When faced with overwhelming bureaucracy in Poland, Magdalena Kujawińska and her Colombian fiancé Heinner Valenzuela turned to Denmark for a simpler solution — and tied the knot in a 10-minute ceremony at Copenhagen’s historic City Hall.
“We realized that it’s not that easy to get married in Poland,” said Kujawińska. The couple, who reside in Krakow, struggled with document delays, especially the certificate of non-marriage from Colombia, which expires in three months and couldn’t arrive in time.
Instead, they turned to an online wedding planner who helped them secure approval to wed in Denmark within just four days.
Copenhagen has become a magnet for international couples — mixed-nationality and same-sex alike — earning the nickname “Las Vegas of Europe” for its streamlined wedding procedures.
According to Anita Okkels Birk Thomsen, head of the marriage office at Copenhagen City Hall, the capital hosted around 8,000 weddings last year, 5,400 of which involved couples with no Danish residency — nearly double the number from five years ago.
But the popularity comes with a downside. Local couples are finding it harder to secure ceremony slots.
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“The significant rise in foreign couples getting married in the capital poses challenges for Copenhagen-based couples,” said Mia Nyegaard, the city official in charge of culture and leisure. Starting late October, City Hall will reserve 40% of wedding slots for residents. However, ceremonies via private registrars will not be affected.
City lawmakers will also explore additional measures to relieve pressure on wedding services after the summer break.
Denmark’s appeal lies in its liberal marriage laws. It was the first country in the world to recognize same-sex civil unions in 1989 and legalized same-sex marriage in 2012.
The requirements are simple: no birth certificate or proof of single status is needed in most cases. Applications cost 2,100 kroner (about $326) and, if approved, couples receive a certificate within five working days. All that's typically required is a valid passport — and a visa, if necessary.
“We get that thing like, ‘Are you sure we do not need a birth certificate?’ And we go, ‘Yes,’” said Rasmus Clarck Sørensen, director of Getting Married in Denmark, an online wedding planning company. His firm helped over 2,600 couples last year through its €875 ($1,014) “Complete Service” package.
For Kujawińska and Valenzuela, Denmark offered more than convenience — it fulfilled a long-delayed dream.
“It means a lot for us because we’ve been waiting a lot for this,” said Kujawińska. “We’re really happy.”
Source: Agency