Getting married in Gouda: wedding venues and how to choose

The question of where to get married usually breaks down into three separate questions: where do you say "I do", where do you dine with your guests, and where is the party. In a big city those are often three addresses with a shuttle bus in between. In Gouda that is not necessary.

How getting married in Gouda works formally

In the Netherlands, a marriage or registered partnership takes place at a venue the municipality has designated as an official wedding venue. Alongside the town hall, the municipality of Gouda has designated a number of venues across the city. The registrar then comes to that venue, so you do not have to go to the town hall first and to your party afterwards.

In practice that makes a huge difference: no travelling between ceremony and reception, no guests getting lost along the way, and no fixed time slot that the whole day has to be built around.

You give notice of your intended marriage to the municipality of Gouda, at least two weeks and at most one year before the wedding date. Always check the current conditions, fees and available dates with the municipality itself.

Where you can get married in Gouda

The historic centre offers a few distinctly different atmospheres:

• The town hall on the Markt, the oldest free-standing town hall in the Netherlands, dating from 1450. Classic, monumental, and the image everyone knows of Gouda.
• The historic centre around St John's Church (Sint-Janskerk), the longest church in the Netherlands with its 72 world-famous stained-glass windows. Unrivalled as a backdrop for photos.
• Waterside venues, around the Oosthaven and the Museumhaven, quieter and more intimate.
• Restaurants and event venues on the Markt, where ceremony, dinner and party can take place at one address.

Getting married at Gouds Glas

We have been officially designated as a wedding venue by the municipality of Gouda. The ceremony takes place in our wine bar: private and intimate, beneath the Gouda Windows (Goudse Glazen). The registrar comes to us.

Afterwards we welcome you as a newly married couple with champagne, and our pastry chef bakes a bespoke wedding cake, with flavour, shape and tiers chosen by you. For your guests we put together a lunch or multi-course dinner, from shared dining to a refined dinner programme, with vegetarian and allergy-friendly options.

For the evening party, the entire restaurant can be hired exclusively, for up to 200 guests. Think of an open bar with cocktails, wine and local beer, bespoke snack and food stations, a DJ booth at the bar or live music, and a dance floor where the party can go on until 00:00 from Thursday to Saturday.

From ceremony to evening party: the schedule

A day as we often see it unfold:

• Afternoon, ceremony in the wine bar, in the presence of family and friends
• Straight after, champagne reception and photos on the Markt, with the town hall and St John's in the frame
• Early evening, lunch or multi-course dinner with your guests, prepared on our Mibrasa charcoal oven
• Evening, the restaurant turns into the party venue, with open bar, music and dance floor

Because everything takes place at one address, the logistics fade into the background. Our event manager is with you all day, from first briefing to last guest, one point of contact instead of five suppliers who have to find each other.

What to look for when choosing a wedding venue

• Is the venue officially designated? If not, the ceremony has to take place elsewhere and you lose part of the day to travelling.
• Does the number of guests fit? Ask about the capacity for ceremony, dinner and party separately, as they almost always differ.
• What time does it have to end? Closing times differ per venue and per day of the week.
• Exclusivity, is the venue yours alone that day, or are other guests walking around?
• One point of contact or separate suppliers? It saves months of preparation.
• Accessibility for guests, parking, public transport and accommodation within walking distance.

Practical information for your guests

Gouda Centraal station is a seven-minute walk from the Markt, with direct trains from Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Parking is available in the car parks around the centre. We can arrange transport to the hotel and reserve rooms in nearby hotels, all within walking distance.

Our spaces are flexible: four zones (terrace, brasserie, restaurant and wine bar) plus the mezzanine. From an intimate dinner for twenty loved ones to an evening party with two hundred guests.