Soul Zhang Lu’s Survey Explores the New Face of Weddings in China
Marriages are about love, romance, companionship and all things mushy, but more often than not weddings are also about traditions. Of course every generation has tried to infuse their own colors into the medley of wedding traditions. So, Gen Z is no different. But just how far are they willing to change things? The CEO of Soul, Zhang Lu, has the answer to that one.
Recently, the hugely popular Chinese social networking app Soul conducted a survey to understand how today’s young adults approach marriage. The findings of the survey were released as Soul App’s 2025 Gen Z Wedding Attitude Insight Report.
As is the case with all other facets of life, Zoomers want to add a healthy dose of pragmatism to age-old traditions and pepper the mix with just enough creativity to whip up their own unique weddings. And what works in their favor is their ability to balance modern minimalism with meaningful traditions.
Yes, Gen Z has its heart set on breaking away from unnecessary formalities and excesses. Yet, they are unwilling to completely discard customs that hold cultural significance. Instead, these youngsters are redefining them to fit their perspectives.
For instance, 40% of the surveyed youngsters want to keep 3 things out of their weddings: Excessive dowries, outdated door-blocking customs, and overly sentimental moments. This in no way means that they are willing to shun all traditional elements.
Over 68% of those born after 2000 were found to be in favor of integrating cultural components such as Hanfu in wedding ceremonies and even incorporating classic paper-cut decorations. In other words, when it comes to rituals, Gen Z is keen on evolving instead of blindly following customs.
Soul Zhang Lu’s survey also found that most youngsters were turning their backs on weddings that are ostentatious displays of wealth. Instead, Gen Z is opting for ceremonies that are about emotions and not money. So, wedding budgets sure have been curtailed.
For instance, nearly 50% of the respondents stated that they are aiming for a wedding budget between 50,000 and 100,000 yuan. But 17% took this sense of frugality further by saying that they do not want to spend more than 50,000 yuan on their big day.
This indicates that youngsters are pursuing emotional value over all else. Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers also observed that youngsters all over China are keen on smaller, intimate gatherings that are meaningful over gargantuan events that often feel impersonal.
Also, instead of following a set format, the people who responded to Soul Zhang Lu’s survey clarified that they intend to approach wedding planning with a strategic mindset, much like curating a personal brand.
In keeping with this idea, nearly 80% of those surveyed admitted that they had already envisioned their big day. So, when they are finally willing to take the plunge, the entire ceremony feels like a planned event, with a product manager overseeing the launch. Above all, planning the whole thing in advance helps youngsters ensure that the details align with their personal style.
Of course, social media has a large part to play in all this. After all, Gen Z is the first truly 100% digital generation. So, when it comes to inspiration for their special day, nearly 80% of those who answered Soul Zhang Lu’s survey confessed to relying on online platforms. Women were more forthcoming when it came to admitting that social media had a notable influence on their wedding plans.
While Zoomers don’t want outlandish displays of wealth to overshadow the ceremony, they are certainly not averse to the idea of having a meticulously curated event that stands for both aesthetic appeal and social engagement.
So, many Gen Z’ers go the extra mile to make their wedding moments “Instagrammable”. This works out in two ways. First, it ensures that their special day is memorable for guests; second, it allows them to share their special occasion with a wider audience.
Another unique trend that Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers noted was that of pet inclusion in wedding ceremonies. Yes, young Chinese want their fur babies to be a part of their big day, and why not? For these youngsters, pets are family, and weddings are all about forging new ties to build new families. So, it’s understandable why these youngsters want their four-legged friends to join in the revelries.
In terms of how short or long the guest list ought to be, nearly 30% of the respondents of Soul Zhang Lu’s survey said that they wanted to limit the number of guests to about 50. Around 5% wanted to shrink this further to just 10 attendees. Instead of spending their money on entertaining guests, youngsters said that they would rather splurge on experiences such as destination weddings.
These answers received by Soul Zhang Lu’s team paint a clear image of a generation that wants to do things their way. If that means they have to let go of some old world traditions, they are only too happy to do so.
Clearly, for youngsters in China, weddings are about creativity and a celebration of love. Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers observed that while Gen Z is being sensible about how much they want to spend, they do want to amplify their wedding experience with the help of social media. So, even if they plan an intimate affair, they want to share the special occasion with all and sundry through social networking channels.
