A Civil Ceremony in the Marble Hall · Salzburg, Austria
Wedding at Mirabell Palace
Isabelle & Moritz
Early in the morning a soft haze lay over the Salzach. The city was still quiet, and the mountains were only a gentle outline against the sky. It was the day Isabelle and Moritz would marry at Mirabell Palace (Schloss Mirabell).
The two of them had come to Salzburg from Munich for a wedding weekend spread over two days: a civil ceremony in the Marble Hall on the Friday, and a celebrant-led ceremony at Klessheim on the Saturday. This post is about their Mirabell Palace wedding, from the morning in the gardens to the moment they stepped back out into the light as a married couple.
When they first got in touch, they described themselves as rather camera-shy. At the same time, they knew exactly how they wanted their photographs to feel: elegant, pared back, close. That is not how I experienced them on the day. Whether they had simply been modest, or whether the time we spent planning together played its part, I cannot say. I only know that with these two, everything felt very easy.
Morning in the Mirabell Gardens
We met in the Mirabell Gardens in the morning, before most visitors arrived. The light was hazy and restrained, a summer morning without harsh shadows. For photographs, light like that is a gift.
We did not pose much. We walked, paused, walked on. Between the flower beds, along the balustrade, on the gravel path in front of the palace. At some point the two of them laughed about something only they understood and turned as if dancing. Nothing more was needed.
Above it all stood Hohensalzburg Fortress. Through the arcades, the view opened onto the palace and the tall windows of the Marble Hall, where the ceremony would take place a little later.
Inside the palace
Before the ceremony there were a few quiet minutes inside the palace. Columns, stucco, bright window light. The rooms are large, and I like it when they are allowed to speak in the photographs: their height, their proportions, the lines that guide the eye. Places like this show that we are part of something larger. Perhaps that is exactly why two people seem so close within them.
In these rooms you grow quieter without trying. The light is soft, the stone is old, and in the middle of it all the two of them were entirely themselves: a glance, a hand, and at some point a laugh.
The ceremony in the Marble Hall
Before the doors opened, the Marble Hall was still empty. Gold, stucco, marble, the red chairs in their rows. Light from the garden fell through the tall windows. Then the guests arrived, a small circle, and the room filled with voices and movement.
Isabelle and Moritz walked through the ornate doorway together. Not a grand entrance, more an arrival. Two people stepping into this tall room side by side and sitting down next to each other.
During their vows they held hands. The hall became very still. A few tears were shed, and they made the moment even deeper. The gold and the stucco faded into the background. What mattered were the two of them and the people closest to them.
Then the rings. The signature at the marble table. And in between a kiss, entirely natural, as if it belonged exactly there.
A civil ceremony is often short. This one still had room for everything that mattered.
Afterwards: hand in hand through the garden
After the ceremony the two of them left the Marble Hall. In the doorway there was time for a kiss. The guests were already making their way out, and Isabelle and Moritz took a few more minutes just for themselves. Then they walked down the Angel Staircase together, the marble stairway with its stone cherubs.
At the bottom the bouquet flew into the air, a brief, exuberant moment. Then it was back into the garden, hand in hand, to where the morning had begun. Afterwards they celebrated with their guests at Hotel zum Hirschen.
In the afternoon, long after my part of the day had ended, a short rain shower passed over Salzburg. But the morning had belonged entirely to the soft light.
Looks and details
Their looks matched exactly how they had imagined the day: pared back, modern and confident. A white trouser suit from Mango with a birdcage veil found on Etsy. Alongside it, a tailored navy suit from Cove & Co. with a white shirt, deliberately without a tie.
The bouquet came from Mydekostories, hair and make-up from Jackie Asaro. None of it wanted to take centre stage. That is exactly why everything settled so quietly into the rooms of the palace.
Getting married at Mirabell Palace: good to know
Many couples planning a Mirabell Palace wedding have similar questions. Here is a summary of the most important points from the official information of the City of Salzburg.
How much does a wedding at Mirabell Palace cost?
According to the City of Salzburg, a civil ceremony at the Salzburg registry office costs a maximum of 330 euros. The exact fee is set when your eligibility to marry is assessed. For ceremonies at external venues, the city states a maximum of 500 euros. Photography, flowers and a reception come on top, and parking fees may apply around the palace.
On which days do ceremonies take place?
Ceremonies in the Marble Hall take place on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 am to 12 noon and on Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm. You reserve your date through the online wedding calendar of the City of Salzburg. Popular dates go quickly, so it is worth booking early. Important for autumn 2027: from 4 to 17 October 2027 there will be no ceremonies in the Marble Hall due to renovation work.
How many guests fit into the Marble Hall?
The hall is around 150 square metres and more than ten metres high. There are 25 upholstered chairs for ceremonies. If you are planning with considerably more guests, it is best to check directly with the registry office.
How does getting married in Salzburg work for couples from abroad?
After reserving online, you receive a list of the documents you need within 14 days. Before the wedding, your eligibility to marry is assessed in person; in principle both of you should attend, and if that is not possible there is a written declaration. Typical documents include a valid passport or ID card, a birth certificate, proof of nationality and, if you live abroad, proof of residence. Documents in other languages need a translation and often an apostille or certification. The assessment is valid for a maximum of six months. Which documents you need exactly depends on your nationality, so the Salzburg registry office is the place to confirm.
What should you know for the day itself?
You register at the registry office at least 20 minutes before your appointment, with valid photo ID. Witnesses are optional in Austria; if you have them, they must be adults, speak German and bring photo ID. Rice, petals and confetti are not allowed in the palace or the Mirabell Gardens. A standing reception is only possible in the Bastion Garden, without tents or bars.
Can you take photographs in the Marble Hall?
Yes. You choose your photographer yourselves; the city asks photographers to work discreetly so the ceremony is not disturbed. That suits the way I work.
As of November 2026. All information without guarantee; the current information from the City of Salzburg and the registry office is binding.
A wedding weekend in Salzburg
For Isabelle and Moritz, the Marble Hall was only the beginning. The next day they celebrated a celebrant-led ceremony at Klessheim, in different looks and with a different mood. I will tell that story in a separate post
The people behind the day
The people who helped shape the day.
- Photography
- Juliane Kaeppel
- Hair & make-up
- Jackie Asaro
- Flowers
- Mydekostories
- Suit & shirt
- Cove GmbH & Co. KG
- Ceremony
- Schloss Mirabell
- Trouser suit
- Mango
- Veil
- Etsy
Your wedding
If you are dreaming of a wedding in a place with history, quiet and close, and you recognise yourselves in these photographs, I would love to hear about your plans. Whether it is the Marble Hall, the Mirabell Gardens or a whole weekend in Salzburg: tell me about yourselves.
Tell me about your wedding