When and where?

In Finland, many couples plan to get married on a summer Saturday afternoon. The most popular wedding churches and chapels are already being booked the year before. Therefore, you should allow plenty of time when trying to book the church or chapel of your choice on a particular day or time.

The Church in Helsinki has more than fifty churches and chapels suitable for church weddings. Their use is predominantly free of charge. If you are interested in a particular church or chapel, contact the relevant parish to discuss your wishes concerning place and time.

If you both live outside Helsinki, it may still be possible to get married in a church in Helsinki. But since members of the Church in Helsinki are given priority, you may have to wait longer for confirmation of your booking or to accept a less favourable date or time.

Reserving a pastor and organist

When you have secured the place and time for the wedding ceremony, your parish will provide you with a pastor to officiate at the wedding. If you belong to two different parishes, you can choose which parish to contact for a pastor. You may want a specific pastor at your wedding—perhaps a friend or relative, a pastor you know from confirmation camp, or a pastor who speaks your language, if you are from abroad. In that case, you should contact the pastor directly.

If you belong to a Lutheran parish in Helsinki but have the wedding ceremony outside Helsinki, the parish does not assign a pastor. Basically, Helsinki pastors perform weddings only in the Helsinki area.

The cantor/organist comes from the parish in whose church your wedding ceremony will be held. The parish office will give you the necessary contact information, so you can discuss and agree on the choice of music and hymns directly.

Planning the ceremony

The pastor assigned to conduct your wedding will contact you a few weeks before the wedding for a meeting. In the meeting, you can discuss matters concerning your relationship and upcoming marriage. Together with the pastor you can plan the details of the ceremony, choose Bible readings and hymns, and agree on participation of family and other wedding guests in the readings and prayers. The pastor will also go through the required paperwork with you.

You will need to let the pastor know which surnames you choose to use as a married couple. In 2019, Finland adopted a new Names Act that allows many different choices of single or compound surnames for married couples. Look here for more information. You should also decide whether you want an announcement of your marriage (the banns) read at worship and published in church notices. The public reading at worship is followed by intercessory prayer for the couple. The announcement can be made after the certificate on non-impediment has been issued, or on the Sunday following the wedding.

If you want to contact the pastor at an earlier stage, you can ask the parish office for the contact information and be in touch directly.

The cantor/organist of the church where the wedding ceremony is held will be happy to assist you with the choice of the music and the hymns for the wedding. There are several internationally known hymns in Finnish and English that are suitable for the occasion. If you have any special requests, don’t hesitate to ask. It is good to remember, though, that the religious nature of the ceremony may pose restrictions on what music is appropriate. The cantor/organist can tell you what is and is not appropriate. More information on wedding music and hymns here .

Examination of impediments to marriage

Before the wedding, an examination of impediments to marriage must be completed. This will ensure the legality and validity of the marriage. Without a completed examination, it is not possible to get married. You can apply for an examination online, by mail, or by visiting the parish office. The application must be submitted at least seven days before the wedding date. If you are not a Finnish citizen, the process may take several months depending on your home country. A certificate of non-impediment is valid for four months. More details here .

Wedding rehearsal

We strongly recommend having a rehearsal for the ceremony a few days before. When the couple, the maids of honour and best men, and all who play an active role in the ceremony are there, everybody has a chance to get familiar with the place, the ceremony, and other details. At this point, it is still possible to make any last-minute adjustments to the ceremony. The rehearsal is especially important if part of the people involved are unfamiliar with a Finnish wedding ceremony. After the rehearsal, everybody will feel much more confident and relaxed.