Civil wedding in Malmö: how to book at the Rådhuset

Getting married in Malmö: how to book, step by step

• Apply for the eligibility check

  You apply to Skatteverket. The hindersprövning must be in place when you book, and it is valid for four months.

• Choose a time in the e-service

  The City of Malmö shows bookable dates at most four months ahead, because the eligibility check is only valid that long. You book at least three weeks before the wedding.

• Name two witnesses

  You choose them yourselves. They must be 18 and of age, and their names, email addresses and addresses are needed when you book.

• Send in the papers

  The eligibility check and the marriage certificate form from Skatteverket are sent in when you book.

• Arrange an interpreter if needed

  You arrange this yourselves. The interpreter's name, email address and address are needed when you book.

• Pay the fee

  The fee is paid when you book.

Civil wedding in Malmö: fee, days and times

Check the fee and the dates on the City of Malmö's page when you book, so you have the ones that apply then. The page is in Swedish.

The ceremony at the Rådhuset: how the day goes

On the day you report to a member of staff at the city hall. You, your witnesses and any interpreter bring valid ID. You enter through the main entrance, on the steps facing Stortorget. Ten people can attend and two of them are witnesses, so that makes eight guests if you do not need an interpreter. Everyone else waits outside.

The ceremony lasts about five minutes, so the rest of the day needs a plan. The guide to the wedding day timeline shows how to lay it out. The general guide to a civil wedding in Sweden covers officiants and the wording of the ceremony.

Getting married outdoors in Malmö: parks and officiants

If you want to marry outdoors you hire an officiant yourselves. The City of Malmö suggests several places, and apart from Torup Castle Park you do not need to book them through the city. The places are open to everyone, so do not count on being undisturbed. A police permit can be needed if the ceremony limits other people's access to the place, and the police make that call.

The County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen) keeps a list of the people appointed as officiants in Skåne, and you contact one of them directly to book.

Getting married in Malmö if you are not registered in Sweden

Anyone who is not registered in Sweden sends documents from foreign authorities to Skatteverket, showing that nothing stands in the way of the marriage under Swedish law. If neither of you is a Swedish citizen or resident, this applies to both of you. The eligibility check is valid for four months and cannot be extended.

The City of Malmö charges 1,000 kronor when the person booking is registered in another country. The city's page mentions no special rules for couples from Denmark, so the rule is the same for everyone who is not registered in Sweden. If you are unsure, ask the contact centre.

After the ceremony: the party and getting there

Most couples have dinner or a party somewhere else, often with more guests than fitted in the Rådhuset. On a wedding page you add the ceremony and the venue separately, each with a time, an address, a note and a link to the map. The programme has its own list with a calendar link, and if guests need a bus between the places, the times go in a list of their own.

In the RSVP guests say which places they are coming to, so you know how many are at dinner even if only a few were in the room. The example sites show how such pages can look.

From the Rådhuset to the party

With Lysela you add the ceremony and the venue under Venues, each with a time, an address, a note and a link for directions. The programme has a calendar link, buses sit in a list of their own, and in the RSVP guests say which places they are coming to and which buses they want a seat on. All of it is in every tier, from Bas.

You start without an account and pay once, SEK 795, SEK 1,795 or SEK 4,900 including VAT, and the site stays up for 12 months.

What usually goes on a wedding website, and what one costs, is in the checklist.

Frequently asked questions