Getting married

Overview (Dutch) of locations, marriage officiates and the availability of the locations.

Choose a location

You can get married or register a partnership almost anywhere in Breda. Would you like a location other than the city hall or Breda council offices? Complete the location form first then include this with the digital notification.

Form: location of your own choice in Dutch (pdf, 483.81 KB)

Location - city hall or Breda council offices

• large suite in the city hall: 45 seats and an area for standing
• small suite in the city hall: 25 seats and an area for standing
• marriage room at the Breda council offices: maximum 4 people

Choose a marriage officiate

If you would like a ceremony with a speech, in your notification you can tell us which council official you prefer. We will take your preference into account. We will tell you who your marriage officiate is approximately 4 weeks beforehand. If you are marrying or registering your partnership and there is no speech (these ceremonies take place on Monday mornings), you cannot choose a preferred council official.

A family member, friend or acquaintance, an official from another council or an independent marriage officiant can officiate at your marriage or registered partnership. This person must be a designated and/or sworn special registrar of the civil registry (BABS). Fill in the form and send it at least 3 months before the date, by email.

Application form: One-off BABS in Dutch (pdf, 64.5 KB)

Choose witnesses

When registering the marriage or partnership you need at least 2, but no more than 4, witnesses. Anyone above the age of 18 can be a witness. You choose your own witnesses, the municipality does not take care of this.

Attend the ceremony digitally

Family, friends and acquaintances can follow the ceremony at the city hall through live streaming. This service does not apply to ceremonies in the small suite of the City hall or marriages and registered partnerships at which there is no speech, which take place on Monday mornings.

Marriage or registered partnership?

Legally, a marriage and partnership are almost identical. More information can be obtained from the Central Government about getting married and a registered partnership.

You do not live in the Netherlands

If neither of you live in the Netherlands and if one of you has Dutch nationality, you would give notice of your marriage to the The Hague Council (Dutch).

Marrying abroad or Married abroad

The Central Government's website tells you what you have to think about if you plan to marry abroad. Sometimes you will need a Certificate of No Impediment  and/or a Single Status Certificate.

If you married abroad, register the foreign marriage certificate in the council Personal Records Database (BRP). You can do this when you return home.

If you marry at a location other than the city hall or Breda council offices, you pay the owner for the use of the location. These costs would be in addition to the charges shown below.

List of the costs by location, day and time
 

List of possible additional costs