Amsterdam is a romantic city, not so much during the winter months but in spring when all the trees on our famous canals start to sprout leaves again, the city can become quite endearing. These same canals house quite a few wedding venues. There’s just something about getting driven to your wedding location by horse-drawn carriages along Amsterdam’s favourite waterways.

Of course, you don’t have to travel overland; you can also rent one of the city’s numerous “rondvaart boten” (tourist sightseeing boats) or any other boat and be carried to and from your wedding locations by water. As for me? I always wanted to get married in Christchurch on the Groenburgwal. A lovely intimate 17th century church building.

But weddings are no longer limited to certain specially ordained places; in Amsterdam, you can get married anywhere. In the past, you had to go to the town hall for your civil marriage, but thank God, no more. There are plenty of venues to choose from in 2011.

County clerk for one day
Just as there was only one location to get legally married at so, there were only a few people authorized to perform wedding ceremonies. But again, these days, anyone can become a specially authorized civil servant for one day and perform your wedding ceremony for you. The same goes for registered partnerships.

Granted, it costs more, but for those among you who the money is not to be an issue on that extraordinary day, it’s a bonus as you can now pick your own favourite person to lead you through your wedding ceremony. Mum, dad, boss, ex-husband or ex-wife etc.

Getting married at the venue of your choice!
About 3.500 marriages take place in Amsterdam each year; right now, there are 130 wedding locations available for you to choose from, in some are really crazy. I won’t list all 130 of them, just the most interesting one.

Wedding locations in Amsterdam

By the alphabet
A
Amstelkerk
American Hotel
Artis

B
De Bakkerswinkel (Warmoesstraat)
Barbizon Palace hotel (Sint Olafskapel)
De Bazel (stadsarchief)
Binnenvaartschip De Salve
Buiksloterkerk
Burcht, de (Vakbondsmuseum)

C
Canal Company partyschepen
Christofori Salon
Cinetone (Grand Café)
Cobra Café
The College Hotel

D
De Duif

E
Electrische Museumtramlijn – Haarlemmermeerstation
Emmakerk

F
Felix Meritis
Frankendael

G
Gare de L’est, restaurant
Het Gemaal
The Grand Hotel

H
Heren aan de Gracht
Hilton Amsterdam
De Hollandsche Manege
Hotel Arena

I
De Industrieele Groote Club
Inter-Continental Amstel

J
De Javasche Bank

K
Kapitein Kok (radarsalonboot)
Kas
Ketelhuis
Kinderboederij
Kompaszaal (Loods 6)
Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen
Krasnapolsky

L
Lloyd hotel

M
Machinegebouw, Westergasfabriek
Marriott
Mirandapaviljoen
Molen van Sloten
Muziektheater

O
Odeon
Olofspoort (proeflokaal)
Olympisch Stadion
Stadion itself
Vakzuid
Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder
Oude Kerk

P
Panama
Petruskerk

R
Rembrandthuis
De Rode Hoed

S
Schellingwouderkerk
De Schreierstoren
Stadhuis
Supperclub

T
Taart van m’n Tante
Tuschinski

U
Uilenburger Synagoge

V
Vondelpark
Blauwe Theehuis
Groot Melkhuis
Vertigo
Vondelkerk

W
Watertaxi
West-Indisch Huis
Westergasfabriek
Ketelhuis
Kunstfabriek
Westerliefde