Can we have a Unitarian wedding in Norway?
Yes it is possible for foreigners to have a Unitarian wedding in Norway. The first Unitarian weddings took place in the 1920ties. To day's licence to wed is granted The Norwegian Unitarian Church by The Ministry of Children and Equality and authorizes the Superintendent Pastor (bishop) to perform weddings within all of The Kingdom of Norway.
Our weddings are open for all. Part of the wedding ceremony is deceided by The Ministery of Children and Equality and not possible to change, but the beginning and closing of the ceremony may be composed according to the wishes of those getting married as long as these wishes do not conflict with Unitarian Christian understanding of freedom, respect, and tolerance. A ceremony contradicting what The Norwegian Unitarian Church stands for will of course never be accepted.
2008 Norway changed the Law of Marriage to also include same gender couples, and from 2009 it is possible for same gender couples to marry in Norway. If you want a same gender marriage in Norway you should make sure this marriage also is valid in your home country. Not all countries accept same gender marriages.
Where can we have the wedding? We are authorized to perform weddings within the borders of The Kingdom of Norway and we may wed indoors and outdoors. But Norway is an extensive country and for practical reasons we now try to concentrate all weddings to the county of Oslo, Akershus, Vestfold, or Østfold.
When should we book a wedding? First of all, drop in wedding or so-called 'Las Vegas Wedding' is not possible in The Norwegian Unitarian Church. A wedding in Norway has to be conducted according to Norwegian Law of Marriage, which among other things includ the declaration by the bride and bridegroom prior to verification of compliance with the conditions for marriage and the statement by the sponsor, and the church's acceptance of time and place of marriage and ceremony.
The past couple of years we have experienced an increased interest in Unitarian weddings. Of course we are very happy about this but at the same time the demand for Unitarian weddings sometimes has exceeded our capacity. In 2008 it was therefore decided no more that two weddings each month. If you consider a Unitarian wedding you should contact us at least one year in advance.
If you consider a Unitarian wedding in Norway you should first explore the links given below and then contact Superintendent Pastor Knut Heidelberg for further information and discussion on ceremony to be used.
New marriage act of 2009 (same gender marriage and rights)
Ekteskapsloven (Law of marriage) Norwegian text only.
Vår norske side om unitarisk vielse (Our Norwegian page on Unitarian wedding).
