Getting Married in Denmark Step by Step
You can get married in Denmark without living here or having Danish citizenship. Most international couples prepare their documents and apply from abroad, then travel to Denmark for their confirmed ceremony.
Start by checking your documents and travel permission, then choose a municipality, submit the marriage application and confirm your ceremony. Marriage approval, permission to enter Denmark and a wedding booking are separate requirements. Our wedding checklist helps you keep track of each task.
Before you begin
• Both partners must be at least 18 years old and legally free to marry.
• Any previous marriage must have legally ended.
• You must meet the rules on family relationships and give your consent freely.
• Your relationship must be genuine, rather than a marriage arranged solely to obtain residence rights.
• Both partners must be able to enter and stay in Denmark lawfully and attend the ceremony in person.
Step 1 Check your application route
Most international couples living abroad apply to the Danish Agency of Family Law, called Familieretshuset. It examines whether you meet the marriage conditions and issues the Danish Certificate of Marital Status, or prøvelsesattest.
Some couples apply through a municipality instead because both partners fall within qualifying Danish, Nordic or permanent-residence categories. Our nationality guides explain how nationality and residence affect the route.
Step 2 Prepare your documents
Begin with your identification and evidence of lawful stay. Add documents relevant to your circumstances, such as a final divorce decree, evidence of a shared address abroad or birth certificates for children you have together.
Your own birth certificates are not part of the Agency's standard preparation list. If you have children together, their birth certificates are required. A separate foreign single-status certificate is not routinely listed, although the Agency can request further evidence in an individual case. See documents needed to get married in Denmark for the full explanation.
Step 3 Check copies and translations
Photograph complete passports in colour, including blank pages and covers. An EU citizen using a national identity card should provide images of both sides. Every detail must be readable.
Foreign documents that are not in Danish, English or German may need a translation. Arrange authorised translations and any required authentication before submitting. Keep the original-language document together with its translation, including translated stamps and endorsements.
Step 4 Choose Where to Get Married in Denmark
Compare wedding locations in Denmark before signing and paying for the application. Consider available dates, travel time, ceremony language and whether the town hall will provide witnesses for the ceremony or you will need to bring your own. Some offer classic town hall ceremonies, while others may offer outdoor, weekend or private-location options.
Select your intended municipality in the application so the Agency knows where to send the approval. This does not reserve a wedding date. If you later choose another municipality, arrange any necessary transfer of the approval.
Step 5 Complete the application and pay
Both partners must provide their information and sign the required declarations. Use our marriage application guide for help with the two-part process, uploads and final review.
The government application fee in 2026 is DKK 2,100 per couple, approximately €282. You can apply yourselves without paying for an agency. Our costs and fees guide explains when this fee can be your only direct cost for the marriage process and which additional expenses may apply.
Step 6 Wait for the decision
Five working days is a guideline for approval of a complete application that meets the marriage conditions. It is not a guaranteed wedding date. Questions or missing evidence can lead to a much longer review.
Monitor your messages and respond through the channel specified by the Agency. Our Denmark wedding timeline explains how preparation, review and town hall availability fit together.
Step 7 Confirm your ceremony after approval
The approval is normally sent to the municipality chosen in the application. Follow that municipality's booking instructions and obtain written confirmation of your date and time.
Your Certificate of Marital Status is valid for a maximum of four months, and sometimes less if relevant documents expire sooner. The ceremony must take place within both the approval period and your lawful stay.
Step 8 Travel and present original identification
Bring the original passport or accepted EU ID used in the application, plus relevant visa or residence documents. Ask when the town hall needs to inspect them: some checks happen before the ceremony, while others take place on an earlier working day.
Tourists can use this process too. Read our tourist visa guide before planning a short visit around the wedding.
Step 9 Attend your civil wedding
A Danish civil wedding is usually simple, warm and relatively brief. Ceremony languages and interpreter rules vary by municipality. Tell the municipality if either partner needs an interpreter and follow its requirements.
Many town halls can provide the two official witnesses, but this is not universal - particularly for some weekend or off-site ceremonies.
Confirm the language, two witnesses, guest limit and arrival time in advance.
Step 10 Receive your marriage certificate
After the ceremony, you receive your official marriage certificate. Danish municipalities can issue an international version in Danish, English, German, French and Spanish. Check your names and other details, then ask the authority where you will use the certificate about registration, translation and any apostille requirements.
Get help with your next step
Copenhagen Weddings can guide you through the paperwork or handle the application and authority communication under the service you choose. Compare our services and prices, or contact us with your nationalities, countries of residence and preferred wedding period.