marriage religion iceland
Does the Icelandic government recognise ULC-officiated marriages?
<p>Is a marriage officiated by an ordained <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Life_Church" rel="nofollow">Universal Life Church</a> minister (and performed in the country) legally recognised in Iceland?</p>

<p>The Wikipedia page on the ULC only lists US states and <a href="http://www.themonastery.org/wedding-laws" rel="nofollow">this site</a> doesn't include Iceland.</p>

<p>I think I may have accidentally married some people at a festival.</p>

<p>One can find contradictory claims out there. <a href="http://www.get-married-in-iceland.com/the-ceremony/law-in-respect-of-marriage" rel="nofollow">Here is an English version</a> of the marriage law. There is a surprising amount of legal rigamarole (in Norway, as well) pertaining to clearing "impediments". Assuming that the parties have done their part, then we move to Chapter 4. Article 16: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Marriage may take place before a minister of the church, a
  representative of a registered religious organization empowered to
  perform such ceremonies, cf. Article 17, or before a civil official so
  empowered</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So turning to Article 17:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Religious solemnization of marriage shall be performed by the
  ministers of the National Church, and priests or other representatives
  of registered religious organizations in Iceland who have been
  empowered to perform such ceremonies by the Ministry of Justice and
  Ecclesiastical Affairs</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and that is now part of the <a href="https://eng.innanrikisraduneyti.is/" rel="nofollow">Ministry of the Interior</a>. I can't find any indication that ULC has been approved. There are <a href="http://px.hagstofa.is/pxen/pxweb/en/Samfelag/Samfelag__menning__5_trufelog/MAN10001.px/?rxid=4cfc6e75-3bf7-4455-ba53-5cb62900aa65" rel="nofollow">49 religions officially listed</a> by Statistics Iceland, including <a href="http://sidmennt.is/english/wedding-request/" rel="nofollow">Siðmennt</a>, a secular humanist organization which gained <a href="http://sidmennt.is/english/history/" rel="nofollow">official status</a> on May 3rd, 2013 when</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>the organization was officially registered as a secular life stance
  organization under a law passed in the Icelandic Parliament on January
  30th of that year. A formal ceremony was held by the Interior Minister
  Ögmundur Jónasson who had strongly supported our cause, to mark this
  historical event. As a result, Siðmennt gained the same legal and
  funding status as religious life stance organizations in Iceland.
  Weddings conducted by Siðmennt celebrants since then are legal and
  couples no longer have to go to government offices for that purpose.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In light of the fact that Siðmennt is officially listed and ULC is <em>not</em> listed, I would conclude that you did not accidentally marry anyone, even if they had dealt with the impediments.</p>

<p>According to <a href="http://www.iceland.is/iceland-abroad/us/nyc/consular-services/getting-married-in-iceland" rel="nofollow">the Iceland consulate in New York</a>, getting married in Iceland requires a considerable amount of paperwork, signed forms, and documents to be verified.  If the couple didn't do that, as far as I can tell, they didn't get married.</p>

<p>Anyway, I think it's fairly universal across jurisdictions that one of the requirements for marriage is the consent of both parties, i.e. that they intended to be married.  No consent, no valid marriage.  You can't get married by accident.</p>
