Marriage ceremony

Together in love and faith

A church wedding is a sacred ceremony where two individuals pledge their lifelong commitment to have, enjoy, and accept together the joys and sorrows of life.

The general rule is that church weddings must take place in a church. It is permitted for wedding ceremonies to take place in a home or outdoors.

Inquiries and orders

Inquiries and orders for weddings in Hallgrímskirkja can be sent to:

  • phone 510 1000 or
  • email address hallgrimskirkja@hallgrimskirkja.is

If you would like to request the services of the church's priests, please contact either of the church's priests directly:

  • Irma Sjöfn Óskarsdóttir: 771 8200 - irma@hallgrimskirkja.is
  • Eiríkur Jóhannsson: 864 0802 - eirikur@hallgrimskirkja.is

Preparation

For a marriage to be legally valid, you must speak with a surveyor at the sheriff's office before planning begins.

  • Belong to the National Church

    In order for a church wedding to be performed, at least one of the bride and groom must belong to the National Church.

  • Witnesses

    At least two witnesses (respondents) must be present for the ceremony to be legal.


    Often, however, there are more witnesses, from the congregation or the bride and groom's families.

  • Cost

    The fee for a wedding ceremony is 25,000 ISK.


    The fee for renting a church and the churchwarden's salary is 50,000 ISK.

The ceremony

The couple confess their union publicly before God and the church, promising to be faithful to each other, to love and respect each other. God unites them and the two become one. The priest recalls the obligations and responsibilities and promises of marriage, and pronounces them husband and wife, placing God's blessing on their marriage. Those present pray for them and their home.

The purpose of church ordination

The wedding ceremony is an expression of joy and celebration, solidarity, responsibility and hope at this crossroads in life that the couple is at. The congregation surrounds the couple with its intercession, together with the entire Church, and with Jesus Christ as its model, wants to show them the community of mutual service and the need for everyone to be in communion with God and their neighbor outside the circle of the family.

God's presence in marriage helps the couple to live together in love and care and to be witnesses of this to their surroundings.

The couple confess their union publicly before God and the church, promising to be faithful to each other, to love and respect each other. God unites them and the two become one. The priest recalls the obligations and responsibilities and promises of marriage, and pronounces them husband and wife, placing God's blessing on their marriage. Those present pray for them and their home.

The marriage contract itself is a secular institution. A man and a woman, a man and a man, or a woman and a woman who are authorized to marry declare in the presence of witnesses that they wish to be married and then sign this contract. In substance, there is no difference between a civil marriage and a church marriage. According to Icelandic law, priests and church leaders are authorized to perform this civil ceremony. Other common names for a marriage ceremony are wedding and marriage ceremony.

What distinguishes a church marriage from a civil one is primarily the bride and groom's specific stance on the Christian faith. This is a Christian institution of marriage.