Same-sex marriage in Denmark: a welcoming place to say “I do”

Is same-sex marriage legal in Denmark?

Yes. Same-sex marriage in Denmark has been legal since 2012, and today the law treats every couple in the same way. Two women or two men marry under the same marriage law, before the same registrar and with the same certificate as a man and a woman.

Denmark has a long record here. In 1989 it became the first country in the world to introduce registered partnership for same-sex couples, a step many other countries later followed. When marriage itself opened in 2012, couples gained full access to civil and church weddings under Danish rules.

For couples from abroad, this history shows up in small ways. Registrars in Copenhagen marry international couples of every combination, and nobody on the day treats your wedding as unusual. It is simply your wedding.

Can foreign same-sex couples get married in Denmark?

Yes, foreign same-sex couples can get married in Denmark without any link to the country. You do not need a Danish partner, a Danish address or any period of residence. What Denmark asks is that you are both adults, not already married and both lawfully present in Denmark when you marry.

Your nationality does not decide whether you can marry here. Couples from countries that do not allow same-sex marriage can still marry in Denmark, because the Danish authority applies Danish marriage law to the wedding itself.

If you already have a civil partnership

Some couples already have a registered or civil partnership with each other from another country. Whether you can marry on top of it, convert it or need to do something first depends on how the partnership was formed and on the documents you hold. Your personal checklist explains what applies to you.

If either of you is in a partnership or marriage with someone else, it must be legally ended before you apply. Our article on how to marry in Denmark after divorce explains the papers that usually prove this.

How does the marriage process work for same-sex couples?

The process is identical for every couple: you gather documents, the Danish Agency of Family Law (Familieretshuset) reviews them, and once approved you book a ceremony. Here is how it usually runs with us.

1. Tell us your nationalities, where you live and your preferred dates.
2. Receive a free personal document checklist within 24 hours.
3. Send us scans of your documents so our consultants can pre-check every page.
4. Submit the application to Familieretshuset, either yourselves or through us under power of attorney.
5. Receive approval, which can take as little as five business days when the file is right first time.
6. Book your ceremony at Copenhagen City Hall, an open-air location or another town hall once approval arrives.
7. Arrive in Denmark, marry in front of two witnesses and leave with your marriage certificate.

The authority fee, known as the AFL fee, is €282 for every couple. Read more about the application itself in our step-by-step guide to the Familieretshuset marriage application, or see the overview on our how it works page.

Which documents do you need?

Same-sex couples need exactly the same documents as any other international couple. The core of every application is identity and lawful stay.

• Valid passports for both of you
• If either of you was married or in a registered partnership before, the final divorce decree, dissolution order or death certificate of the former spouse
• Proof of lawful stay in Denmark if your nationality needs a visa or residence permit
• If you have children together, their birth certificates
• Apostilles and translations on foreign certificates, where your personal checklist asks for them

Couples from countries that do not recognise same-sex marriage sometimes worry that their home authority will refuse to issue a document approving a marriage to a partner of the same sex. In Denmark this hurdle does not arise: you each sign a truthful declaration of your marital status in the Familieretshuset application, and that is enough, and the agency checks your passports, any divorce or death certificates and your lawful stay.

Our full guide to the documents needed to marry in Denmark covers apostilles and translations in more depth.

What is a same-sex wedding ceremony in Denmark like?

It is a short civil ceremony led by a registrar, usually lasting around fifteen minutes. The registrar welcomes you, says a few words about marriage under Danish law and asks each of you the legal question. You both answer yes, exchange rings if you wish and sign the register with your two witnesses.

You choose the language: English, Danish or German. The certificate can be issued in Danish, English, German, French or Spanish, which is useful when you later need to show it to authorities abroad.

Where you can marry

• The historic wedding hall at Copenhagen City Hall, the most popular choice
• An open-air ceremony on the selected days the Copenhagen wedding office offers
• A town hall elsewhere in Denmark, which can sometimes offer an earlier date

You need two witnesses. They can be friends, family or anyone you trust, and if you travel alone we can arrange witnesses for you. Our article on wedding witnesses in Denmark explains their role.

Will your home country recognise a same-sex marriage from Denmark?

That depends entirely on your home country. Denmark can marry you, but it cannot decide how another country treats the marriage afterwards. This is the most important question to think about before you book.

These are broad patterns, not rules. Laws change, and some countries recognise foreign marriages for certain purposes, such as immigration or inheritance, but not others. If recognition matters for residence, pensions, children or property, take advice from a lawyer or the relevant authority in your home country.

For use abroad, the Danish certificate can receive an apostille from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Read more in is a Danish marriage recognised abroad and in our guide to the apostille on a Danish marriage certificate.

Why does Copenhagen feel so welcoming?

Copenhagen is a relaxed, open city where couples of every kind hold hands on the street without a second glance. Copenhagen Pride takes over the city each summer, and rainbow flags are a familiar sight in the centre at that time of year.

For your portraits, the city offers settings that suit every style. Many couples walk from City Hall through the old town to Nyhavn, with its painted houses and wooden boats. Others prefer the calm of Kongens Have, Rosenborg or the Botanical Garden, where the glass palm house is reflected in the lake.

Frederiksberg Have, the canals of Christianshavn and the harbour baths all add variety, and in winter Tivoli's lights glow across the square from City Hall. Browse our wedding inspiration page for ideas from real ceremonies in every season.

Planning tips: guests, photos and privacy

Plan the day around what feels right for you both. Some couples bring a small group of family and friends; others prefer to marry quietly as two and share the news later. Both work beautifully in Copenhagen.

• For an intimate day, read our guide to an elopement in Copenhagen
• If you want a guest list, plan travel dates early so everyone can book together
• Choose a photographer whose portfolio already shows couples like you, and look at our tips on finding a wedding photographer in Copenhagen
• Agree in advance whether your photos may be shared online or kept private
• Think about matching outfits, or deliberately different ones, and tell your photographer

If privacy at home is a concern, tell us. We keep your details confidential, and you can ask your photographer not to publish any images. A private registrar, included in our Priority package, can also make the ceremony feel more personal. If you would like a photographer, our team’s first choice is Sla Karvounis Photography.

Making the ceremony your own

The legal part of a Danish civil ceremony is fixed, but there is room around it for the details that make the day yours. Registrars are used to couples who want a moment of their own, as long as it fits the short format.

• Walk in together, rather than one partner waiting at the front
• Read short personal vows after the legal question, if the registrar agrees in advance
• Choose who signs first and who stands on which side for the photos
• Bring a song on your phone for the walk out, or ask a guest to play it
• Plan a toast in the courtyard or on the square straight after the signing

Our consultants help with the timing and the wording, so these touches feel natural on the day rather than rushed.

How much does a same-sex wedding in Denmark cost?

The legal cost is the same for every couple: €282 for the Familieretshuset (AFL) fee. On top of that you choose how much support you want from us, and every price below includes tax and 25% Danish VAT.

Travel, accommodation, flowers and dinner come on top and vary with your plans. See the full comparison on our packages page.

Ready to say “I do” in Denmark?

Tell us who you are, where you live and roughly when you would like to marry. Within 24 hours we send your personal document checklist, and our consultants answer every question honestly, including the difficult ones about recognition back home.

From there we pre-check your papers, file with Familieretshuset if you choose a package that includes it, and book the date and place that suit you. Contact our team when you are ready to begin.