Copenhagen has long over-accumulated revenue from weddings.
In recent news, it has been revealed that approximately 12,000 couples, primarily from abroad and a significant number of them being German, have been overcharged around 1,500 Danish Kroner each for their weddings in Copenhagen since 2018. The total amount overcharged is estimated to be around 23 million Danish Kroner (approximately three million Euros).
The overcharging was first brought to light by the Danish newspaper "Politiken" and was later confirmed by the Culture Department of Copenhagen. Culture Mayor Mia Nyegaard stated that the overcharging is "very unfortunate and regrettable."
As of now, there is no publicly available, specific data on the number of German couples affected by this issue, nor is there any widely reported information about a systemic overcharging issue or an official refund process related to such cases.
If you suspect there was an overcharging issue for your wedding services in Copenhagen, the best steps would be:
- Contact the Copenhagen Municipality or relevant wedding registration office for official information regarding wedding fees and any records of complaints or refunds.
- Check with consumer protection agencies in Denmark or Germany to see if there have been any formal complaints or cases related to wedding overcharges.
- Seek legal advice or assistance if you or someone you know believes they were overcharged and want to pursue a refund.
It is important to note that Denmark's relatively liberal marriage regulations are attractive to couples with one partner lacking a permanent residence permit or unable to meet high German requirements. However, foreigners seeking marriage in Germany often need to present an affidavit of marriageability, which may not be available to refugees.
The responsible committee must now decide how to proceed regarding the refunds, and the method for making the refunds has not been determined yet. The loss of income from the overcharging poses a financial challenge to the municipality.
Since the overcharging was brought to light in the spring of 2025, the practice has been stopped. Last year, the Copenhagen town hall recorded a record 8,000 civil marriages, with 5,000 being foreign nationals. Germany recognizes marriages from Denmark.
We recommend verifying with official Danish government sources or reputable news outlets for any recent developments or news that may not have been mentioned here.
- The financial implications of the overcharging issue, estimated at approximately three million Euros, might impact the Copenhagen Municipality's budget due to the loss of income.
- The practice of overcharging wedding couples in Copenhagen since 2018 has also been a subject of discussion in the realm of general news and politics, considering its potential impacts on foreign business and relationships.
