Amid growing social concerns about soaring wedding costs, Incheon Metropolitan City has stepped forward to alleviate the financial burden on soon-to-wed couples and support their happy beginnings. The city announced on the 6th that it will actively promote the ‘i-Plus Matching Dream’ project for young people hesitating to marry in the ‘wedding-flation’ era.
The core of this project is to offer 40 soon-to-wed couples residing in Incheon free rental of 15 public facilities owned by the city as wedding venues, along with financial support of KRW 1 million per couple for wedding expenses. This aims to help soon-to-wed couples prepare for marriage in a more stable environment by providing economic support for wedding hall rental fees and initial costs, which are the biggest burdens in the wedding preparation process.
Applications have been accepted on a first-come, first-served basis since April 28th, and eligibility requires at least one member of the soon-to-wed couple to be an Incheon citizen. This is expected to provide practical benefits to members of the Incheon community and contribute to the revitalization of the local economy.
Furthermore, Incheon City has joined hands with professional wedding service partners to prepare the ‘Incheon-style Standard Wedding Service Price Guide’ to support soon-to-wed couples in preparing for their weddings at reasonable prices. This standard price guide provides transparent and clear price information for essential items that soon-to-wed couples consider, such as dresses, studio photography, and makeup, categorized into practical, basic, and premium options. Through this, soon-to-wed couples can alleviate anxiety about ‘opaque quotes’ or unnecessary additional costs and plan a satisfactory wedding within their budget.
It is noteworthy that Incheon City’s support goes beyond simple wedding cost assistance and includes various incentives that can provide practical help in the daily lives of soon-to-wed couples. Selected couples will receive a 50% discount on weekday fares for the Wolmi Sea Train, a representative tourist attraction of Incheon, as well as discounts on comprehensive health check-ups at Naeun Hospital. This is evaluated as a thoughtful support measure that considers not only wedding preparation but also the health management and dating opportunities of the soon-to-wed couples.
Incheon City views this ‘i-Plus Matching Dream’ project as part of an effective response to the serious social issue of the low birth rate. Recognizing that the financial burden of wedding costs is one of the main reasons why young people hesitate to marry, the city aims to create a social atmosphere where marriage is perceived as a ‘choice’ rather than a ‘hesitation’ by alleviating this burden.
Soon-to-wed couples wishing to participate can easily apply through the QR code provided on the Incheon Metropolitan City website or the Gyeyang-gu Family Center website. This convenient online application method is expected to increase accessibility for young people and boost participation in the project.
Shi Hyeon-jeong, Director of the Women and Family Bureau of Incheon Metropolitan City, said, “I sincerely hope that this ‘i-Plus Matching Dream’ project will be of practical help to soon-to-wed couples who are hesitant to marry due to financial difficulties.” She added, “We will continue to discover and promote various customized policies so that Incheon citizens can prepare for a satisfactory wedding within their budget.”
Incheon City’s project is evaluated as an example of proactively demonstrating its commitment to spreading a positive perception of marriage and contributing to solving the low birth rate issue, beyond simple economic support. Providing free wedding venues using public facilities and supporting customized wedding services are expected to offer practical benefits to soon-to-wed couples and contribute to the creation of a reasonable wedding culture. It is hoped that these innovative policies of Incheon City will continue to expand and offer hope to many young people who dream of marriage.
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