Marriage in Denmark has become increasingly popular for international couples with different nationalities looking to marry, thanks to simplified procedures and a high degree of digitalization. With long wait times and bureaucratic barriers in other countries, when you do not have the same nationality as your partner, thousands are turning to Copenhagen and Danish islands like Ærø to tie the knot. Due to Denmark’s highly digitized civil administration, the process of getting married in Denmark is less time-consuming, however, not without bounds.
A Global Wedding Hub: Get Married in Denmark
Foreign couples from around the world are flocking to Denmark to get married, drawn by a streamlined legal process and fewer bureaucratic hurdles compared to many other countries. In 2024 alone, Copenhagen officiated approximately 8,000 wedding ceremonies, with around 5,400 of those involving non-resident couples. This trend has doubled in the last five years and is gaining growing international attention, including features on French television and recent coverage by the Associated Press.
Complex Regulations Abroad Driving Wedding Tourism
For many international couples, marrying in their country of residence or origin can be a long and tedious endeavor—if not nearly impossible. Countries like Germany often require in-depth documentation, such as a certificate confirming a person is not already married. Acquiring such paperwork, particularly from countries with non-centralized registries like India, can be especially challenging.
One couple, an Italian woman and Indian man living in Germany, were informed that they might have to wait up to 18 months to marry due to bureaucratic delays. They ultimately decided on Denmark, which offered a more manageable and time-efficient process, including multilingual certificates that could be recognized internationally.
Digitalization at the Core of the Advantage of Marriage in Denmark
One of Denmark’s most significant advantages is its highly digitalized civil administration. Everything from applications to documentation verification can be managed online or electronically. This approach saves time and resources—not just for Danish authorities but also for the couples who frequently come from diverse bureaucratic systems where digital infrastructure may be limited.
Multilingual marriage certificates provided by Danish municipalities simplify the next required step for many couples: registering their marriage in their own countries, which often still only recognize specific language documentation.
A Business Built on Love: Get married in Denmark
The growing demand for Danish weddings has also driven the success of private enterprises that support foreign couples through the process. One leading company, “Getting Married in Denmark,” was founded in 2014 by a Danish entrepreneur and his British wife. The company employs 22 people and, in the past year, assisted over 2,600 couples with documentation, applications, and even ceremony coordination.
The service costs couples around 875 euros (approximately 6,500 Danish kroner), which includes a governmental processing fee of about 2,000 kroner. The fee covers advisory services, paperwork handling, and communication with Danish authorities to ensure everything proceeds smoothly.
Is Denmark The Las Vegas of Europe?
Though Denmark is sometimes compared to Las Vegas due to its accessibility, local officials and wedding service providers insist that the comparison misses the mark. Unlike the spontaneous wedding chapels found in Nevada, Danish civil marriage still involves detailed documentation checks, verification of identity, and a review of relationship authenticity to prevent abuse of the process.
For example, couples must present photos, travel documentation, or shared bank account statements to prove the legitimacy of their relationship. In cases where suspicions arise, couples are called in for an in-person interview to further confirm their intentions.
Legal and Familial Motivations to get Married in Denmark
Many couples also opt for Danish weddings due to familial or legal needs. In several countries, a child born out of wedlock may not legally be recognized as the child of the father unless the parents are married. This can affect inheritance rights, citizenship, and even access to public services. With many foreign couples expecting children, speed and legal clarity become crucial motivators for choosing Denmark.
Marriage in Denmark: Transparent but Thorough Process
Despite Denmark’s openness to foreign nuptials, the country maintains clear processes for marriage in Denmark to prevent fraud or so-called “sham marriages.” Couples must provide valid passports and—if necessary—tourist visas. Authorities aim to balance user-friendliness with vigilance, ensuring that the rise in international weddings remains legitimate and sustainable.
As word spreads and global bureaucracies remain slow to modernize, Denmark’s reputation as a premier international wedding destination continues to grow. Whether on the historic island of Ærø or in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark offers a marriage process that’s fast, legal, and recognized around the world.
