Getting Married in Denmark
If you'd like to get married on your next Denmark vacation or are planning to elope in Denmark on short notice, keep the following Danish marriage requirements and regulations in mind:
What eloping couples will need:
If one or both partners have been previously married, a legally binding divorce decree must be submitted. As U.S. divorce decrees (and some other countries' divorce decrees) do not contain the wording required by Danish law, call the Clerk of Court in your home state or country and request a statement confirming your divorce decree, indicating file number and date, stating "Final judgement without appeals", and that you are free to remarry. For detailed assistance, contact one of the Danish embassies worldwide.
FUN FACT: At a traditional Danish reception, the guests will gather around the groom during the celebration and cut his tie and socks off with scissors.
For gay/lesbian couples wanting to get married in Denmark: "Registered Partnership"
Denmark was the first country in the world to legalize same-sex partnerships, in 1989, and to this date remains one of the world's most open-minded countries. The registration papers gay and lesbian couples will need are identical to the ones needed for heterosexual marriages, but the registration process itself is shorter and processing does not take nearly as long.
If you're interested in eloping in a different Scandinavian country, take a look at these articles as well:
What eloping couples will need:
- Documentation showing present marital status (e.g. recent tax return).
- Passport or similar valid travel ID.
- A 2 week stay is recommended to ensure all papers are processed (if divorce papers are involved, processing may take up to 3 weeks).
- Getting married in Denmark will cost a fee of DKR 500.
If one or both partners have been previously married, a legally binding divorce decree must be submitted. As U.S. divorce decrees (and some other countries' divorce decrees) do not contain the wording required by Danish law, call the Clerk of Court in your home state or country and request a statement confirming your divorce decree, indicating file number and date, stating "Final judgement without appeals", and that you are free to remarry. For detailed assistance, contact one of the Danish embassies worldwide.
FUN FACT: At a traditional Danish reception, the guests will gather around the groom during the celebration and cut his tie and socks off with scissors.
For gay/lesbian couples wanting to get married in Denmark: "Registered Partnership"
Denmark was the first country in the world to legalize same-sex partnerships, in 1989, and to this date remains one of the world's most open-minded countries. The registration papers gay and lesbian couples will need are identical to the ones needed for heterosexual marriages, but the registration process itself is shorter and processing does not take nearly as long.
If you're interested in eloping in a different Scandinavian country, take a look at these articles as well:
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