Photo Credit: Elena Belevantseva
The unassuming municipality of Stevns holds a treasure that captivates all who visit. Perched at the top of a cliff in Stevns Klint, sits the Old Højerup Church (in Danish: Gamle Højerup Kirke).
The Old Church no longer functions as a religious building, meaning couples wanting a civil ceremony are very welcome to get married here, and many do!
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The History of Højerup Gamle Kirke
The Old Church and its immediate surroundings are located on an historic site. A UNESCO World Heritage Site in fact.
The church was estimated to have been built between 1250, consecrated in 1357. The bricks the church is built out of were made from the chalk from the surrounding cliffs, which is why it is so in keeping with the local nature – it is literally part of the landscape.
Photo Credit: Elena Belevantseva
Legend has it that it was built by a sailor who, when he found himself in trouble out at sea, swore that if his life were to be saved, he would build a church upon the cliff top.
Another legend surrounding the church is that each Christmas the church moves ever so slightly inland and away from the edge of the cliff top. Sadly this yearly miracle of the church physically moving away from the sea was not enough to save it from the disaster that befell it in 1927.
Slowly, since it was built in fact, the sea had been slowly eroding the chalky cliffs away from underneath the church until 16th March 1927 at 5.00 am in the morning, the cliff collapsed taking half of the Old Church with it.
The church had been deemed unsafe for use for many years prior to this and so thankfully nobody was hurt or killed but the event was extremely dramatic nonetheless, bringing many visitors to come and see the sight of half the church at the bottom of the cliffs.
The cliffs around the church, and what was left of the church itself were reinforced – sea defences were erected and the church was underpinned, meaning it is now safe to visit.
It is a place that has a wonderful, historic energy to it and it is now a huge tourist attraction, bringing many visitors to the area.
A Wedding at The Old Church
The Old Church’s obvious beauty, history, location and charm has a natural and romantic draw for many couples, and as such is a popular choice for those who want to get married in Stevns.
A wedding at the Old Church follows exactly the same procedure as a wedding at the town hall. It is a non religious, civil ceremony held by a registrar.
Photo Credit: Martina Lanotte
2 witnesses must legally be in attendance and it’s worth knowing that witnesses are nicht provided by the town hall for any weddings held outside of the town hall. That means you must provide 2 of your own witnesses for a wedding ceremony here.
The ceremony will last around 5 – 7 minutes, which starts with the registrar giving a short speech about love and the importance of marriage. They will then ask each of you in turn if you will marry the other, to which you can reply “I Do” 😍 ❤️
Saying your own wedding vows and/or exchanging rings is not mandatory but is very welcome, if that is something you would like to do. This can add that extra special, personal and intimate touch to your wedding ceremony.
How to Book a Wedding at the Old Church
At Getting Married in Denmark we are able to co-ordinate and book the registrar for your wedding at the Old Church.
Booking and paying for the hire of the Old Church must be done directly by you, the couple.
It’s very easy to do and the chairman responsible for the bookings at the church is very lovely. We do strongly recommend checking that there is a registrar available for the time and date you want your wedding before you book the church.
When is the Best Time to Have a Wedding at the Old Church?
You can get married at the Old Church all year around (except on public holidays), but we do want to mention that while the Danish winters are wild and incredibly beautiful, there is no heating at the Old Church and it can get extremely cold in Denmark during the winter.
Many of our couples have married during the winter months so it’s totally doable (the winter wedding pictures are always stunning too) but of course the popularity of the church increases during the spring and summer months when the weather is warmer, the skies are blue and the view out to sea is crystal clear.
Photo Credit: Kristjan Løk
The registrars at Stevns town hall do not conduct weddings every day of the week. Currently, weddings are held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and various Saturdays throughout the year (see the Stevns town hall page for more information).
The town hall does also close completely for their 3 week summer break during July, so a wedding during this time period is not possible (nor during any public holidays or other specified closing days).
Speaking to your dedicated wedding consultant about your prospective wedding date so we can help you plan around any potential town hall closures or holidays will ensure that we secure the best date possible for you!
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