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Anyone getting married in the Netherlands?

nocliche, 18 October, 2013 at 12:39 Posted on Planning 0 4
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Hi all,

I'm a British gal getting married in the Netherlands. I have approximately 4 months to organise a wedding and am struggling to find a cozy, intimate venue (±25 people) for a winter wedding.

My boyfriend and I have been together for 5 years and are getting married now because of visa issues (shotgun wedding!!!). We consider ourselves already married in all but paperwork (we have a mortgage and several pets together, just in case anyone thinks this is a marriage purely of convenience...well it is, but it is one borne out of love first and foremost Smiley winking).

Anyway, are any of you getting married in the Netherlands? Or know of wedding locations? Wedding planners? Anything that can help someone who never ever thought about wedding and marriage and so has no clue how or where to start?

The wedding is going to be totally non traditional and not religious and won't adhere to any kind of protocol (speeches, bridesmaids, seating plans etc).

We want to have an evening ceremony, dinner and then drinks and music all in the same location. We'd like our guests to stay overnight in this same location too. 99% of the guests will not be Dutch. The official marriage by the registrar will have to be in Dutch but the rest will be basically British/Southern European influenced.

Oh and did I mention the budget is minimal!!!

Looking forward to all your tips and advice!

4 replies

Latest activity by Izzysaurus, 22 October, 2013 at 08:27
  • Chris Giles Photography
    Chris Giles Photography ·
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    I travel Smiley laugh

    But where in the Netherlands as it's a big country.

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  • N
    Beginner
    nocliche ·
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    Well, actually the Nethelands is not very big at all and so I am totally open about the location because nothing's more than a 2.5 hour drive from Amsterdam Smiley winking.

    And fortunately for me (unfortunately for you Smiley winking), I am lucky to have two close friends who are professional photographers: time to call in the favours Smiley winking.

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  • I
    Beginner May 2014
    Izzysaurus ·
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    Hi there,

    I live in the Netherlands too! I bought a Dutch wedding magazine a few weeks ago 'to practice my Dutch' and I think there was an advert for a wedding fair coming up in the RAI that might be able to give you some ideas. As far as I can tell, the whole wedding planning thing works pretty much the same here as it does back home. You could always go the gemeente on Monday morning and get married for free!

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    nocliche ·
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    Hi Izzysaurus,

    Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure I could handle a wedding fair at the RAI ... I'm already having palpitations every time I check venues and see the words 'heerlijk taart en borrel hapjes'... envisioning disgusting creamy vlaai and bitterballen....

    Are you worried at all about service levels? Here being, as you know, not quite up to UK scratch? I'm having nightmares about wedding dinners being served by 2 disinterested 17 year olds wearing t-shirts.

    I'm also struggling to find somewhere that is chic without looking like an office or old worldly enough without looking like aunt jemima was on crack when she chose the curtains or cosy enough but not looking like a youth hostel...you know how 'functional' Dutch design can be.

    Although perhaps I've been watching too much Downton Abbey?

    My problem is that although I do not like extravagance and champagne and diamonds etc, I like good quality and tasteful stuff. It's quite difficult to find something in the middle. Plus our budget is minimal. I will be calling on photographer/cake making/graphic designer friends for a lot of stuff.

    And we want all of our small number of guests - basically our 4 witnesses plus their partners and babies and my family (5 people, BF doesn't speak with his family so they are not invited :/) - to be able to stay over night.

    Is your BF Dutch?

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  • I
    Beginner May 2014
    Izzysaurus ·
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    I'm not getting married here, but in London, as we are both English. This has its own complications!

    I can understand what you mean about being worried about the quality of the service, but I'd have thought that for a wedding it wouldn't be the usual struggle to get the waiter's attention. Bitterballen are lekker though :p

    I would guess that in terms of budget, looking outside of Amsterdam would be sensible, everything is pretty expensive in the city!

    Good luck!

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