Germany is a wonderfully diverse country when it comes to location variety. No matter what aesthetic you are aiming for, you will find the perfect backdrop in one of the beautiful states.
However, depending on what type of wedding you are hoping to create, and where this magical day takes place, you will likely receive a different price tag to weddings performed elsewhere.
To help you estimate the cost of your wedding, we will break it down into Standesamt, Location, Catering, Decoration, Photography, and Honeymoon.
Each of the figures we give you should be used as an average price and not the definite deal you may expect. Make sure to talk to multiple suppliers to get the best deal for you.
Before we get started, we want to give a warm welcome to the readers of StyleAndTheBride and WeddingObsession. We have recently acquired the websites and cannot wait to see how our community grows.
The Cost Of Standesamt
Standesamt is the official documentation process of marriage. It costs between €65 to €200 to complete and in all honesty, it is the only part of the marriage process which you need to complete for the marriage to be considered legal.
If you don’t have a lot of money, you can simply complete the Standesamt and wait for years to save up for a lavish wedding. Or you could avoid the fanfare altogether. You will still be considered married.
The reason behind the price range comes down to a number of factors. The first depends on how detailed you want the ceremony to be. If you want a wedding, you may prefer a simple Standesamt, but if a large crowd doesn’t suit your sensibilities, then a larger Standesamt might be more appropriate.
The second factor depends on where you are in the country. Berlin and Munch often have higher prices.
Lastly, if you are an expat or if you are moving to Germany, extra paperwork and translation work may be required to ensure the documentation is accurate and law-abiding.
Overall, the cost of Standesamt will likely be the cheapest part of your wedding plans.
Average Wedding Prices Base On Location
The average price of a wedding across the whole of Germany is between €10,000 and €20,000. This is also based on the average attendance of 60 guests. However, depending on where you have the ceremony the figures can be dramatically different.
Starting with the cheapest locations, you can expect to spend an average of €6,000 to €10,000 in the following states:
- Berlin,
- Rhineland-Palatinate,
- Thuringia,
- Schleswig-Holstein,
- Brandenburg,
- Saxony,
- Saxony-Anhalt.
The states of Germany which have a higher average are:
- Saarland,
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Lower Saxony
- Hesse,
- Hamburg,
- Bremen,
- Bavaria,
- Baden-Württemberg.
These states spend an average of €10,000 to €15,000.
From these numbers above, you may have noticed a discrepancy. The total average that Germany spends on weddings as a country is €5,000 higher than the averages separated by states. This is because the averages separated by states have removed outliers. This means that big spenders dotted around Germany have raised the overall spending of the country, but there aren’t enough of them per state to be included.
Also, some of the marriages will take place on German holidays, which instantly brings up the price of the wedding. As these days are few and far between, they are considered outliers and have been removed from the average count.
Another discrepancy you may have noticed is a missing German state – Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is an outlier in many ways. The most important for us is the cost of living. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the cost of living is around €1,280 a month. That’s 1.05 times less than the Germanic average.
And with an average wage of €2,296 a month, the people of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can cover 1.8 months of living expenses from one monthly wage.
With this in mind, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern weddings are often more expensive than in the rest of Germany. This makes them an outlier.
However, in comparison to other countries, German weddings are relatively cheap. The United States for example, often have smaller weddings than Germany and yet their average cost is €30,000 to €35,000.
The Average Cost Of Wedding Food In Germany
Even if a German wedding is cheaper than most other countries, that doesn’t mean you cannot find ways to pinch your purses even further.
Let’s rewind back to Standesamt. If you want nothing more than this official recognition of marriage, you may still be offered a romantic level of extravagance.
For example, a champagne reception can cost an additional €2 per person. This is just a little additional expense that can add a bit of magic to your day.
If you wish to have a wedding alongside your marriage ceremony, then the cost to feed your guests will be the most expensive part of the occasion.
Most people have between 80 and 100 guests, and the average wedding menu will cost you around €35 per person. This means that your average cost for feeding your guests will be between €2,800 and €3,500. This just includes the food and not any drinks.
Some wedding venues will reduce the cost of food if you use their catering services. This could mean lowering the €2,000 price tag down to €150 or making the whole location free. Each venue will have a different deal in place, and some may not offer a deal at all.
As part of your location research, you should see what offers your top choices give, as these hidden deals could dramatically reduce your overall costs.
The Average Cost Of Wedding Decorations In Germany
When we say wedding decorations, we don’t just mean the flowers, the candles, and the overall aesthetic you are trying to achieve. We also mean the dresses, suits, and accessories your party plans to wear.
Flowers
During the public ceremony, you can expect flowers and basic decorations to cost around €1,000. If you plan to have a separate wedding, you could forgo this additional cost, however, if you only want to experience the Standesamt, adding a floral touch can add magic to your day.
For your private wedding, you can expect the cost of flowers and bouquets to be a lot cheaper. This includes decorating your venue, your car, and your party. On average, you can expect a minimum price of €500. The rest depends on how many floral arrangements you want to use. The bouquet will cost you between €80 and €150, so use this figure as an estimate for your other arrangements.
Clothing
A bride’s outfit is likely to cost more than a groom’s. This is simply due to the number of accessories a bride is likely to wear.
Wedding dresses have a large price range. You can buy something for as cheap as €300 or as expensive as €4,000. Some people prefer to rent a more expensive dress, this way they don’t have to pay as much money overall, but they still get to experience the glamor of their dream outfit.
Next comes the bridal shoes, jewelry, and other accessories. These can cost between €20 and €1,000. For example, wedding veils often cost around €500.
Make-up and hairdressing can sometimes be bought in a package deal. You can expect to spend around €150 to €300 if you pay a professional to take this on for you. Many people like to save costs by doing their hair and makeup themselves.
Suits are normally a lot cheaper than dresses and the accessories that go with them. You can expect a wedding suit, tie, and shoes to cost between €500 and €1,000 in total.
Table Decorations
Most traditional weddings use flowers and candles to decorate their venue. We have already talked about the cost of flowers, but candles and any other decorations you choose to include are often low in price.
Some venues or florists will simply give you an extra charge for using their ornaments. This could range from €10 to €100 depending on the amount you need.
We recommend going to thrift shops, catalogs, and bespoke designs to find unique items to add to your decor. You could do this years in advance of your wedding, to give yourself time to find the perfect collection.
You can often find amazing items in Christmas Markets across Germany’s historic cities.
Cars
If the idea of arriving in a beautiful car sounds magical to you, know that you can rent wedding-appropriate vehicles for the day. This could mean renting a limousine, a Disney-style carriage, a royal-style carriage, or any other vehicle type you prefer.
Renting for the day will often cost you around €300 to €600, however that figure will change depending on how far you want to take the car, if you want a chauffeur, and what model you have chosen.
How Much Does A German Photographer Cost?
A professional photographer who covers your whole wedding, develops your photos into works of art, and presents them in an album you can keep forever, will cost you a lot of money.
However, they are worth every penny, because when the wedding day comes to an end, you will be so overwhelmed by the day that half of the events will be forgotten.
Putting money into a good photographer will help you capture all of the magic of the day, forever.
The average cost of a good wedding photographer in Germany is between €1,500 and €2,500 for the full day.
Some people also want to capture their wedding in a cinematic view, which means videos alongside photography. This can cost you anywhere from €1,500 to €3,500.
How Much Does A Honeymoon Cost In Germany?
Although a honeymoon is a time of romantic togetherness as a newlywed couple, it can really be reduced down to a special holiday.
There are many honeymoon packages across Germany, most of which allow you to travel from one historical area to another. On average, these will cost you around $800 per week.
If you don’t want to experience a tour, you can instead book a hotel and go skiing, hiking, or head to the beaches. On average a German hotel will cost around $119 a night or $1,697 a week for a couple.
Germany has amazing festivals, riverboat experiences, and theme parks that you could explore while spending time with your partner.
Summary
A typical German wedding will cost between €10,000 and €20,000. However, there are many ways that you can cut down on these costs. Anything from only completing a Standesamt or doing your hair and makeup yourself.
The breakdown we have shown above can hopefully indicate where the majority of your money is going, and the areas you can adjust to get a cheaper price.
