Wedding in Copenhagen — Marry in Denmark’s Capital in 5 Working Days
The vibrant heart of Denmark where royal history meets modern romance — and the fastest legal path to marriage in Europe.
Copenhagen is the most popular wedding destination for international couples in Denmark. It combines royal history, iconic photo locations like Nyhavn and Tivoli, English-speaking registrars, and a 5-working-day legal-approval window — with no residency requirement, no in-country waiting period, and a marriage certificate recognised across the entire EU and most of the world.
Why choose Copenhagen for your wedding in Denmark?
Copenhagen offers the rare combination of speed, beauty, and full international legal recognition. International couples marry at Copenhagen City Hall in 5 working days, with English-language ceremonies, no residency requirement, direct flights from over 180 destinations worldwide, and post-wedding photo locations — Nyhavn, Tivoli, the Marble Church — that are instantly recognisable on every continent. Denmark also has the most affordable, paperwork-light civil marriage process in Western Europe.
- No residency requirement — neither partner needs to live in Denmark
- 5 working days — standard Familieretshuset approval window for clean applications
- English ceremonies — official registrars conduct in English on request
- EU-wide recognition — valid in all 27 member states under EU Regulation 2016/1191
- 180+ direct flights — Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is Scandinavia’s largest hub
- Iconic photo locations — Nyhavn, Tivoli, Marble Church, Christiansborg, Little Mermaid
What steps do you need to take to get married in Copenhagen?
There are five clear steps to legally marry in Copenhagen — submit your application to Familieretshuset (Danish Agency of Family Law), wait for approval (5 working days for clean cases), book your Copenhagen City Hall ceremony slot, attend the ceremony with two witnesses, and collect your marriage certificate the same day. Apostille processing for international use takes 3-5 working days afterward.
Denmark Wedding Services handles steps 1, 2, 3, and 5 on your behalf so you arrive in Copenhagen ready to marry — see [How DWS helps in Copenhagen](#dws-help) below.
- Step 1 — Submit application to Familieretshuset via the secure online portal
- Step 2 — Wait for approval (Prøvelsesattest issued in 5 working days)
- Step 3 — Book ceremony slot at Copenhagen City Hall (weekday availability typical)
- Step 4 — Attend the ceremony with passports plus two adult witnesses
- Step 5 — Collect certificate + apostille for international legal recognition
Which documents do international couples need for a Copenhagen wedding?
International couples need six core documents for a Copenhagen wedding — valid passport or EU national ID, a recent civil-status declaration (single, divorced, or widowed), divorce decree or death certificate if previously married, residence permit if a non-EU spouse currently resides in the EU, the completed Familieretshuset marriage notice, and the application fee receipt. Documents from non-EU countries require apostille; civil documents must be under six months old.
See our full [documents guide](https://denmarkweddingservices.com/en/blog/complete-documents-guide-marrying-in-denmark) for country-by-country apostille requirements.
- Valid passport (or national ID for EU citizens)
- Civil-status declaration (single, divorced, or widowed — issued within 6 months)
- Divorce decree or death certificate if previously married (with finality stamp)
- Residence permit if a non-EU partner lives in the EU/Schengen area
- Marriage notice form (ægteskabserklæring, signed by both partners)
- Fee receipt — DKK 2,000 application fee to Familieretshuset
How long does it take to get married in Copenhagen?
The complete Copenhagen wedding takes 2 to 6 weeks from first inquiry to a fully apostilled marriage certificate. Document preparation runs 1-2 weeks, Familieretshuset approval is 5 working days for clean applications, ceremony booking usually has same-week availability for weekday slots, and the post-ceremony apostille processing at Udenrigsministeriet adds 3-5 working days. Saturday slots at Copenhagen City Hall book 4-6 weeks ahead during peak summer season.
For couples who need the absolute fastest legal marriage in Europe, see our [Get Approved in 5 Days guide](https://denmarkweddingservices.com/en/blog/how-to-get-married-in-denmark-fast-complete-process).
- Document preparation — 1-2 weeks (apostille and translation if needed)
- Familieretshuset approval — 5 working days (clean cases)
- Copenhagen ceremony slot — same-week availability typical (weekdays)
- Apostille processing — 3-5 working days at Udenrigsministeriet
- Total realistic timeline — 2 to 6 weeks end-to-end
Can non-EU couples get married in Copenhagen?
Yes — Denmark welcomes non-EU couples without a residency requirement, making Copenhagen the fastest legal path to marriage in Europe for citizens of the US, UK, India, Russia, the Philippines, Brazil, Australia, and over 100 other countries. The only additional step for non-EU nationals is apostille legalisation of civil documents (single-status declaration and any divorce decree) before submission to Familieretshuset. Tourist (Schengen) visas are sufficient to enter for the ceremony.
Citizens of non-Hague countries (Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and a few others) use full embassy legalisation instead of apostille — start the chain 4-8 weeks before your intended wedding date.
- No residency required — marry on a Schengen tourist visa or visa-free entry
- Apostille civil documents issued outside the EU (Hague Convention countries)
- Standard 5-15 working day approval — same window as EU citizens
- Both partners present required only on the ceremony day itself
Can same-sex couples get married in Copenhagen?
Yes — Denmark was the first country in the world to grant legal partnership to same-sex couples (1989), and full marriage equality has been in force since 2012. Copenhagen City Hall conducts same-sex civil ceremonies year-round in English on identical terms to opposite-sex couples — same documents, same 5-working-day approval, same registrar, same certificate. The Danish marriage certificate is recognised in every country where same-sex marriage is legally valid.
Couples whose home country does not legally recognise same-sex marriage still receive a fully valid EU marriage certificate. The certificate retains its legal force across the EU and EEA under EU Regulation 2016/1191, regardless of whether the home country recognises the marriage domestically.
What happens after the wedding approval?
Once Familieretshuset issues your Prøvelsesattest (approval certificate), Denmark Wedding Services books your Copenhagen City Hall ceremony slot — typically available within the same week for weekday dates. The 20-minute civil ceremony is conducted in English by an official registrar with two witnesses present. You receive your Danish marriage certificate the same day; the apostille for international legal recognition arrives 3-5 working days later by registered post.
- Same-day marriage certificate — issued in five languages on one document
- Apostille processing at Udenrigsministeriet (3-5 working days)
- Optional sworn translation for home-country registration
- Home-country registration under EU Regulation 2016/1191 (EU) or apostille (non-EU)
How Denmark Wedding Services helps in Copenhagen
Denmark Wedding Services manages every administrative step of your Copenhagen wedding so you arrive ready to marry — document review against Familieretshuset standards, full application submission, Copenhagen City Hall ceremony booking, on-site coordination, apostille processing, and post-ceremony sworn translations for your home country. Our experienced team has successfully delivered weddings for couples from over 80 nationalities since 2017.
Start with our [free document checklist](https://denmarkweddingservices.com/en/free-wedding-checklist) or [contact us](https://denmarkweddingservices.com/en/contact) for a personalised Copenhagen timeline.
- Document review against Familieretshuset checklists (catches rejection risks before submission)
- Application submission managed end-to-end via the secure Familieretshuset portal
- Ceremony slot booking at your preferred Copenhagen date and time
- Two legal witnesses provided on request — included in the Comfort Package
- Apostille handling post-ceremony — no need to return to Copenhagen
- Sworn translations of the certificate into your home-country language
Copenhagen City Hall Wedding — Quick & Legal
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Married in Copenhagen
How much does a wedding in Copenhagen cost?
A complete Copenhagen wedding costs approximately EUR 1,000-1,500 in mandatory fees: the Familieretshuset application fee is DKK 2,000 (~EUR 270), Copenhagen City Hall ceremony fee is DKK 850 (~EUR 115), apostille is DKK 200 (~EUR 27), and the Denmark Wedding Services Comfort Package is EUR 800 flat — covering document review, application submission, ceremony booking, two witnesses, and apostille processing. Hotels, flights, and post-wedding celebrations are additional. Many couples spend under EUR 2,500 total, making Copenhagen one of the most affordable destination wedding locations in Europe.
Do we need to be in Copenhagen for our application to be approved?
No. The Familieretshuset application is entirely digital — both partners scan documents at home and upload via our secure portal. Neither partner needs to travel to Copenhagen during the 5-working-day approval window. The only required presence in Copenhagen is the ceremony day itself, when both partners hand passports and any divorce documents to the City Hall registrar. Most international couples arrive the evening before the ceremony and depart 1-2 days after, making total time in Copenhagen as short as 48-72 hours.
Can we marry the same day we arrive in Copenhagen?
Yes — provided your Familieretshuset approval (Prøvelsesattest) is already issued before you fly. The standard workflow is: submit documents digitally 2-4 weeks before your travel dates, wait for the 5-working-day approval, book the Copenhagen ceremony slot, then fly in for the ceremony itself. Couples regularly arrive the morning of the wedding and marry that afternoon. The Prøvelsesattest is valid for 4 months from issue, so you have a flexible ceremony date window once approval lands.
Is the Danish marriage certificate valid in our home country?
Yes, in virtually every country. The Danish marriage certificate is issued automatically in five languages on the same physical document — Danish, English, German, French, and Spanish. EU and EEA member states recognise it directly under EU Regulation 2016/1191 (no apostille required for EU recognition). Non-EU countries require the apostille from Udenrigsministeriet — a one-page legalisation stamp processed in 3-5 working days. For countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention (Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE), full embassy legalisation is used instead.
What if Familieretshuset rejects our documents?
Rejection rates for unprepared applications run around 30%, but drop below 5% with professional document review. Familieretshuset most commonly requests supporting documents on roughly 12% of applications — usually a clearer scan, an additional translation, or a missing apostille. We respond on your behalf within 24 hours, so the back-and-forth is fast. The 5-working-day approval clock pauses while Familieretshuset waits for our response and resumes where it left off — the clock does NOT restart from zero.