How Copenhagen became the global hotspot for fast and easy weddings
Couples from around the globe are flocking to Copenhagen to tie the knot. In 2023, one in five weddings in Denmark involved at least one foreign national. But what makes this Nordic city such an attractive destination for couples? ENTR visited Copenhagen City Hall to uncover the charm of a Danish wedding.
“In less than 90 minutes, I have to marry nine couples. It’s really quick,” jokes Anders Johnson, a wedding officiant at Copenhagen City Hall. “For regular weddings, we organise about 68 ceremonies per day. On average, there are 7,000 unions per year, maybe 8,000 in 2024.”
A valid passport, an online form… and that’s it. Getting married in Denmark doesn’t require much patience. The standard procedure can be wrapped up in just one week: five working days to validate the paperwork and book a slot, one or two travel days to reach the Danish capital, and finally… a ten-minute ceremony.
“It was super fast. We were crying, and I couldn’t really take in what was happening. But it was still very emotional,” says Britney, a young Kazakh woman living in Italy, who came to Copenhagen to marry her Turkish fiancé, Mart, who lives in Berlin.
A smooth process with a touch of folklore
For some couples, Denmark is one of the only places where they can legally marry. This is particularly true for nationals of countries that do not recognise same-sex marriage, like Angel and Dev, one Czech and the other American.
