Belgian Saturday Wedding Prices Range from Free to €350

The cost of getting married on a Saturday in Belgium varies dramatically depending on where you live — from completely free to €350 — according to a comprehensive survey by VRT NWS of all 304 municipalities in Flanders and Brussels. The survey found that one in three municipalities raised their wedding fees in 2026, with Dilbeek in Vlaams-Brabant emerging as the most expensive at €350.

The Price Spectrum

Saturday wedding fees span the full range from €0 in about one-fifth of municipalities — including Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Ardooie, and Sint-Martens-Latem — to €350 in Dilbeek. The top ten most expensive municipalities include Dilbeek (€350), Etterbeek (€335), Gent (€333), Ninove (€300), Laarne (€300), and Ronse (€270). Half of the most expensive municipalities are located in the Brussels Capital Region.

Provincial averages reveal stark disparities. Limburg is the cheapest province with an average Saturday wedding fee of just €48, while Brussels is the most expensive at €187 — nearly four times higher. East Flanders averages €148, while Antwerp province saw the highest increase at 38 percent.

Why Such Wide Variation?

Belgian municipalities have significant fiscal autonomy, meaning they can set their own fees for services including civil weddings. “Municipalities can fully determine their own prices because they are fiscally autonomous,” said Prof. Bram Verschuere of Ghent University, an expert in public administration. “Some municipalities view civil marriage as a free service, others see Saturday weddings as an extra service for which a fee is due.”

Nathalie Debast of the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG) noted that these are “democratically elected administrations that make their own choices.” She added that municipalities face major challenges, including rising personnel costs due to automatic wage indexation.

Dilbeek’s Fairytale Castle and Wedding Tourism

Dilbeek raised its Saturday wedding fee from €200 to €350 — a 75 percent increase — to combat what officials call “wedding tourism.” The town’s town hall is located in Kasteel de Viron, a 19th-century eclectic castle with towers, a pond, and an extensive park that makes it a highly sought-after wedding venue.

Mayor Stijn Quaghebeur (N-VA) told VRT NWS that couples from Brussels, where Saturday fees average €187, were flocking to Dilbeek for its lower prices and picturesque setting. “Some people postponed their address change,” Quaghebeur said. “They actually already lived in another municipality, but still came here to get married.” The mayor noted that prices had not been adjusted since 2015, while staff costs had risen significantly.

Despite the hike, Dilbeek still offers a free Thursday wedding ceremony, though without reception, gift, or marriage booklet.

Free Wedding Municipalities Hold Firm

While 102 municipalities raised their Saturday tariffs in 2026 — coinciding with new multi-year budget plans — about 20 percent continue to offer free Saturday weddings. In East Flanders, 38 out of 55 municipalities offer free weddings on at least some days, with Brakel and Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht offering them entirely free.

“We consider it a basic service,” said Marc Van de Vijver, mayor of Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht, as reported by VRT NWS. “We are of course a prosperous municipality and don’t really need income from weddings.” Marleen Gyselinck, mayor of Brakel, added simply: “We don’t want to burden young people with costs.”

Analysis and Implications

The €0–€350 range reflects fundamentally different philosophies among Belgian municipalities. Some view civil marriage as a fundamental public service funded through general taxation, while others treat Saturday weddings as a premium service warranting a fee. The variation also raises equity questions: a couple’s wedding costs depend entirely on their municipality of residence, not their ability to pay.

Prof. Verschuere noted that there is oversight from the Flemish government on these fees. “Administrations that charge truly excessive amounts could be called back,” he said, though no specific threshold for “excessive” has been defined.

What to Watch For

As Dilbeek’s price hike takes effect, observers will be watching whether it successfully curbs wedding tourism or simply pushes couples to other municipalities. Meanwhile, the 2026 multi-year budget cycle has prompted a wave of reassessments across Flanders and Brussels, and more municipalities may adjust their fees in response to rising personnel costs and changing demand patterns.

The situation in Wallonia, which was not covered by this survey, remains an open question for future research.

For official pricing details, the Dilbeek municipality website confirms Thursday ceremonies are free, Friday costs €150, and Saturday costs €350.