Marriage in the Netherlands

You have decided to tie the knot with your loved one in the Netherlands. But how do you get married as an expat in the Netherlands? Here is everything you need to know, from the bureaucratic hurdles you have to overcome, to how the actual wedding ceremony will go!

Hire a wedding planner

Planning a wedding is stressful enough, let alone when you're an expat in a new country. What reception venue will be available? What food will you serve? Will you have a live band or a DJ? Luckily, you don't need to do everything yourself. Make sure things go smoothly and enlist the help of a wedding planner for internationals, such as:

• My Forever Weddings
• Eastwood Events

Find a wedding outfit

Looking for the perfect dress for your wedding? Check out these recommended shops and boutiques:

• ELIRA by Selsela Weddingwear

Getting married in the Netherlands

Before you get into the details, you should find out whether or not you fulfil the requirements for getting married in the Netherlands. To enter into a marriage, you (and your partner) must fulfil the following requirements: 

• You are registered in the local municipality.
• You are not already married or part of a registered partnership.
• You are over the age of 18.
• You do not want to marry a blood relative.

If you fulfil these criteria, you can proceed with getting married in the Netherlands. 

Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, it has been possible for two men or two women to marry since 2001. As such, any couples of the same sex or gender identity can cement their union by any of the options available to heterosexual couples in the Netherlands, including marriage, registered partnerships, and cohabitation agreements. 

As of 2014, it has been illegal for marriage officiants in the Netherlands to refuse their services to same-sex couples.

Marriage notice (Ondertrouw)

The first thing you need to do is to give notice of your intention to marry (ondertrouw), at least two weeks before the ceremony itself. You can do this at your local municipality office, so long as you or your partner is officially registered at that office.

Note that once you have received this notice you have to have your marriage within 12 months, otherwise the notice becomes invalid and you will have to apply again.

There may be other documents required in this procedure, such as your birth certificate and proof that you have divorced from any previous marriages or partnerships.

Marriage ceremony

The ceremony must be performed by a registered and qualified member of the municipality. You will meet with this person some days before the ceremony.

In the Netherlands, you can choose to have your ceremony at a building specifically arranged for the purpose by the municipality, or have your ceremony at a location chosen by you and your partner, though this will cost extra.

It is also possible to have a simplified ceremony for much cheaper, and there are certain times when it is possible to have your ceremony for free. However, these events usually only last a few minutes, have no music and only a small number of guests can be invited. For more information, you should visit the website of your local municipality.

Registering a marriage not held in the Netherlands

If you are arriving to the Netherlands already married to your partner, you are obliged to register the marriage with your local municipality. In order to do this, you will need to present a legalised or authenticated marriage certificate. The exact procedure differs depending on the country in which you were married; check with your municipality if you are not sure.