Marrying in Ghent: Guide & Prices 2026

Plate

€120

Hotel Avg

€160

Best Month

June

Airport Dist.

60km

Estimated Budget

Guests100 pax

Banquet (100 pax)€12,000

Flights/TransportOptimized

Local Gastronomy9/10

Plan my Wedding in Ghent

Complete guide for your wedding in Ghent

If you are thinking of celebrating your wedding in Ghent, you have chosen one of the destinations with the most personality in the country. The romance of Flemish canals surrounded by medieval towers and sophisticated charm. In this guide we analyze all key aspects so your big day is perfect.

Romance Factor

With a score of 9/10 in romanticism, Ghent offers incomparable settings for your "I do". From magical sunsets to charming historical corners.

Party and Celebration

If you look for a big celebration, Ghent has excellent leisure infrastructure (8/10) which guarantees your guests enjoy to the max before and after the banquet.

The best and worst of marrying in Ghent

Main advantages

Illuminated historic center widely praised as one of Europe's most enchanting urban views.
World-class Flemish gastronomy and swift rail connections from Brussels Airport.

Points to keep in mind

Variable Atlantic weather makes indoor backup options essential for open-air plans.
Strict pedestrian zones require parking coordination for arriving wedding guests.

The style in Ghent

Dominant Style

Elegant Flemish Canal & Guildhouse Wedding

Local Tradition

Private night boat cruise along the illuminated Graslei facades with artisan abbey beer toasts

Weather month by month

4/10

Jan

4/10

Feb

6/10

Mar

7/10

Apr

8/10

May

9/10

Jun

9/10

Jul

9/10

Aug

8/10

Sep

6/10

Oct

5/10

Nov

4/10

Dec

Top Venues in Ghent

Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts)

Imposing medieval fortress in Ghent's heart providing an iconic backdrop for wedding portraits.

Monasterium PoortAckere

Former neo-gothic monastery with a serene garden courtyard and historic dining hall.

1898 The Post

Ultra-luxury boutique hotel housed in the historic post office building on Graslei square.

Wedding traditions in Belgium

What a local guest expects to see on the wedding day.

Bride's embroidered handkerchief

The bride carries an embroidered lace handkerchief with her name. After the wedding, it is framed and preserved, passed down through generations.

Tulips and chocolate fountains

Incorporating exquisite Belgian chocolates in dessert bars and seasonal Flemish tulip flower arrangements.

Legal requirements to marry in Belgium

Application steps, timing and paperwork for foreigners.

Civil authority

Municipal Civil Registry Office (Maison Communale / Stadhuis)

Minimum notice

14 days

Witnesses per spouse

Key steps

Formally declare the marriage at the city hall of the municipality where at least one party resides.
Submit apostilled birth and residency certificates officially translated.
Publish the marriage bans 14 days prior to the wedding date.
Celebrate the official civil marriage before the local registrar.

Extra documents for foreigners

If you do not reside in Belgium

Original valid passport.
Apostilled birth certificate officially translated into Dutch or French depending on the municipality.
Apostilled single status or marital capacity certificate translated officially.
Official certificate of nationality.

How to get there from Belgium

Main airports

BRUCRL

Rail

NMBS / SNCB (Ferrocarriles Belgas)

Common departure points

Madrid · Barcelona · London · Paris · Geneva

Typical vendors in Belgium

Belgian wedding plannerMaster chocolatierFlemish florist designerWedding photographerGourmet French-style caterer

What Belgian couples ask most

Only if at least one of the parties has legally resided in Belgium for at least three months prior. Otherwise, couples usually opt for a symbolic ceremony.