Getting Married at Amsterdam City Hall: 2026 Guide | Chelfrich Photography
Getting Married at Amsterdam City Hall: The Complete 2026 Guide
Last verified: July 2026, sources linked below. Every fee, deadline, and rule in this guide comes straight from the City of Amsterdam and the Dutch government, with the source linked at the exact sentence that uses it. Where a number could change year to year, I've said so.
I'm Casey, a wedding photographer based in Amsterdam. I live here, which means I've sat through the paperwork myself and I know the building where most of these ceremonies happen. This guide walks you through the whole process: which office handles what, what a ceremony actually costs in 2026, how far ahead to book, and what your day looks like from the moment you walk in to the moment you walk out married. Near the end, I'll add a few things only a photographer would think to warn you about, because some of them will change which ceremony you pick.
Last verified: July 2026, sources linked below. Every fee, deadline, and rule in this guide comes straight from the City of Amsterdam and the Dutch government, with the source linked at the exact sentence that uses it. Where a number could change year to year, I've said so.
I'm Casey, a wedding photographer based in Amsterdam. I live here, which means I've sat through the paperwork myself and I know the building where most of these ceremonies happen. This guide walks you through the whole process: which office handles what, what a ceremony actually costs in 2026, how far ahead to book, and what your day looks like from the moment you walk in to the moment you walk out married. Near the end, I'll add a few things only a photographer would think to warn you about, because some of them will change which ceremony you pick.
Who actually runs your ceremony: the City Office
You'll see "City Office" and "Stadsloket" both come up in every search about this, and it's worth clearing up early: they're the same thing. "City Office" is simply Amsterdam's own English-language name for what's called a Stadsloket in Dutch, not a second building doing a different job. Amsterdam's own site says it plainly: "You do not need to go to the City Office (Stadsloket) in your own district."
There's a City Office in each district (Centre, Nieuw-West, Noord, Oost, West, Zuid, and Zuidoost) plus one in Weesp, and each one handles both the administrative paperwork (registering your intention to marry, registering witnesses) and the ceremony itself, in its own wedding hall, unless you've chosen to hold your ceremony at another approved venue instead. When people say "Amsterdam city hall wedding," it's this wedding hall they mean.
You can also get married in Weesp, which merged into the Amsterdam municipality in 2022 and runs its own version of the same free-ceremony program on a different day of the week (more on that below). If the popular Amsterdam slots are booked out, Weesp is worth checking.
Who actually runs your ceremony: the City Office
You'll see "City Office" and "Stadsloket" both come up in every search about this, and it's worth clearing up early: they're the same thing. "City Office" is simply Amsterdam's own English-language name for what's called a Stadsloket in Dutch, not a second building doing a different job. Amsterdam's own site says it plainly: "You do not need to go to the City Office (Stadsloket) in your own district."
There's a City Office in each district (Centre, Nieuw-West, Noord, Oost, West, Zuid, and Zuidoost) plus one in Weesp, and each one handles both the administrative paperwork (registering your intention to marry, registering witnesses) and the ceremony itself, in its own wedding hall, unless you've chosen to hold your ceremony at another approved venue instead. When people say "Amsterdam city hall wedding," it's this wedding hall they mean.
You can also get married in Weesp, which merged into the Amsterdam municipality in 2022 and runs its own version of the same free-ceremony program on a different day of the week (more on that below). If the popular Amsterdam slots are booked out, Weesp is worth checking.
The four ceremony types and what they cost in 2026
Amsterdam runs four real pricing tiers, and they are not interchangeable. The gap between the cheapest and the most flexible option is bigger than most guides let on, and one of them comes with a rule that will matter a lot if you're planning to hire a photographer.
| Ceremony type | Duration | Fee (2026) | Where it happens | What you get | |---|---|---|---|---| | Free ceremony | Max. 10 minutes | €0 | City Office wedding hall, Tuesdays at 10:30, 10:50, or 11:10 (Weesp: Mondays, same times) | Official part only, no speeches or music. Guest cap by district, and your witnesses and photographer count toward that cap. | | Budget ceremony | Max. 10 minutes | €200.40 | City Office wedding hall only | Official part only, no speech or music, and no photographer allowed | | Standard ceremony, City Office | Max. 45 minutes | €940.50 | City Office wedding hall, weekdays 9am to 5pm | Full ceremony, room for your own touches, own wedding officiant possible | | Standard ceremony, your own venue | Max. 45 minutes | €893.40 (weekday daytime) to €1,157.80 (evenings, nights, and weekends) | Any approved wedding venue in Amsterdam | Same flexibility as above, priced by day and time |
A few things worth spelling out, because they trip people up:
• The free ceremony has a guest cap, and it's tighter than you'd think. It's 20 people in Centre, Noord, Oost, Zuid, and Zuidoost, 12 in West, 11 in Nieuw-West, and 10 in Weesp, and that headcount includes your witnesses and your photographer. If you want a small guest list plus a photographer plus two witnesses, do the math before you plan around this slot.
• The budget ceremony (€200.40) does not allow a photographer at all. If professional photos matter to you, the budget tier isn't the one to book. This isn't written prominently anywhere else I could find, and it's the single most important fact in this table if you're reading this guide because you want your wedding photographed.
• The free and budget slots fill up fast. Amsterdam's own pages note the free Tuesday-morning ceremony is popular and gets booked out well ahead. If you want one and your date is flexible, ask early.
• These are 2026 fees as published by the City of Amsterdam. Municipal fees are typically reviewed annually, so if you're reading this well into 2027, double-check the current figure on the source page before you budget around it.
The four ceremony types and what they cost in 2026
Amsterdam runs four real pricing tiers, and they are not interchangeable. The gap between the cheapest and the most flexible option is bigger than most guides let on, and one of them comes with a rule that will matter a lot if you're planning to hire a photographer.
| Ceremony type | Duration | Fee (2026) | Where it happens | What you get | |---|---|---|---|---| | Free ceremony | Max. 10 minutes | €0 | City Office wedding hall, Tuesdays at 10:30, 10:50, or 11:10 (Weesp: Mondays, same times) | Official part only, no speeches or music. Guest cap by district, and your witnesses and photographer count toward that cap. | | Budget ceremony | Max. 10 minutes | €200.40 | City Office wedding hall only | Official part only, no speech or music, and no photographer allowed | | Standard ceremony, City Office | Max. 45 minutes | €940.50 | City Office wedding hall, weekdays 9am to 5pm | Full ceremony, room for your own touches, own wedding officiant possible | | Standard ceremony, your own venue | Max. 45 minutes | €893.40 (weekday daytime) to €1,157.80 (evenings, nights, and weekends) | Any approved wedding venue in Amsterdam | Same flexibility as above, priced by day and time |
A few things worth spelling out, because they trip people up:
• The free ceremony has a guest cap, and it's tighter than you'd think. It's 20 people in Centre, Noord, Oost, Zuid, and Zuidoost, 12 in West, 11 in Nieuw-West, and 10 in Weesp, and that headcount includes your witnesses and your photographer. If you want a small guest list plus a photographer plus two witnesses, do the math before you plan around this slot.
• The budget ceremony (€200.40) does not allow a photographer at all. If professional photos matter to you, the budget tier isn't the one to book. This isn't written prominently anywhere else I could find, and it's the single most important fact in this table if you're reading this guide because you want your wedding photographed.
• The free and budget slots fill up fast. Amsterdam's own pages note the free Tuesday-morning ceremony is popular and gets booked out well ahead. If you want one and your date is flexible, ask early.
• These are 2026 fees as published by the City of Amsterdam. Municipal fees are typically reviewed annually, so if you're reading this well into 2027, double-check the current figure on the source page before you budget around it.
Can you even get married in Amsterdam? The residency rule, briefly
Before you book anything, there's a gate you need to clear: at least one partner must be a Dutch national or a registered resident of the Netherlands to marry at a Dutch municipality (gemeente); the other partner's nationality doesn't matter, so an expat couple where at least one of you is a registered NL resident can marry here. If both of you live outside the Netherlands, you can still marry in the Netherlands only if at least one of you is a Dutch national, giving notice to the municipality of The Hague at least 8 weeks before the date. If both of you live outside the Netherlands and neither of you is a Dutch national, you cannot marry in the Netherlands; the usual path in that case is a symbolic ceremony here paired with the legal marriage at home. I cover that whole "foreigner" path in detail, with the exact notice timelines and paperwork, in my guide to getting married in the Netherlands as a foreigner. This page assumes you've already cleared that hurdle and just want to know how the Amsterdam-specific process works.
Can you even get married in Amsterdam? The residency rule, briefly
Before you book anything, there's a gate you need to clear: at least one partner must be a Dutch national or a registered resident of the Netherlands to marry at a Dutch municipality (gemeente); the other partner's nationality doesn't matter, so an expat couple where at least one of you is a registered NL resident can marry here. If both of you live outside the Netherlands, you can still marry in the Netherlands only if at least one of you is a Dutch national, giving notice to the municipality of The Hague at least 8 weeks before the date. If both of you live outside the Netherlands and neither of you is a Dutch national, you cannot marry in the Netherlands; the usual path in that case is a symbolic ceremony here paired with the legal marriage at home. I cover that whole "foreigner" path in detail, with the exact notice timelines and paperwork, in my guide to getting married in the Netherlands as a foreigner. This page assumes you've already cleared that hurdle and just want to know how the Amsterdam-specific process works.
The step-by-step process
Here's the order things actually happen in, not a list of loosely related facts.
1. Confirm you're eligible and pick your municipality. Check the residency rule above. If you both live abroad and one of you is a Dutch national, your notice goes to The Hague first, even though your ceremony will still happen in Amsterdam. If neither of you is Dutch or a Netherlands resident, a legal Dutch marriage isn't available to you; the Netherlands foreigner guide covers the symbolic-ceremony-plus-legal-marriage-at-home path most couples in that situation choose instead.
2. Give notice of your intention to marry. This is the Dutch equivalent of a marriage license application, and it's called "ondertrouw." You can give notice up to a year before your wedding date. If at least one of you lives in the Netherlands, the general national minimum notice period is at least two weeks before the wedding. If both of you live outside the Netherlands and one of you is a Dutch national, notice goes through the municipality of The Hague instead of your local municipality. The Dutch government's own pages don't fully agree on the minimum here: one states at least 8 weeks, another states at least 12. Plan for 12 weeks of runway and confirm your exact window with The Hague once you have a date. Your notice is valid for one year; if you don't marry within that year, you have to start over.
Sources: Government.nl, Marriage, civil partnership and cohabitation agreements, NetherlandsWorldwide, I live outside the Netherlands. Can I get married in the Netherlands?, NetherlandsWorldwide, Giving notice of your intention to marry in the Netherlands if you live abroad
3. Choose your ceremony type and put down your date. Use the table above to pick between free, budget, and standard. If you want a specific outside venue for a standard ceremony, that venue needs to be an approved wedding location, and applications for a non-standard venue need to go in at least 4 months before the date, so don't leave this until the last minute if you have your heart set on somewhere outside the City Office. If you'd rather use your own officiant, that person's own application needs at least 3 months' notice too.
4. Confirm your date, time, and location. This has to be finalized with the municipality no later than 6 weeks before your ceremony. If you're marrying at a location in the city and already have your confirmation link from your notice-of-marriage email, you may not need an in-person visit for this step.
5. Register your witnesses. You need at least 2 and no more than 4 witnesses, all 18 or older. They don't have to be Dutch or live in the Netherlands, which is good news if your witnesses are flying in with you. Names need to be registered no later than 2 weeks before the ceremony; miss that deadline and the ceremony can't go ahead. Source: City of Amsterdam, Register your witnesses
6. Show up and get married. More on exactly what this looks like below.
The step-by-step process
Here's the order things actually happen in, not a list of loosely related facts.
1. Confirm you're eligible and pick your municipality. Check the residency rule above. If you both live abroad and one of you is a Dutch national, your notice goes to The Hague first, even though your ceremony will still happen in Amsterdam. If neither of you is Dutch or a Netherlands resident, a legal Dutch marriage isn't available to you; the Netherlands foreigner guide covers the symbolic-ceremony-plus-legal-marriage-at-home path most couples in that situation choose instead.
2. Give notice of your intention to marry. This is the Dutch equivalent of a marriage license application, and it's called "ondertrouw." You can give notice up to a year before your wedding date. If at least one of you lives in the Netherlands, the general national minimum notice period is at least two weeks before the wedding. If both of you live outside the Netherlands and one of you is a Dutch national, notice goes through the municipality of The Hague instead of your local municipality. The Dutch government's own pages don't fully agree on the minimum here: one states at least 8 weeks, another states at least 12. Plan for 12 weeks of runway and confirm your exact window with The Hague once you have a date. Your notice is valid for one year; if you don't marry within that year, you have to start over.
3. Choose your ceremony type and put down your date. Use the table above to pick between free, budget, and standard. If you want a specific outside venue for a standard ceremony, that venue needs to be an approved wedding location, and applications for a non-standard venue need to go in at least 4 months before the date, so don't leave this until the last minute if you have your heart set on somewhere outside the City Office. If you'd rather use your own officiant, that person's own application needs at least 3 months' notice too.
4. Confirm your date, time, and location. This has to be finalized with the municipality no later than 6 weeks before your ceremony. If you're marrying at a location in the city and already have your confirmation link from your notice-of-marriage email, you may not need an in-person visit for this step.
5. Register your witnesses. You need at least 2 and no more than 4 witnesses, all 18 or older. They don't have to be Dutch or live in the Netherlands, which is good news if your witnesses are flying in with you. Names need to be registered no later than 2 weeks before the ceremony; miss that deadline and the ceremony can't go ahead. Source: City of Amsterdam, Register your witnesses
6. Show up and get married. More on exactly what this looks like below.
What the ceremony actually looks like, minute by minute
This is the part most guides skip, probably because whoever wrote them hasn't sat in the room.
If you've booked the free or budget ceremony: you'll have a maximum of 10 minutes. That's the official legal part only, no speeches, no music, no personal touches. You, your partner, your officiant, and your witnesses (and your photographer, if you're on the free tier and the headcount allows it) will be in and out of the wedding hall quickly. Treat it as a legal formality, not a wedding "moment" in the way a lot of people picture one.
If you've booked the standard ceremony: you get up to 45 minutes, and you can bring in your own touches, your own readings, your own officiant if you'd rather not use the municipal one. This is the version that actually feels like a wedding ceremony rather than a legal appointment, and it's the one I'd point most couples toward if photos and a real ceremony moment both matter to you.
Language: Dutch is the legally required language for the official vows themselves, though a standard ceremony can otherwise be held in Dutch, English, German, or French. The free ceremony is more limited: it's held in Dutch or English only. If neither you, your partner, nor your witnesses speaks one of the available languages well enough to follow the legal part, you're responsible for arranging a sworn interpreter yourself, and the interpreter's name has to be given to the City Office at least 1 week before the ceremony. Without one, the ceremony can't go ahead.
What the ceremony actually looks like, minute by minute
This is the part most guides skip, probably because whoever wrote them hasn't sat in the room.
If you've booked the free or budget ceremony: you'll have a maximum of 10 minutes. That's the official legal part only, no speeches, no music, no personal touches. You, your partner, your officiant, and your witnesses (and your photographer, if you're on the free tier and the headcount allows it) will be in and out of the wedding hall quickly. Treat it as a legal formality, not a wedding "moment" in the way a lot of people picture one.
If you've booked the standard ceremony: you get up to 45 minutes, and you can bring in your own touches, your own readings, your own officiant if you'd rather not use the municipal one. This is the version that actually feels like a wedding ceremony rather than a legal appointment, and it's the one I'd point most couples toward if photos and a real ceremony moment both matter to you.
Language: Dutch is the legally required language for the official vows themselves, though a standard ceremony can otherwise be held in Dutch, English, German, or French. The free ceremony is more limited: it's held in Dutch or English only. If neither you, your partner, nor your witnesses speaks one of the available languages well enough to follow the legal part, you're responsible for arranging a sworn interpreter yourself, and the interpreter's name has to be given to the City Office at least 1 week before the ceremony. Without one, the ceremony can't go ahead.
What I'd tell you as a photographer, not just a resident
I want to be honest about where this section comes from: I live in Amsterdam and I've walked this whole process and scouted the building, but I'm not going to tell you I've shot dozens of City Hall weddings here, because that's not true yet. What I can give you is a photographer's read on the logistics, based on knowing the building, the timing, and the rules above.
• Pick your ceremony type based on whether photos matter to you, not just the price. The €200.40 budget ceremony is the cheapest paid option, but it doesn't allow a photographer. If you want real photos of your legal ceremony, you're choosing between the free Tuesday slot (tight guest cap, but photographer-inclusive) and the standard 45-minute ceremony (full flexibility, higher fee).
• Ten minutes is not a lot of time to work with. If you're on the free or budget tier, there's no room for a second take or a re-set. A photographer who knows the room in advance, rather than walking in cold, will get you more usable frames in that window.
• The wedding hall has fixed sightlines. With a small guest cap and a short ceremony, where you and your officiant stand relative to the light and the windows matters more than it would at a longer, larger wedding, because there's no time to adjust mid-ceremony.
• If you're using an outside venue for a standard ceremony, that location needs municipal approval as a wedding venue, and if it's outdoors or unusual, there may be additional permit conditions. Loop your photographer in early if you're picking a venue, since access and permit rules can affect where cameras (and guests) are allowed to stand.
• Living here full-time means I can scout ahead of your date. If you're planning your City Hall day from abroad, that's the kind of on-the-ground check I can do that a photographer flying in cold can't.
What I'd tell you as a photographer, not just a resident
I want to be honest about where this section comes from: I live in Amsterdam and I've walked this whole process and scouted the building, but I'm not going to tell you I've shot dozens of City Hall weddings here, because that's not true yet. What I can give you is a photographer's read on the logistics, based on knowing the building, the timing, and the rules above.
• Pick your ceremony type based on whether photos matter to you, not just the price. The €200.40 budget ceremony is the cheapest paid option, but it doesn't allow a photographer. If you want real photos of your legal ceremony, you're choosing between the free Tuesday slot (tight guest cap, but photographer-inclusive) and the standard 45-minute ceremony (full flexibility, higher fee).
• Ten minutes is not a lot of time to work with. If you're on the free or budget tier, there's no room for a second take or a re-set. A photographer who knows the room in advance, rather than walking in cold, will get you more usable frames in that window.
• The wedding hall has fixed sightlines. With a small guest cap and a short ceremony, where you and your officiant stand relative to the light and the windows matters more than it would at a longer, larger wedding, because there's no time to adjust mid-ceremony.
• If you're using an outside venue for a standard ceremony, that location needs municipal approval as a wedding venue, and if it's outdoors or unusual, there may be additional permit conditions. Loop your photographer in early if you're picking a venue, since access and permit rules can affect where cameras (and guests) are allowed to stand.
• Living here full-time means I can scout ahead of your date. If you're planning your City Hall day from abroad, that's the kind of on-the-ground check I can do that a photographer flying in cold can't.
FAQ
Can foreigners get married at Amsterdam City Hall? Yes, as long as at least one partner is a Dutch national or a registered resident of the Netherlands; the other partner's nationality doesn't matter. If both of you live outside the Netherlands and one of you is Dutch, you can still marry here, but your notice of intention has to go through the municipality of The Hague first, with a longer minimum notice period. If neither of you is Dutch nor a Netherlands resident, a legal marriage in the Netherlands isn't available to you. See the Netherlands foreigner guide for the full path, including the symbolic-ceremony option most couples in that last situation choose.
How much does a City Hall wedding cost in Amsterdam in 2026? Anywhere from €0 (free Tuesday morning slot) to €200.40 (budget ceremony) to €940.50 (standard, City Office) to €893.40 to €1,157.80 (standard, your own venue), depending on the day, time, and venue. See the full breakdown above.
Can I bring a photographer to a free or budget ceremony? On the free ceremony, yes, but your photographer counts toward the small guest cap for your district. On the budget ceremony (€200.40), no: photographers aren't allowed at that tier at all.
How far in advance do I need to book? You can give notice up to a year ahead. Your date, time, and location need to be confirmed at least 6 weeks before the ceremony, and witness names are due at least 2 weeks before. If you're marrying from outside the Netherlands with neither of you resident, plan on at least 8 to 12 weeks for the notice step alone.
Do I need witnesses, and can they be non-Dutch? Yes, you need 2 to 4 witnesses, each 18 or older. They don't need to be Dutch nationals or Dutch residents, so witnesses flying in with you are fine.
Can the ceremony be held in English? The legally required vows are in Dutch, but a standard ceremony can otherwise run in English, German, or French as well as Dutch. (The free ceremony is Dutch or English only.) If you or your witnesses need a different language, you're responsible for arranging a sworn interpreter yourself, at least 1 week before the ceremony.
What if the Amsterdam slots I want are booked out? Check Weesp. It's part of the Amsterdam municipality and runs the same free-ceremony program on Monday mornings instead of Tuesdays.
FAQ
Can foreigners get married at Amsterdam City Hall? Yes, as long as at least one partner is a Dutch national or a registered resident of the Netherlands; the other partner's nationality doesn't matter. If both of you live outside the Netherlands and one of you is Dutch, you can still marry here, but your notice of intention has to go through the municipality of The Hague first, with a longer minimum notice period. If neither of you is Dutch nor a Netherlands resident, a legal marriage in the Netherlands isn't available to you. See the Netherlands foreigner guide for the full path, including the symbolic-ceremony option most couples in that last situation choose.
How much does a City Hall wedding cost in Amsterdam in 2026? Anywhere from €0 (free Tuesday morning slot) to €200.40 (budget ceremony) to €940.50 (standard, City Office) to €893.40 to €1,157.80 (standard, your own venue), depending on the day, time, and venue. See the full breakdown above.
Can I bring a photographer to a free or budget ceremony? On the free ceremony, yes, but your photographer counts toward the small guest cap for your district. On the budget ceremony (€200.40), no: photographers aren't allowed at that tier at all.
How far in advance do I need to book? You can give notice up to a year ahead. Your date, time, and location need to be confirmed at least 6 weeks before the ceremony, and witness names are due at least 2 weeks before. If you're marrying from outside the Netherlands with neither of you resident, plan on at least 8 to 12 weeks for the notice step alone.
Do I need witnesses, and can they be non-Dutch? Yes, you need 2 to 4 witnesses, each 18 or older. They don't need to be Dutch nationals or Dutch residents, so witnesses flying in with you are fine.
Can the ceremony be held in English? The legally required vows are in Dutch, but a standard ceremony can otherwise run in English, German, or French as well as Dutch. (The free ceremony is Dutch or English only.) If you or your witnesses need a different language, you're responsible for arranging a sworn interpreter yourself, at least 1 week before the ceremony.
What if the Amsterdam slots I want are booked out? Check Weesp. It's part of the Amsterdam municipality and runs the same free-ceremony program on Monday mornings instead of Tuesdays.
Book your photographer for the day
If you're planning a City Hall wedding in Amsterdam, the paperwork above is only half the plan. The other half is making sure the ten or forty-five minutes you get are actually documented well, since you don't get a re-take on a legal ceremony.
I'm based in Amsterdam and now booking City Hall couples for 2026 and 2027, whether you're going with the free Tuesday slot, the standard ceremony, or pairing your City Hall appointment with a bigger celebration elsewhere in the Netherlands, France, Italy, or across Europe. If you're planning something smaller and want the full picture on elopements specifically, my guide to eloping in Amsterdam covers that path. If your day involves paperwork from more than one country, documents to get married abroad and symbolic vs. legal weddings abroad are worth a read too. And if you're weighing seasons, my best time to marry in Amsterdam guide can help you pick a date before you lock in your City Hall slot.
Ready to book your photographer for your City Hall appointment? Get in touch here, or take a look at the City Hall photography package built specifically for this exact day. You can also browse the Amsterdam destinations hub for more on getting married here.
Book your photographer for the day
If you're planning a City Hall wedding in Amsterdam, the paperwork above is only half the plan. The other half is making sure the ten or forty-five minutes you get are actually documented well, since you don't get a re-take on a legal ceremony.
I'm based in Amsterdam and now booking City Hall couples for 2026 and 2027, whether you're going with the free Tuesday slot, the standard ceremony, or pairing your City Hall appointment with a bigger celebration elsewhere in the Netherlands, France, Italy, or across Europe. If you're planning something smaller and want the full picture on elopements specifically, my guide to eloping in Amsterdam covers that path. If your day involves paperwork from more than one country, documents to get married abroad and symbolic vs. legal weddings abroad are worth a read too. And if you're weighing seasons, my best time to marry in Amsterdam guide can help you pick a date before you lock in your City Hall slot.
Ready to book your photographer for your City Hall appointment? Get in touch here, or take a look at the City Hall photography package built specifically for this exact day. You can also browse the Amsterdam destinations hub for more on getting married here.
Sources
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