Quick reminder that "Europe" is a mosaic of countries, and that there is a huge difference between let's say, Portugal, Austria and Latvia.
I don't really think there is a country which would be so liberal regarding marriage that you could get married by Elvis or a Machine on short notice amd drunk just to get laid (on the other hand, most European cultures stopped caring about marriage, and donxt need it to get laid or have kids)
The US is a huge mosaic of states, and there’s a huge difference between say California and the Deep South.
That being said, their question still stands as they were just curious about possibilities in a region. The US is just as large and diverse, so it’s possible something like that exists in Europe, and if so, what.
Sometimes there’s no European equivalent to American depravity.
In the mid-20th century, America was considered so culturally bankrupt that the CIA thought it should create some.
BBC: Was modern art a weapon of the CIA?
I think Reno, Nevada does some similar antics. And possibly Atlantic City, NJ. All of them have local economies based on casinos (and historically, organized crime).
You can get married drunk anywhere in the US. The marriage ceremony takes place on your own time, without involvement from the government. The only thing the government needs is the signed marriage contract between the two spouses, the officiant, and the witness(es).
Depending on the state and exactly how drunk you were, you may be able to get the marriage annulled if you weren’t in the right mind to enter into a contract because of your drunkenness.
I got married drunk. Mind you I was sober when I applied for my marriage license. I just got married at the bar my wife and I had our first date at and got us a few drinks to celebrate. And, this was in the Midwest, so very far from anywhere you’d associate with quick drunk weddings.
Having no memories of last night's after-ski shenanigans but today your mouth tastes like sugary cotton balls of death and everybody in the ski lift is looking at you funny?
There was polish documentary showing some trashy village in the middle of nowhere. Everyone just waited for Saturday because that's when local disco had party with strippers. Guys would fingerbang strippers right on the stage. But I think that's more trashy than drunk Elvis wedding. Equivalent is probably getting drunk on vodka and banging an ugly chick in the bathroom of that disco.
Edit: Just remembered, there's another documentary about polish women going on holidays to Egypt. Apparently it's quite common for European women to fall in love with local guys and get married. Next they go back to Europe and send money to their husband while he quickly gets a divorce and marries another tourist. I would say marrying a windsurfing instructor while on holiday in Egypt is the exact equivalent of getting married by Elvis in Las Vegas.
In Finland, the closest equivalent to this is some D list celebrity (so like someone who was in Big Brother or something) performing the ceremony on a cruise to Sweden. There is no direct equivalent however.
Johnny Halliday was the french version of Elvis Presley, except he lived long enough to release too many albums and become unbearable.
What's impressive is that he became one of the best selling artists of all times while selling records almost exclusively in France. I don't think he ever left the mainstream since the 60's.