Wedding Customs & Traditions Forum

Marriage license

Is 30 days before wedding to early to apply for marriage license?

Also should I wait until after honeymoon to change name? We will be going on a cruise.

Re: Marriage license

  • Timing varies from state to state, so check with your local clerk's office.  I just googled Indiana Marriage License, and it came right up (I live in IN).

    I know for flights you have to have your ID match the name on your ticket--so I won't be changing my name until after the honeymoon.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • edited August 2012
    We are also going on a cruise for our honeymoon.  DO NOT change your name until after the cruise.  We have already booked our trip and I listed with my maiden name.  It MUST match what's on your passport or ID.
  • Yep, wait till after the cruise to change your name. However, definitely let the cruise line know you're on your honeymoon. They usually have activities specifically for honeymooners and special prize draws :-).
    DSC_9275
  • According to a very quick Google search, marriage licenses in Arkansas (assuming your location is correct) are valid for 60 days, which means that applying for it 30 days in advance will be fine.  You should probably utilize Google or the search engine of your choosing to look up the requirements for yourself since this is an international board and not everyone is familiar with your specific area's requirements.

    After your wedding, your officiant will likely file your license with the state, and it can take up to 30 days for you to get a certified copy, which is the document you'll need to change your name.  So if you are leaving for your HM right after your wedding, it will be impossible for you to change your name prior. 

    If you are waiting several weeks or months for your HM, it will depend on that time limit.  The first step to changing your name is with the SSA, then the DMV, and then you can change your passport.  Passport processing times vary, but I'd give at least 6 weeks to be safe.  So from your wedding till receiving a new passport (which you'll need if you have any foreign ports of call on your cruise) will take at least 2- 3 months, so if your HM is before then, then you'll need to wait.

    In any case, the name on your travel documents MUST match your passport.  If you book your trip in your married name and don't have a passport to match, they will NOT let you board the ship, nor will they refund your money.  So to be on the safe side, I would wait to change your name until after your HM regardless.
    Anniversary
  • Before you leave the city hall with your license, CHECK IT OVER FOR ERRORS. They put the wrong year on mine and I missed it. Had to go back and it was way more trouble than it would have been if I had caught it the day I got it.
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