Wedding at Stockholm City Hall
IN SHORT
A wedding at Stockholm City Hall is a short civil ceremony held in the Oval Room (Ovalen) on Saturdays. You book it through the City of Stockholm, the fee is 1 200 SEK, and the ceremony itself takes about five minutes. You can bring up to ten guests, children and photographer included, and two of them can act as witnesses. Most couples treat it as the start of a larger celebration elsewhere in the city.
Getting married at Stockholm City Hall suits couples who want a short, formal ceremony in one of the best known buildings in Stockholm. The building stands on Kungsholmen at the edge of Riddarfjärden, and the city holds civil ceremonies here on Saturdays. Stockholm City Hall is a popular place for civil ceremonies, for locals and for couples who travel to Sweden to marry. You can come as just the two of you or with up to ten guests. You can see examples of my weddings in my portfolio.
WEDDING AT STOCKHOLM CITY HALL
A wedding at Stockholm City Hall is a short civil ceremony in the Oval Room (Ovalen), held on Saturdays and booked through the City of Stockholm for 1 200 SEK. The ceremony itself takes about five minutes, and you can bring up to ten guests besides the two of you. The same building hosts the Nobel Banquet every December, in the Blue Hall.
How a wedding ceremony at the City Hall works
A wedding at Stockholm City Hall is simple but ceremonial. The ceremony itself takes about five minutes and is held in the Oval Room, which opens onto Prinsens galleri. You register in De hundrades valv (the Hall of the Hundred) and walk up its staircase to the ceremony. You can bring up to ten guests, and children and photographers count toward that number. Ceremonies take place at fixed times, and you book your slot in advance through the City of Stockholm. The ceremony follows a set form in Swedish or English with no speeches or readings, and exchanging rings is optional.
What you need to know before the ceremony
Before you marry at Stockholm City Hall you need a Certificate of No Impediment (hindersprövning) from the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), which confirms that you are free to marry. You can book the ceremony through the City of Stockholm e-service before the certificate is ready. Once Skatteverket approves you, you post the two original documents to the City Hall, and they must arrive by the date in your booking confirmation. Saturday times are popular, so expect a wait for the date you want. Both of you need valid ID on the day.
WHAT DOES IT COST TO MARRY AT THE CITY HALL?
Marrying at Stockholm City Hall costs 1 200 SEK, according to the City of Stockholm. If you do not turn up for a booked ceremony you still pay the fee. To cancel and ask for a refund, you contact the ceremony administration at the City Hall. The fee covers the ceremony in the Oval Room with the officiant. Flowers and photography are booked and paid for separately.
After the ceremony, ways to keep celebrating in the city
Location: Kungsholmen, central Stockholm
Ceremony fee: SEK 1 200 (Saturdays)
Duration: About 5 minutes
Capacity: Up to 10 guests besides the couple, children and photographer included
Languages: Swedish and English
Official website: vigsel.stockholm
A wedding ceremony at Stockholm City Hall takes place in the building that hosts the Nobel Banquet. The banquet fills the Blue Hall each December, and civil ceremonies take place in the smaller Oval Room.
A wedding at Stockholm City Hall is short and formal, which leaves the rest of the day open. Some couples continue to a pre-booked bar where friends wait with bubbles, or to lunch at a nearby restaurant for a smaller group, and some go straight on to a larger celebration at the Nationalmuseum or the Grand Hôtel.
This guide is written by me, Karin Lundin, a wedding photographer based in Stockholm. Further down the page I share what it is like to photograph here. Planning a wedding and want to talk? Get in touch and we will talk.
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER AT STOCKHOLM CITY HALL
Capture the moment with a wedding photographer at the City Hall
Having a photographer with you during the ceremony at the City Hall makes a real difference, even though the ceremony is short. It is often the small, quiet moments that become the most valuable to keep, the look just before you walk in, hands meeting, the relief after the vows. I am happy to follow you through the day, whether you only want a few portraits outside the City Hall or are planning a bigger celebration afterwards. Together we create images that show how the day felt.
Wedding photographer Karin Lundin
I photograph weddings with a calm, documentary feel, where the focus is on capturing what actually happens. With a background in both sociology and photography, I have learned to see the details that often pass unnoticed. I look for the light, movement and atmosphere that say something about your day in particular. My experience in different parts of the photography world has given me the confidence to work discreetly and attentively in any setting. I aim for pictures that feel honest and warm and show how the day was.
WHAT DOES IT COST TO BOOK A PHOTOGRAPHER?
Want to capture the day on film as well? I often work alongside Nordvér Films. If you want to see how I work, there is a separate page about fine art wedding photography in Sweden.
A photographer’s perspective on Stockholm City Hall
My name is Karin Lundin and I am a wedding photographer based in Stockholm. I have photographed ceremonies at Stockholm City Hall. The ceremony itself is short, around five minutes, so I follow it closely from start to finish. I move close for the exchange of rings and photograph the rest as it happens.
After the ceremony we take the portraits around the building, under the arcades, by the columns and along the water facing Riddarfjärden. Riddarholmen across the water is within walking distance if you want a quieter second spot.
For ceremonies at the City Hall I offer shorter photography packages for couples who want to document the most important moments with presence and feeling. The price depends on how much of the day you want covered, perhaps just the ceremony and portraits, or the mingling and detail shots as well.
The essentials captured60 min
For couples who want to focus on the ceremony itself and a few portraits afterwards. We meet just before the ceremony and continue with images outside the City Hall in the setting that suits you best.
PRICE
9,000 SEK (about 815 EUR / 860 USD)
A calmer pace90 min
A short portrait session before the ceremony, the ceremony itself, group photos and a little mingling afterwards, without stress. The extra time means we can move between locations and create variety.
PRICE
12,000 SEK (about 1,090 EUR / 1,150 USD)
A whole little story3 hrs
For couples who want to document more of the day, perhaps from the preparations or the trip to the City Hall, the whole ceremony, portraits and a toast with the guests afterwards.
PRICE
18,000 SEK (about 1,635 EUR / 1,720 USD)
the city hall turns 100!
Stockholm City Hall celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023 and is one of Sweden’s most well known buildings. Designed by the architect Ragnar Östberg and inaugurated on Midsummer’s Eve in 1923, the City Hall has become a symbol of Stockholm, both through its place by Riddarfjärden and through the important events that take place inside it. The Nobel Banquet is held here every year, and civil weddings take place in the Oval Room on Saturdays.
The history of the City Hall, a place with a strong presence
The building was designed by the architect Ragnar Östberg. The city council decided in 1907 to build a new city hall, construction began in 1911 and took twelve years, and the inauguration took place on 23 June 1923, on Midsummer’s Eve, marking 400 years since Gustav Vasa entered Stockholm in 1523.
From idea to reality
Stockholm City Hall is one of the best known buildings in Sweden. Many people associate it with the Nobel celebrations, and it is also where the city council meets and civil servants work every day. The style draws on Venetian palace architecture, built in Swedish materials. The facade is made of nearly eight million red bricks, and the tower rises 106 metres, crowned by the golden Three Crowns.
A building with many functions
Stockholm City Hall is still used as a workplace for politicians and civil servants. Decisions that affect the city’s residents are made here, and the building also has its ceremonial rooms. Most well known is perhaps the Blue Hall, where the Nobel Banquet is held each year, followed by dancing in the Golden Hall with its more than 18 million glass mosaic pieces in the walls.
A place for the big moments in life
Civil ceremonies take place on Saturdays in the Oval Room, a room with textile walls that opens onto Prinsens galleri. Couples reach it through De hundrades valv, the vaulted hall where everyone registers before the ceremony.
Read also my guide on how to choose the right wedding venue, with tips for different styles and budgets.
Would you like a photographer who captures the atmosphere at your wedding at the City Hall? Read more about how I work as a wedding photographer in Stockholm.
The ceremony is short. Expect around five minutes. It is formal and goes fast, so brief your photographer beforehand.
Ten guests is the limit. Children and the photographer count toward the ten.
Portraits outside. Photography is allowed in and around the ceremony room only, so the portraits are taken outside by the arcades and the water.
Dinner happens elsewhere. The ceremony is all the City Hall hosts, so book a restaurant or event space nearby.
| Space | Capacity | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Ovalen (Oval Room) | Up to 10 besides the couple | Saturday ceremonies |
| Conference room | No guests | Weekday ceremonies, usually a Tuesday early in the month |
| Stadshusparken | No limit | Meeting the rest of your guests after the ceremony |
After a City Hall ceremony, many couples continue to a nearby reception. My guides to Grand Hôtel, Nationalmuseum and Ett Hem cover the most common continuation venues.
Couples coming from abroad to marry at City Hall also need to know how the Swedish paperwork works before they arrive. That is covered step by step in my guide to getting married in Sweden.
Before you book
- Book the City Hall time first. Saturday times are popular, and you can book before the hindersprövning is done.
- Book the photographer once you have your time, and count the photographer as one of your ten guests from the start.
- Speeches and readings belong at the lunch or dinner afterwards, since the ceremony has no room for them.
- If it rains, the arcades around Borgargården give cover for the portraits.
- Post the original documents from Skatteverket in good time, since a late arrival cancels the booking.
For historical context, see Stockholm City Hall on Wikipedia and the official Stadshuset website.
Frequently asked questions about ceremonies at Stockholm City Hall
Can you bring your own photographer to a Stockholm City Hall wedding?
Yes. You are welcome to bring your own wedding photographer to a wedding at Stockholm City Hall. The photographer counts as one of your ten guests. Photography is allowed in and around the ceremony room, and the portraits are taken outside, by the stairs and facing Riddarfjärden. I have photographed ceremonies here and know how to move through the room without getting in the way.
How do you book a wedding at Stockholm City Hall?
A wedding at Stockholm City Hall is booked through the e-service on vigsel.stockholm. Saturday times are popular, and you can book before your hindersprövning from Skatteverket is ready.
How many guests can you have at a wedding at the City Hall?
You can bring up to ten guests besides the two of you to a Saturday ceremony in the Oval Room. Children and photographers count toward the ten. Weekday ceremonies are held without guests.
Are you allowed to take photos during the ceremony at the City Hall?
Yes, photography is allowed in and around the ceremony room, and you may stay a short while afterwards for a few last pictures. Photography is not allowed in other parts of the building. As a wedding photographer in Stockholm I have photographed ceremonies at the City Hall and know which angles work in the Oval Room.
Planning a wedding? I am happy to talk about how your day could look in pictures. Get in touch and we will talk.
MORE WEDDING VENUES
Looking for other options? See the full overview of top wedding venues in Stockholm, or explore other places I photograph regularly:
- Wedding at Grand Hotel Stockholm, Central Stockholm, classic hotel by the water
- Wedding at Nationalmuseum Stockholm, Art museum in central Stockholm, unconventional
- Wedding at Häringe Slott, Castle south of Stockholm, water and park