then Gyeonggi-do Province consumer center proactively steps in to reach an agreement."
The Central Association of Weddings also came up with ways to help consumers.
They are advising their members to reduce cancellation fees and allow weddings to be postponed.
Seoul city has also set up a counseling center to resolve conflicts between couples and wedding halls.
But despite these efforts, many couples are still unable to find a solution after having to cancel their big day.
Kim Yeon-seung, Arirang news
The recent raising of social distancing measures to level two on the three-tier system means indoor gatherings of 50 or more people are forbidden with limits placed on events such as weddings here in Korea.
Heartbroken couples and struggling wedding halls have been left fighting over who should foot the bill for all the cancelled ceremonies.
Kim Yeon-seung has the story.
31-year-old Lee Kyong-yong has a wedding scheduled for this month.
It was meant to be the happiest day of his life.
But with COVID-19 prevention measures limiting wedding guests to under 50 people... just a week before the ceremony, all of his plans are in tatters.
"A wedding should be surrounded by many blessings. My bride-to-be is also heartbroken that the ceremony has to be held with less than 50 people."
He had to slash three-quarters of his guests from the list, but the wedding venue told him that he still has to pay for the meals of 150 guests.
As a result, he stands to lose 4-thousand-2-hundred U.S. dollars.
From August 14th to 21st, consumers reported 8-hundred-38 cases of unfair treatment from wedding venues.
Many of their stories are similar to Lee's.
Wedding halls are refusing refunds or demanding cancellation fees.
But it's hard to pin the blame on the wedding halls.
They're also struggling to keep their businesses afloat with couples cancelling left and right.
In this deadlock between consumers and businesses, some organizations are trying to mediate the issue.
Gyeonggi-do Province consumer center is one of them.
"First we receive complaints through the consumer center. And then Gyeonggi-do Province consumer center proactively steps in to reach an agreement."
The Central Association of Weddings also came up with ways to help consumers.
They are advising their members to reduce cancellation fees and allow weddings to be postponed.
Seoul city has also set up a counseling center to resolve conflicts between couples and wedding halls.
But despite these efforts, many couples are still unable to find a solution after having to cancel their big day.
Kim Yeon-seung, Arirang news