“DROP-IN” church weddings are being offered to couples in Denmark who wish to get married without fuss or great expense.

The 15- to 30-minute service follows the liturgy without a sermon from the priest, and couples are even offered a glass of champagne afterwards.

Several churches have been offering the drops-ins on particularly memorable dates. This year, the palindromic date of 22 February 2022 was especially popular for couples wanting a no-fuss wedding, the Evangelical Lutheran Church reported.

Other drop-ins are carried out on the Church Ship in Sydhavn parish, in Copenhagen, which offered a scenic backdrop for post-service photographs. Drop-ins have been offered one Saturday afternoon this month.

“And so, without further ‘I do’, let’s get on with it”The short services were pioneered in Aalbord diocese by a priest, Sophie Nordentoft. On her first drop-in day, 24 couples had committed themselves to each other before the altar in the Church of Our Lady.

She said: “People today demand simplicity and sustainability. Therefore, we want to show that there are alternatives to the traditional but very expensive wedding, which many associate with a church wedding.” She said that the couples “had a deep desire for a Christian marriage in the national Church”.

Other dioceses are now offering the same service for couples.

One couple, Anne Mølholm and Morten Abildgaard, said: “We had thought about choosing a normal wedding in the church, but would not spend a lot of money on it. When we saw the offer of a drop-in wedding, it all fell into place for us. For us, marriage is the key: we are both Christians, and want Christianity to support our ‘yes’ to each other.”

To qualify for the drop-in wedding, one member of each couple must be a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, and both must be at least 18 years old.