Denmark has become a leading European destination for international couples seeking quick, low-cost weddings with minimal administrative paperwork.
Las Vegas has long served as the world's primary location for rapid nuptials, where couples can arrive single in the morning and marry before sunset. However, Denmark has emerged as a low-key, European alternative that is significantly easier for British couples and other overseas travelers to reach.
While same-day weddings are not yet possible in the Scandinavian nation, liberal marriage laws allow foreign couples to tie the knot within a week or two of submitting an application.
Unlike traditional destination wedding locations such as Italy, Greece, France, or the United Kingdom, which frequently demand birth certificates and official proof of single status, Denmark requires only a valid passport and an online application form.
Couples begin the process by requesting a Certificate of Marital Status through Familieretshuset, Denmark's Agency of Family Law, or through a local municipality. Once approved, couples can choose from a wide selection of venues across the country.
According to Getting Married in Denmark, an agency that assists overseas couples with wedding logistics, more than 98 per cent of marriage applications receive approval within five days. The total administrative cost for obtaining approval in Denmark is around £250.
Demand for fast wedding ceremonies in Denmark has increased sharply since 2019, driven primarily by social media posts and word-of-mouth recommendations among international couples.
Rasmus Clarck Sørensen, director of Getting Married in Denmark, told the Daily Mail that he established his consultancy after facing extensive administrative hurdles when preparing to marry his Iranian wife in 2011.
After Sørensen published a blog post explaining Denmark's less stressful marriage procedures, inquisitive couples contacted him for assistance, leading to the creation of his business.
Sørensen explained that eloping to Denmark has historical precedent dating back to the Second World War. During that period, American soldiers stationed on military bases in Europe lacked residency rights or visas to live outside their bases.
Sørensen said: "If they met someone outside of the base and wanted to stay - then they needed to find a way to get married. They realised it was much easier to go to Denmark and do it. The reasons people choose to marry here today are pretty similar!"
Over the past seven years, Sørensen reported a 30 per cent increase in international brides and grooms booking weddings through his agency in Denmark.
Surge in Foreign Weddings at Copenhagen City Hall
Official records from Familieretshuset show that 5,000 of the 8,000 wedding ceremonies conducted at Copenhagen City Hall in 2024 involved non-Danish couples.
The country has attracted significant interest from the LGBTQ+ community, as many same-sex couples travel to Denmark to have their relationships officially recognized when legal marriage is unavailable in their home countries.
Couples featured on the Getting Married in Denmark website include Jagvir and Martino, two fashion designers based in India, as well as Lenka, a Slovakian national, and Simon, a British citizen. Lenka and Simon, who live in the UK, tied the knot at Stevns town hall in southern Denmark.
Danish law requires two witnesses to be present during a marriage ceremony. When couples travel alone, the chosen venue can typically provide two staff members to act as official witnesses.
The international wedding movement originated at Copenhagen City Hall, a Romantic-style building situated in the center of the capital near the scenic Nyhavn canal. However, tourism authority Visit Denmark reports that the trend has quickly expanded across the entire country.
Among the popular regional locations is Ærø, a small island located two hours by car from Copenhagen, pronounced "air-rue", which offers secluded spots for couples saying their vows.
Fairytale Ceremonies Across Regional Venues
In Odense, Denmark's third largest city, couples can marry inside Odense Hall, a 19th-century municipal building constructed in an Italian Gothic red-brick architectural style.
Odense is widely recognized as the birthplace of 19th-century author Hans Christian Andersen, whose world-famous fairy tales established the city's identity as a romantic cultural site.
Further north in Jutland, Aalborg City Hall handles thousands of international weddings each year. Completed in 1762, the striking yellow-painted venue is built in a late-Baroque architectural style.
However, the influx of foreign couples has drawn mixed reactions from local residents. To ensure access for residents, authorities have reserved 40 per cent of appointment slots at Copenhagen City Hall exclusively for Danish citizens.
Kasper Iversen, a spokesperson for Visit Denmark, told the Daily Mail that the growth in international weddings occurred entirely organically without active government marketing campaigns.
Iversen said: "Denmark hasn't done anything to actively attract tourists but its liberal laws in terms of what it takes to get married here has since foreigners discovered it."
Planning Requirements and Lead Times
Iversen cautioned that despite Denmark's efficient process, couples cannot simply show up unannounced.
Iversen said: "It's not quite like in Las Vegas, where you can basically just be tipsy and drop in and get married on the spot - you have to book it and arrange it a few weeks in advance."
He noted that Denmark's inclusive society provides a welcoming environment for same-sex couples seeking a memorable setting for their vows.
Iversen said: "Denmark is a fairytale country, basically. It's where Hans Christian Andersen wrote his famous fairytales - and what could be more of a fairytale than a wedding?"
Iversen advised prospective couples that Copenhagen City Hall now requires longer lead times due to high demand, particularly during peak summer months when waiting times reach six to eight weeks.
He recommended that couples planning to marry in Copenhagen submit applications at least two months in advance, or consider alternative municipalities across Denmark where waiting periods are significantly shorter.
Iversen said: "Because it's been so popular in Copenhagen, couples now look at other parts of Denmark, where it's even easier, because there's not that waiting time. It's gone from being a Copenhagen trend to being all over Denmark."
