Couples looking to tie the knot in the Brussels-Capital Region could face some of the highest civil marriage fees in Belgium, according to a new investigation by VRT NWS.
The Flemish broadcaster surveyed all 304 municipalities in Flanders and the Brussels-Capital Region and found the cost of a wedding ceremony varies considerably by municipality.
VRT also found out that 84.5% of municipalities answered Saturday as the day when most weddings take place. The results show that while some municipalities continued to offer free ceremonies on Saturdays, other charges hundreds of euros, creating disparities.
The Brussels-Capital Region emerged as one of the most expensive areas in the survey. On average, couples marrying on a Saturday pay €187 – nearly four times more than the average cost in Limburg (€48), the cheapest province surveyed.
Etterbeek ranks among the most expensive municipalities in Belgium for a Saturday wedding. Couples there pay at least €335, making it the second-most-expensive municipality in the survey. The municipality's current fee regulation shows Saturday morning weddings costing €290, plus additional charges, which might bring the total closer to the figure used by VRT.
Watermael-Boitsfort increased its Saturday wedding fee from €0 to €265 in 2026, one of the largest increases identified by VRT.
Berchem-Sainte-Agathe is the only Brussels municipality where Saturday weddings remain free, according to the investigation.
Jette is one of only four municipalities in the survey to have lowered its wedding fees this year, compared to last year.
The research also found that five of the 10 most expensive municipalities for Saturday weddings are located in the Brussels Region.
Municipalities are free to determine their own wedding fees, which might create differences between neighbouring municipalities, according to Professor of Public Administration Bram Verschuere of UGent, interviewed by the broadcaster.
A striking fact is that in Belgium, you cannot choose where to get legally married. It must take place in the municipality where one of the two love birds officially resides.
Cost of getting married has also increased across much of the country. One in three Flemish and Brussels municipalities raised wedding fees in 2026 compared to the previous year, often citing rising personnel costs and the adoption of new multi-year budget plans.
