Roeselare Opens ‘Het Venster’ Garden Venue for Outdoor Civil Weddings
Roeselare, Belgium – Residents of Roeselare now have the option to celebrate their civil weddings outdoors, thanks to the city’s newly inaugurated garden venue. This unique setting, known as “Het Venster,” is a steel structure shaped like a house, nestled in the landscaped inner courtyard of the city’s new town hall.
The city recently hosted its first open-air wedding within the framework of Het Venster. The site, conceived and designed by artist Maarten Schaubroeck, served as the dramatic backdrop for his own marriage to his partner Isolde. The couple inaugurated the venue in the presence of Mayors Kris Declercq (CD&V) of Roeselare and Jeroen Vandromme (CD&V) of Houthulst, who officiated the ceremony.
Schaubroeck, a Houthulst native, created Het Venster specifically as a space for civil ceremonies. He described the symbolic meaning behind the installation:
“Here, lovers and their families come together from their homes. In this beautiful place in the heart of the city hall, people give each other their hearts.”
This marked Roeselare’s first legally sanctioned outdoor civil wedding. The decision to allow outdoor ceremonies follows a growing trend across Flanders, where local governments are responding to increasing public interest. Alderman Stefaan Van Coillie (CD&V) confirmed strong enthusiasm for the option locally, noting that over thirty couples contacted the city within the first month of the announcement.
Koksijde is among the other Flemish cities embracing outdoor wedding formats, even offering weddings on the beach. The municipality saw a 20% jump in registration demand after introducing beach weddings in 2022. Likewise, Leuven’s botanical gardens have become a popular choice, with a 15% annual growth in such weddings since 2020.
Outdoor Weddings Gain Ground in Flanders
Civil ceremonies held outdoors have grown significantly in popularity across Flanders. Since a 2017 federal legislative change legalized outdoor weddings in Belgium, over 50 locations in the region – including major cities like Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp – have authorized public outdoor wedding spaces. In 2023, 12% of all weddings in Flanders were held outdoors, up sharply from just 5% previously.
The shift is especially noticeable among younger couples, with those under 35 comprising nearly 68% of all non-traditional wedding bookings. The increase in outdoor weddings also brings heightened economic benefits through related tourism and event spending.
With the trend spreading quickly, municipalities continue expanding approved venues to include parks, historical town squares, and now architectural installations like Het Venster. Still, weather considerations remain a factor – approximately 17% of outdoor weddings require an alternate indoor setting in case of rain.
Flanders continues to lead Belgium in adopting innovative wedding policies, with Wallonia and Brussels following its example. Roeselare’s new garden venue is a prime example of art and public infrastructure coming together to meet evolving societal preferences for civil ceremonies.
Eurotoday is a daily online publication based in Belgium. Eurotoday delivers original and independent reporting on European and global issues. With a continent-wide view, it examines EU politics and policies, tracks major developments across Member States, and highlights global events through a European lens.
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