Quick Answer
What are getuigen at a Dutch wedding?
Getuigen are the legally required witnesses at a Dutch civil marriage ceremony — a minimum of two and a maximum of four adults, chosen by the couple, who are present at the ceremony and sign the marriage register alongside the couple. The role is a legal one under Dutch marriage law, distinct from (though often filled by) a best man or maid of honor.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What are getuigen at a Dutch wedding?
Also called: huwelijksgetuigen, wedding witnesses.
A Dutch wedding cannot legally happen without getuigen in the room — the civil ceremony requires witnesses to sign the register, and it is the couple's job to decide who those people are. Unlike a best man or maid of honor, whose role is entirely social, a getuige has a specific legal function: verifying, by signature, that the marriage took place as recorded.
Who can be a getuige and what they do
Dutch law requires at least two witnesses and allows up to four at a civil marriage ceremony; they must be adults, and the couple is free to choose whoever they want — parents, siblings, close friends, or the same people already serving as best man and maid of honor. Their role during the ceremony is largely ceremonial until the signing: they stand with the couple, and at the end of the ceremony they sign the official marriage register alongside the couple and the registrar, formally attesting the marriage occurred.
- •The role can be given to anyone the couple chooses — there is no requirement that a getuige be the same person as a best man, maid of honor, or wedding party member.
- •Couples with a larger wedding party sometimes use the getuigen role to formally recognise two people who matter most, separate from a longer bridal party list.
Planning notes
- •Confirm the exact number your municipality requires or allows (two is the legal minimum, four the maximum) before finalising who is asked.
- •Getuigen need valid ID at the ceremony to sign the register — flag this to whoever is chosen so it isn't forgotten on the day.
- •Decide early whether the getuigen role overlaps with best man/maid of honor duties or is being given to different people, so expectations are clear well before the ceremony.
Keep wedding-party roles clear for everyone involved
Whether getuigen, best man, or maid of honor, Weddingkart lets you assign and share roles and responsibilities so nobody finds out what they signed up for on the day itself.
See RSVP tracking →Frequently Asked Questions
How many getuigen are required at a Dutch wedding?
A minimum of two witnesses is required at the civil ceremony, with a maximum of four allowed. The couple chooses who fills the role.
Can a getuige also be the best man or maid of honor?
Yes — there is no restriction against it. Many couples do choose the same people for both roles, but the getuige role is a separate legal function (signing the marriage register) from the social role of best man or maid of honor.
What do getuigen actually have to do during the ceremony?
Their main formal duty is signing the marriage register at the end of the civil ceremony, alongside the couple and the registrar, which is what legally attests the marriage took place.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated