How to get a humanist wedding in
Germany
Germany is a country of remarkable contrasts – from majestic mountain landscapes to elegant castles, serene countryside to contemporary cityscapes.
Each region offers its own atmosphere and cultural richness, giving your ceremony a distinctive and personal backdrop.
Germany – where your love story becomes a one-of-a-kind celebration!
Who offers a humanist wedding in Germany
Humanist weddings in Germany are offered by Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands – HVD – the Humanist Association of Germany. Their ceremonies are personal and created together with each couple to reflect their values and unique relationship.
Languages offered:
Ceremonies can be conducted in German and English. If you wish the ceremony to be held in another language, please let HVD know – they’ll do their best to find a suitable celebrant.
Do we get to choose the humanist wedding celebrant ourselves?
No, all communication and bookings are handled through HVD. Based on your wishes and location, we will match you with a qualified celebrant.
How to book a humanist wedding in Germany:
To begin planning your ceremony, you can fill out this contact form or or call +49 (0)171 495448. Please include your desired date, location, and a few notes on your expectations and preferences.
Once we receive your request, we will check availability and propose a celebrant in your region. If a suitable match is found, we will arrange a first meeting – ideally in person – to get to know each other and begin planning the ceremony together.
Price:
- The standard fee for a humanist wedding is €850, which includes travel costs within the celebrant’s region.
- For ceremonies held outside the celebrant’s home region, additional travel costs will apply.
The invoice will be sent by HVD after the ceremony. You do not pay the celebrant directly.
You can read more on HVD’s own website for humanist ceremonies, under the section about humanist weddings in Germany.
Is a humanist wedding in Germany legally binding?
No humanist organizations are authorized to perform legally binding weddings in Germany. The custom in Germany is to go to a municipality office first, and get a civil, legally binding marriage there. And then, afterwards, you can have a symbolic wedding ceremony in a church or in another faith or belief community, like HVD.
If you want to book a civil, legally binding wedding in Germany prior to the ceremony, HVD will be able to help you through the legal requirements. If you want to figure it out for yourselves, check this webpage. German wedding legislation is gender neutral. Same sex and opposite sex couples, as well as non-binary people, are treated equally.
HVD does not require that you are legally wed prior to the humanist wedding. In other words; you can have a purely symbolic and unofficial wedding also.
If you are legally wed in another country, you can of course bring that certificate to the humanist wedding in Germany, but it is not a requirement since the German humanist ceremony, as mentioned, is purely symbolic and unofficial.
Read more about transfer of legal wedding certificates across borders.
How to get in touch
