Ceremonies are usually held in Danish or English, and in many municipalities such as Tønder also in German. If you both understand the ceremony language, you need no interpreter; if one of you does not, you need one.
In which languages are ceremonies held?
| Registry office | Ceremony in German |
|---|---|
| Copenhagen | Yes, chosen when booking |
| Tønder | Yes |
| Aabenraa | Yes |
| Sønderborg | Not stated |
| Haderslev | Yes |
| Kolding | Yes |
| Ærø | Not stated |
Danish or English are usually possible everywhere. German according to the municipalities' official pages, as of October 2026; Sønderborg and Ærø say nothing about the ceremony language there, so ask when booking if in doubt. We compare the registry offices near the border in our overview of the border registry offices; Haderslev is covered in our guide Getting married in Haderslev.
When do you need an interpreter?
None of the municipalities whose pages we checked prescribes a fixed language level; what matters is that you can both follow the ceremony reliably. This affects many binational couples in which one partner understands neither Danish nor English nor, where offered, German well enough.
Who may interpret?
There is no uniform rule for all municipalities. If the municipality calls in an interpreter itself, the Danish administrative guidance says this is a trained translator or a similarly qualified person. If you bring the interpreter, the municipality decides whom it accepts: Kolding and Aabenraa only require you to bring an interpreter and name no further requirements.
So ask your municipality in writing before the ceremony whether a bilingual friend or relative is enough or whether it expects a trained interpreter. You are on the safe side with a trained interpreter. A state authorisation ("statsautoriseret tolk") has not existed in Denmark since 2016; parliament decided to abolish it in 2015.
Who pays for the interpreter?
You pay for the interpreter. This also applies if the municipality calls one in and neither of you lives in Denmark (ægteskabsbekendtgørelsen, § 21, stk. 2). There are no fixed prices; they depend on the language, duration and travel. Get a written quote in advance and book early, especially for less common languages.
For Arabic, Russian or Spanish we arrange an interpreter for you on request; please ask early.
Practical notes
- Check in advance with the municipality what it requires of the interpreter, and register the interpreter when booking.
- Plan for an interpreter who is present in person. Whether your municipality allows video interpreting is something to ask there; the ceremony is conducted by the municipality, not by Familieretshuset.
- Before the ceremony, briefly go through the procedure and the marriage vow with the interpreter.
If you are unsure whether one of you can follow the ceremony in English, ask the municipality beforehand. When in doubt, book an interpreter rather than be turned away on the wedding day.
Sources and status
- Danish guidance on marriage cases (2022), section 1.5: interpreters at the ceremony (Danish)
- Aabenraa Municipality: registry office (German)
- Kolding Municipality: International Marriages
- Lovguiden: history of the rules for translators and interpreters (Danish)
As of October 2026. Municipalities may change their rules. Check your municipality's current page before booking.
