웨딩은 한국, 웨딩한류

기록으로 남기기 위해 찍던 결혼사진이었을 뿐인데 애틋함, 그리움, 고급스러움, 우아함 등의 

느낌을 자아낼 수 있도록 예술 감각을 더해 웨딩사진으로 찍기를 제일 처음 시작한 사람은 누구일까? 

그렇게 기록을 넘어 추억을 만드는 웨딩사진을 웨딩산업으로 승화시킨 사람은 어디 누구였을까? 

알 수 없지만 정확한 것은 대한민국이 시작은 아니었다는 것이다. 

그리고 현재 단언컨대 웨딩산업의 중심에는 한국이 있다.  

   

중국, 대만 등 아시아 여러 나라에서 한국으로 웨딩을 하러 많이 들어오고 만족도도 상당히 높다. 

한참을 그렇게 한국으로 웨딩투어를 오던 중국은 최근 몇 년간 웨딩산업이 발전되었고 

중국 예비부부들의 웨딩투어는 줄어든 것이 맞긴 하지만 아직도 한국에서의 웨딩을 체험하러 오는 여행객들이 많다. 

몇 년간 이어진 k-pop, 드라마 등의 한류가 붐업이 되자 한류 연예인들의 결혼식 등 

웨딩 이미지 등이 세계적으로 크게 소비되고 그리하여 한국으로 웨딩사진을 찍으러 웨딩드레스를 고르러 

많이들 왔고 웨딩드레스를 수출도 많이 해왔다. 세계적 스타인 송혜교 송준기 소위 송송 커플의 결혼식으로 

인해 한국의 웨딩에 대한 관심과 검색 빈도가 달아오를 것임이 자명한 그런 수순이라고 생각하면 되겠다.   

   

‘여행 가이드인데요, 중국에서 이번에 결혼을 하시는 분들이 한국에서 웨딩촬영을 하고 싶어 합니다. 

3박 4일 여행 일정인데 가능할까요?’   

  

몇 년 이상의 경력을 갖고 있는 웨딩플래너들이라면 위와 같은 의뢰를 많이 받아왔을 것이다. 

나 또한 중국 커플, 대만 커플, 일본 커플 그리고 한쪽은 한국 사람인 국제결혼들도 많이 진행해왔다. 

신부가 외국 사람이어도 웨딩은 한국이라는 생각에 한국에서 웨딩을 진행하려고 하는 사람들이 많다.      

전 세계적인 불황, 그리고 결혼(을 하는) 인구 자체의 감소 등으로 다른 분야와 마찬가지로 

웨딩업계도 불황이 이어지고 있다. 한 5,6년 전까지도 웨딩은 경기를 타지 않는다는 얘기들을 많이 했다. 

불경기여도 결혼은 할 사람은 다 하니까, 경기가 나쁘다고 결혼을 미루지는 않으니까. 

그러나 2018년 현재 웨딩업계는 많이 움츠려 있는 것이 사실이다.

표면적으로 봤을 때 결혼하는 젊은 사람들이 많이 줄었기 때문에 웨딩을 소비하는 인구 자체가 크게 줄었다.     

하지만 어떤가? 봄가을 주말마다 청첩장은 쌓일 정도여서 주머니가 휘청하지 않나? 

도저히 안 갈 수 없는 결혼식이 하루에 몰려서 두 곳씩 방문하는 주말에 대한 불만도 적지 않다. 

그리고 2,30대 결혼 적령기 청춘남녀의 결혼 인구를 조사하는 발표는 왕왕 매체에 보이는데 

나는 작년 또 올해 40대 초혼 신랑 신부의 결혼을 여러 건 진행했다. 

그러니 단순히 웨딩산업의 침체기라 말하기는 애매한 것이다.  

    

현재 웨딩산업은 커다란 변화의 길목에 있다. 

누구나 남들 하는 대로 따라서 웨딩을 하는 것이 아니므로 당연히 더 전문적인 인력이 살아남는 시기인 것이다. 다시 말해 웨딩업계의 종사자들의 업무가 기존에 비해 훨씬 전문성과 다양성을 필요로 하는 

시대적 요구를 받아들이고 있는 중이라고 할 수 있다. 

그래서 스튜디오에서 찍는 웨딩촬영뿐 아니라, 허니문 지역에서 촬영하는 허니문 스냅, 

제주도 스냅, 데이트 스냅, 동영상으로 대체 등 다양해지고 세미웨딩드레스 분야가 활성화되고 있는데 

대여가 아닌 웨딩드레스의 구매시장도 커지고 있는 것이다.    

  

웨딩에 있어서 한국은 확실히 아시아 전역 그 어디보다도 앞서 나가고 있는 것이 분명하다. 

여러 나라에서 헤어, 메이크업을 배우러 한국에 들어오고 예식장 인테리어 등에 대해 벤치마킹하고 있다. 

한국은 이제 단순히 화려한 웨딩드레스, 고급스럽고 웅장한 웨딩사진 외에 

결혼을 하는 나이도, 니드도, 결혼식의 형태도 다양해진 소비자들의 개성을 맞춰 줄 수 있는 

새롭게 만드는 웨딩문화의 크리에이터, 트렌드 세터가 될 것이다. 

하여 베트남, 미얀마, 캄보디아 등 영향을 받을 준비가 되어 있는 곳들과 함께 

아시아 전역의 한 걸음 앞서 나가는 웨딩문화를 이끌 것이다.      

언젠가 베트남 호찌민 같은 곳에서 코리아 표 웨딩을 특색으로 웨딩 살롱을 운영하면 어떨까 

이런 생각을 해보곤 한다. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                한국에서 경력을 잘 쌓아나간다면 절대 불가능한 일이 아닐 거라고 생각한다.