Happy couples flock to ‘Las Vegas of Europe' to get married but locals aren't happy
Confronted with tangled red tape back home in Poland, Magdalena Kujawińska and her Colombian partner Heinner Valenzuela made the journey to Copenhagen to tie the knot.
"We realised that it's not that easy to get married in Poland," the 30 year old Kujawińska explained whilst the pair awaited their 10-minute ceremony at the Danish capital's 19th-century City Hall. "You need a certificate that you are not married. We tried to get it from Colombia, but it's only valid for three months, and it couldn't get to Poland from Colombia in three months. It was just impossible for us," she explained.
The pair, who reside in Krakow, had been betrothed for over three years when Kujawińska learnt about Denmark's comparatively straightforward marriage regulations from a work colleague. Collaborating with an online wedding coordinator, the duo organised the required paperwork. They spoke of their big day after couples in the UK revealed their dream honeymoon destination.
"And in four days, we had the decision that the marriage could be done here," a beaming Kujawińska revealed.
Couples who aren't Danish residents, including both mixed- and same-sex partnerships, are flocking to the Scandinavian nation in growing numbers to wed - leading some to brand Copenhagen the "Las Vegas of Europe."
Anita Okkels Birk Thomsen, who heads the marriage department at Copenhagen City Hall, revealed that approximately 8,000 wedding ceremonies took place there last year. Among these, roughly 5,400 involved couples where neither person was a Danish resident. "That's almost double what we saw five years ago," she noted. "They come from all over the world."
But the city recognises a drawback to this popularity: demand for ceremonies at City Hall now vastly outstrips the number of available appointments. Mia Nyegaard, the Copenhagen official overseeing culture and leisure, told The Associated Press that the "significant rise" in foreign couples tying the knot in the capital "poses challenges for Copenhagen-based couples wishing to get married."
Local officials are planning intervention measures. Nyegaard revealed that roughly 40% of wedding appointments at City Hall will be set aside for Copenhagen residents from late October onwards. Whilst securing an appointment there remains the most straightforward route to marriage in the city, couples can alternatively organise ceremonies through private registrars, which won't face restrictions.
Copenhagen councillors will examine additional measures after the summer recess to ease the overall strain on the city's wedding capacity. Denmark's matrimonial legislation is progressive in numerous respects. In 1989, the nation pioneered global recognition of same-sex civil partnerships. Full same-sex marriage rights were established in 2012.
For all types of unions, Denmark - unlike numerous other European nations - doesn't demand birth certificates or evidence of single status to secure documentation permitting marriage within Denmark over a four-month period. Authorities may occasionally request civil status certificates when divorce documentation fails to clearly demonstrate finalised proceedings.
Tying the knot in Denmark has become a breeze for international lovebirds, with the country's family law agency processing applications at a snappy pace and a fee of 2,100 kroner ($326), delivering a marriage certificate within five working days, provided couples meet the criteria.
For those not residing in Denmark, a simple passport and, if necessary, a tourist visa are all that's needed to get hitched in the Scandinavian haven. "We get that thing like, 'Are you sure we do not need a birth certificate?' And we go, 'Yes,'" shares Rasmus Clarck Sørensen, the brains behind Getting Married in Denmark.
Clarck Sørensen, a native Dane, launched the matrimonial service with his British partner in 2014, recognising the growing trend of international romances. "In the last 20, 30 years, people just meet more across borders," he observes. "Marriage rules are often made for two people of the same country getting married."
He points out how outdated regulations can ensnare couples: "They kind of piled on patches onto marriage law, and a lot of people get trapped in those patches."
His firm offers a "Complete Service" package for 875 euros ($1,014), which covers document collection, application processing, and ceremony scheduling. Last year alone, the company assisted over 2,600 duos in saying 'I do'.
Copenhagen, Denmark's largest city and transport hub, tops the list as the most sought-after wedding locale, currently the only city feeling the pinch from high demand.
However, any potential tweaks to Copenhagen's policies won't affect the blissful Kujawińska and Valenzuela, who have turned their attention to party planning in Poland with their nearest and dearest. "It means a lot for us because we've been waiting a lot for this," Kujawińska said. "We're really happy."
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The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Edinburgh book festival director hits back at critics
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However she added: 'I think this year's programme is great. People who are participating in the festival this year are bringing everything to it, as they always do. That kind of motivates you. 'Our ticket sales are good. We are in slightly better shape at this point than we had predicted. "People are still booking for events a lot later than they used to in the past. "But in terms of ticketing income and numbers of tickets sold, we are up on where we were at this time last year, which is really great to see. 'We have been inundated with pitches from publishers and writers who want to be at the festival. It is still one of the biggest events of its kind in the world. 'We are privileged to have that support from writers and publishers. It feels very galvanising. So many people are invested in making this thing a huge success.'
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Fringe comedy reviews: Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Woman singing in a bar gobsmacked after spotting A-list star standing behind her
A woman who was singing her heart out in a bar was left stunned when she realised an A-list celebrity was standing right behind her, enjoying the music A woman has been left baffled after spotting an A-list star standing behind her in a bar. Lauren Greco, an LA-based singer, was singing in a bar last week and had gathered quite the audience - including one celebrity known for his film roles. While belting out Adele's hit Someone Like You, Lauren was completely unaware of the Hollywood heavyweight soaking up her vocals from behind. The moment was captured on video and later shared on Instagram, where Lauren spotted the celebrity cameo only after posting the clip, admitting she "didn't realise" who it was at the time due to her focus on the song. Her post read: "POV: Singing my heart out. Didn't realise who was right behind me." She also quipped in her caption: "This wasn't on my 2025 bingo card ... but I'll take it." Despite not naming the star in her video, eagle-eyed fans in the comments were quick to spot a man clad in black with a baseball cap, sparking speculation that Leonardo DiCaprio himself had been the mystery spectator. Commenters were left stunned after spotting the Titanic star in the background, with many expressing their envy for such a serendipitous encounter with the renowned actor, famed for his roles in Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street and The Revenant. One individual exclaimed: "This is crazy! Just nonchalantly and casually singing your face off with Leo in the background!". Another chimed in: "That's crazy. Small world. Amazing voice!". Some commenters admitted they struggled to identify the celebrity at first glance, while others remained sceptical that the man donning the baseball cap was indeed the 50-year-old Los Angeles-based actor. One sceptic commented: "Am I the only person to think he just looks like Leo DiCaprio? I don't think it's him, looks different when he smiles, but could be wrong." Another voiced their doubt: "I don't think that was actually Leo." A third insisted: "That is 1000% not Leo." Disappointment was palpable among several commenters who had anticipated the video climaxing with Adele joining Lauren in song, only to find out that wasn't the case. One person remarked: "Call me crazy, but I was looking for Adele. I had to come to the comments to find out who I was actually looking for." Another shared their anticipation: "I was expecting l Adele to come up behind her and start singing. Wicked voice girl." Leonardo DiCaprio has been contacted for a statement.
