How UK citizens marry in Denmark: a calm guide to the paperwork and the day

Why do so many UK citizens marry in Denmark?

UK citizens marry in Denmark because it is close, quick and refreshingly simple. Copenhagen is a short flight from most UK airports, the ceremony can be held in English, and there is no waiting period in Denmark itself once Familieretshuset has approved your documents.

For many British couples it is also about scale. A civil ceremony at Copenhagen City Hall is intimate by design: the two of you, two witnesses and perhaps a handful of family. Some couples hold a larger party at home later. Others simply want a beautiful, legal wedding without a year of planning.

This article explains how the process usually works for British passport holders. It is a general guide, because individual circumstances differ and rules change. The personal checklist we send you within 24 hours is what confirms your exact requirements.

What documents do UK citizens need?

In most cases British couples need valid passports and little else, because you each sign a truthful declaration of your marital status in the Familieretshuset application. If either of you has been married before, the final divorce or dissolution order, or the death certificate of a former spouse, is usually part of the file as well, and if you have children together, their birth certificates are included.

Unlike some countries, the UK has several civil registration systems, for England and Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland. Your documents come from the system where the event was registered. That matters for certificates and for any apostilles, so we always ask where each document was issued.

What usually goes into a British file

• A valid UK passport for each of you, with enough validity left for Schengen travel.
• If divorced: the decree absolute or final order. If widowed: the former spouse's death certificate.
• If you have children together: their birth certificates.
• Evidence of lawful presence in Denmark on the wedding day.
• Documents for a partner of another nationality, following their own country's requirements.

The full picture is in our general guide to the documents needed to marry in Denmark. In our experience, British files most often slow down because a name differs slightly between documents, so we check spelling and middle names closely.

Do British documents need an apostille?

Sometimes. Whether a particular UK document needs an apostille depends on the document and on what Familieretshuset asks for in your case. The good news is that the UK, like Denmark, belongs to the Apostille Convention, and UK apostilles are issued centrally by the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Because there is one central office, British couples usually find this step easier than couples from countries where apostilles are issued region by region. Allow time for postage and processing all the same, and do not assume a document is accepted until it appears on your checklist.

Apostilles also matter after the wedding. Our article on the apostille for a Danish marriage certificate explains how Danish apostilles are issued by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and when you might need one at home.

How does Brexit affect travel to a Danish wedding?

Since Brexit, British citizens travel to Denmark as visitors from outside the EU. In practice, UK passport holders can usually visit the Schengen area without a visa for short stays, but the short-stay limits and passport validity rules now apply to you.

That means checking your passport issue and expiry dates carefully before you book, and keeping track of how much time you have spent in the Schengen area recently if you travel often. New entry systems for non-EU visitors have also been announced, so look at the current rules before departure.

To marry in Denmark you must be lawfully present there on the day, through a visa-free stay, a visa or a residence permit. If one partner holds a non-British passport that needs a visa, read our guide to whether you need a visa to get married in Denmark. The Danish immigration portal nyidanmark.dk is the official source.

How long does it take for UK couples?

Usually 4 to 8 weeks after first contacting us. Approval by Familieretshuset can take as little as five business days when everything is correct first time, and an express ceremony date is possible only when a private registrar is available.

The part that varies most is gathering your own documents at home. If your checklist includes a divorce order or another certificate, ordering certified copies and any apostilles can take longer than the Danish side, so we recommend starting as soon as you have a rough window in mind.

Our article on how long it takes to get married in Denmark goes into more detail. We never promise a date on the authority's behalf, but a clean file gives you the best chance of a quick answer.

Planning a short wedding trip from the UK

Because the flight is short, British couples have lots of options. Some fly out the evening before and home the day after. Others make a long weekend of it, or add a few days in Malmö across the Øresund Bridge, on the coast at Kronborg or on the island of Ærø.

1. Choose a travel window once your checklist is in hand, keeping fares flexible.
2. Confirm hotels close to City Hall or your chosen venue once the date is set.
3. Pack outfits in your hand luggage and bring passports, rings and printed confirmations.
4. Plan a gentle first evening: a walk along Nyhavn or through Tivoli is a lovely start.
5. Book a photographer for after the ceremony, when the light and the mood are right.

Copenhagen is one hour ahead of the UK, so jet lag is not a concern. Weather is the bigger variable: we keep an indoor plan ready for any open-air ceremony, and City Hall weddings take place all year.

What happens at the ceremony

The ceremony is a short civil wedding led by a registrar, held in English if you ask for it. You stand together with your two witnesses, the registrar says a few words about marriage under Danish law, and each of you answers the legal question.

You then exchange rings if you wish, sign the register and receive your Danish marriage certificate. Two witnesses must attend. If you are travelling alone, we arrange witnesses so you do not need to bring anyone.

Many British couples enjoy how personal it feels, with no rehearsal, no long service and no pressure. Afterwards you can walk out onto Rådhuspladsen, past the dragon fountain, and straight into the old town for photos.

Common situations for British couples

Most British files fall into a few familiar patterns. Each one is perfectly manageable, but each changes the checklist a little, so it helps to know where you fit before you start ordering documents.

Both partners British, never married

This is usually the simplest file. Your passports form the core, and the main task is making sure your names match them exactly on the application and every booking. Couples in this situation are often ready to file soon after receiving their checklist.

One partner divorced in the UK

The final order or decree absolute is the key document, and it must show that the divorce is complete rather than provisional. If the divorce was granted in Scotland or Northern Ireland, the document comes from that jurisdiction, so we check which court issued it.

One partner British, the other from outside Europe

Here the timeline is often set by the non-British partner's documents and any Schengen visa. We plan both strands side by side, so the visa appointment and the approval arrive in a sensible order.

British couples living abroad

Many UK citizens live in Spain, Dubai or elsewhere. Your residence country can affect which documents are easiest to obtain and how you travel, so tell us where you live as well as where you were born.

Is a Danish marriage valid in the UK?

In general, yes. A Danish civil marriage is a legally binding marriage, and the UK normally recognises a marriage that was validly made in the country where it took place. British couples usually do not register a foreign marriage in the UK; the Danish certificate itself is the record.

You use the certificate when you update your name with banks, HM Passport Office or your employer, or for any immigration matters if one partner is not British. Each organisation sets its own rules on translations and apostilles, so check with them before you send anything.

Danish certificates can be issued in English and several other languages, which avoids translation costs in many cases. For the wider picture, read our guide on whether a Danish marriage is recognised abroad, and our post on changing your name after marrying in Denmark.

How much does it cost for UK citizens?

Our four packages cost €290, €690, €1,190 and €1,590, including tax and 25% Danish VAT. The €282 Familieretshuset (AFL) fee is included in Complete, Priority and Premium, while Essential couples pay it directly to the authority.

Your own costs for certified copies, apostilles, flights and hotels come on top and vary with dates and choices. See every inclusion on our packages page, or our services page for photography, dinners and travel help. For your photos, our team’s favourite is Sla Karvounis Photography.

Your next step

Send us your nationalities, where your documents were issued and the months you have in mind. Our consultants reply within one business day with your personal checklist and realistic ceremony dates.

From then on we pre-check your papers, file with Familieretshuset and book the ceremony, so your part is mostly packing. Get in touch with our team to check your date.