How Much Does It Cost to Get Married in Venice? A Real Budget Breakdown

In brief

The cost of getting married in Venice depends mostly on the venue, guest count and season, but some costs are fixed and published: the City of Venice charges €700 (EU citizens) or €1,700 (non-EU citizens) for a civil ceremony in office hours at the time of writing, plus supplements for exclusive halls, and gondolas cost €90 for 30 minutes by day. Everything else — venue, catering, boats, flowers, planner, photography — is quoted per wedding. See getting married in Venice for the process.

1. The ceremony: fees set by the City of Venice

For a civil wedding or civil union, the Comune di Venezia publishes its fees. At the time of writing, during office hours (Monday to Saturday, 8:45–13:00): €700 for Italian non-residents and EU citizens, €1,700 for non-EU citizens. Evenings, pre-holidays and holidays cost more — for non-EU couples, €2,100 on weekday evenings, €2,400 on pre-holiday evenings and €3,600 on holidays.

Exclusive halls add a supplement: €9,000 for the Sala degli Stucchi at Ca' Farsetti, €3,500 for the Sala del Consiglio at Ca' Loredan, €5,000 for the Sala Cuoi d'Oro at Ca' Vendramin Calergi, €1,000 for Villa Querini or Palazzo Persico. The authorised private locations — such as the Scuola della Misericordia or La Pagoda on the Lido — are €10,000 all-inclusive. Optional services: interpreter €300, live streaming €150, and a €500 urgency fee for bookings within seven days. Always check the Comune's official tariff page before booking.

A symbolic ceremony has no Comune fee; you pay the venue and usually a celebrant. A religious ceremony may involve an offering or fees set by the church or community.

2. Documents and translations

For a civil wedding, foreign couples pay for their nulla osta or equivalent (consular fees vary by country), apostilles or legalisation, certified translations and, for some nationalities, revenue stamps (for example €16 per document at the Prefettura for US declarations). See the nulla osta guide.

3. Venue and catering

This is the biggest variable. Grand Canal hotels and palazzi price their spaces by season, day and guest count; exclusive-use palazzi like Palazzo Pisani Moretta bring in external catering; island resorts combine rooms, venue and food. Get written quotes that include service, taxes, furniture hire and any minimum spend. Our Venice wedding venues guide compares the options.

4. Boats

Gondolas have official fares set by the Comune: €90 for 30 minutes during the day (9:00–19:00) and €110 for 35 minutes in the evening, per gondola of up to five people, with extra time charged proportionally. Water taxis and private launches for guests are quoted by route or time — ask for quotes that include waiting time. See the wedding boat guide.

5. Photography

As a market reference, photographers listed for Venice on the MyWed directory charge roughly 140 to 950 USD per hour, most between about 220 and 345 USD, with a two-hour minimum; full days are priced as collections. Our wedding photographer cost guide explains how to compare quotes.

6. Planner, flowers, hair and make-up, music

A local planner is usually paid as a fee or a percentage; florists in Venice work with boat deliveries, which affects cost; hair and make-up artists may charge travel and early-start supplements; musicians for the ceremony and dinner are quoted per set. For all of these, request itemised quotes in writing. Do you need a planner at all? See do you need a wedding planner in Venice?.

7. Accommodation and the access fee

Hotel prices in Venice follow the season and big events (Carnival, the Biennale, the Film Festival on the Lido). Guests staying overnight are exempt from the access fee but must register; day visitors pay it on set dates (€5 booked in advance, €10 later, in 2026). See the guest guide.

Three sample budgets (fixed costs only)

Because venues and suppliers quote per wedding, the most honest sample budgets list only the published, fixed items — then leave you to add your quotes.

Symbolic elopement for two: no Comune fee; one daytime gondola ride (€90 for 30 minutes); photography (market reference for a 3-hour session at the most common MyWed rates: about 660–1,035 USD); plus a celebrant, flowers and dinner, quoted by the suppliers.

Civil wedding for 15 guests, non-EU couple: Comune fee in office hours (€1,700) plus interpreter (€300) if needed; documents, apostilles and translations; two gondolas for the couple and close family; photography for the ceremony and portraits; lunch in a canal-side restaurant, quoted.

Palazzo wedding for 80 guests: civil ceremony at the Comune or at home, symbolic ceremony and reception at the venue (hire, catering, furniture — quoted); private launches for guests; planner; full-day photography, usually with a second photographer; flowers, music and hair and make-up — all quoted.

Hidden costs couples often forget

Boat waiting time; porterage of luggage and décor (everything moves by boat and trolley); early-start supplements for hair and make-up; urgency fees if you book the Comune within seven days; service charges and taxes on venue quotes; tips; and the extra nights for the documents appointment before a civil wedding.

How to request quotes that you can compare

Send every supplier the same brief: date (or season), guest count, ceremony type and venue, timings, and what you want included. Ask for itemised quotes including taxes, travel and waiting time, and a clear cancellation policy. For photography, our cost guide lists the questions to ask.

When prices peak

Saturdays from May to October are the most requested, and big events — Carnival, the Biennale opening, the Redentore, the Film Festival on the Lido — push up hotel prices and demand for boats. November to March (outside Carnival) is quieter and more flexible. See the events calendar.

Where Venice is cheaper than you'd think

Civil ceremony fees are published and moderate compared with many private venue fees; a small wedding can use the city itself as a backdrop — bridges, campi, canals — at no cost; and the Comune's office-hour slots are the most affordable way to marry legally on the Grand Canal.

Where Venice costs more

Boats (everything moves by water, including flowers and furniture), exclusive venues, high-season hotels and porterage. Budget generously for logistics — it's the line most couples underestimate.

Currency, deposits and contracts

Suppliers usually quote in euros. Expect deposits to secure dates, and read cancellation and postponement terms carefully. Keep a spreadsheet with each line marked as 'published fee' or 'quote', with dates and payment deadlines.

A budgeting method that works

1. List fixed published costs (Comune fees, gondola fares, documents). 2. Decide your guest count and date. 3. Request itemised quotes for venue, catering, boats, planner and photography with the same brief. 4. Add a 10–15% contingency for logistics and extras. 5. Review what you can simplify — fewer transfers, a weekday, a symbolic ceremony.

Costs by season

High season (May–October weekends) and big events command the highest prices and book first. Shoulder dates (April, early November) and winter (outside Carnival and New Year) are more flexible. The Comune's fees don't change by season, but evening and holiday slots cost more.

Planning on a tighter budget

If the totals above feel high, the format and season make the biggest difference. Our guide to a Venice wedding on a budget lists twelve practical ways to save without losing what makes Venice special.

How to lower the cost without losing the magic

Choose a weekday or shoulder-season date; marry in office hours if civil; hold a symbolic ceremony and reception in the same venue to avoid extra transfers; keep the guest list small; schedule portraits at sunrise as a day-after session rather than paying for long wedding-day coverage. Eloping is the most affordable route of all — see how much it costs to elope in Venice.