Marriage Certificate

mlynn1223

I need some help ladies.  How does getting your marriage certificate and changing your last name work in Michigan?  I am hoping to fly in on May 25th but won't be able to go get it until Tuesday the 29th after the long weekend.  Does FI need to be with me?  How much does it cost?  Can I get it the same day?  I know I need to get it in the county we are getting married in, Wayne.  What kind of information do I need to take with me?  I have tried researching it online but seem to be getting conflicting information.

Also, how does changing my last name work?  Do I do that in Michigan or Arizona when I get back?  Any information will be greatly appreciated.  

Sue-n-Kevin

Based on getting my license in Macomb county, here's what I recall:

If you are a Michigan resident, you can get your license in the county where you are marrying OR your home county. We married in Wayne county (Livonia), but I live in Macomb. However, as a non-resident, I suspect you have to get it in the county of your marriage, whatever that is. LInk here to info for Wayne County:
http://www.co.wayne.mi.us/clerk_srvcs_marriagelic_app.htm

Also here: http://www.co.wayne.mi.us/clerk_srvcs_marriagelic.htm

I had to take both of our birth certificates and my driver's license.  

Without running to get my marriage license (someone else probaby knows), I think the marriage license just shows your names and your parents, etc. The name changing (which I did not do) is done with the Social Security administration and Driver's license bureau, probably easiest to do where you live after your marriage.

NOTE: I peeked at your bio and see you are getting married 6/9/12, yet you won't be applying until May 29th.........you will probably have to pay the "Rush fee" to get it in 3 days, because I think it took about 7 days to get it in the mail, but you can't apply more than 33 days in advance. If your license will be mailed to your home, and considering it is Wayne County (much busier than Macomb I suspect), you need to have it in your hands when you get married. Or, see if they will mail it to another Michigan resident.

Jashley05

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_marriage-certificate?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:88Discussion:ac969e73-7a40-4ad2-bcb2-e25cde5bdef6Post:45b22a00-cf03-4ccb-9e9e-24a09afe2182">Re: Marriage Certificate</a>:
[QUOTE]NOTE: I peeked at your bio and see you are getting married 6/9/12, yet you won't be applying until May 29th.........you will probably have to pay the "Rush fee" to get it in 3 days, because I think it took about 7 days to get it in the mail, but you can't apply more than 33 days in advance. If your license will be mailed to your home, and considering it is Wayne County (much busier than Macomb I suspect), you need to have it in your hands when you get married. Or, see if they will mail it to another Michigan resident.
Posted by Sue-n-Kevin[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure how it's done for your county, but I did mine in Oakland and I had the option, which I gladly did, to pay an extra $5 to take the license with us that day, otherwise I would have had to drive to Pontiac three days later to pick it up, which meant taking another afternoon off. I would give the office a call and just make sure you have everything when you do go.

Klyn1983

I'm no help with the marriage license because that hasn't even crossed my mind yet. But I have thought about the name change situation. I'm going to use a website my friend used when she got married. www.missnowmrs.com

I don't know how much time it'll save but I'm REALLY impatient when it comes to waiting in line for forms. Figured it'll save me a little bit of stress.

larzhope

so I got married in Oakland County, and I'm not sure how the laws differ in Wayne County.

I live in Seattle, and flew in for my wedding a week in advance.  I applied for my marriage license online, and brought all the necessary documents with me to the courthouse in Oakland county (including copies of DH's documents).  because i applied at the 30 day mark, I had already waited the 3 days, so picking it up was no problem.  I flew in a week before just because in case something went wrong, I could apply again and have the 3 day waiting period and pick it up the day before the wedding.

You will change your name in Arizona (assuming you ahve an Arizona drivers license).  There have been a ton of threads on here about whether to sign your marriage certificate in your married name or maiden name.  The woman at the courthouse in Michigan told me it didn't matter.  I signed my new last name.  The day we got home from our honeymoon, I went and changed my name at the Social Security office here in Seattle, and you have to wait 24 hours before going to get a new drivers license.  I applied for my new drivers license the next day, and then changed over all of my credit cards, bank stuff, etc.  most everything you can do by mail or online, the only things I needed to do in person were:
- social security card
- Drivers License
- Bank account (and that was because it was convenient, I'm sure there is probably a mail in option)

If you want my opinion on the missnowmrs.com, I thnk it's a total ripoff.  Granted, I have flexibility with my job where I am able to cut out and go to the DMV when it's convenient, but the "forms" and the "waiting in line" was really only maybe an hour or hour and a half of my time. To me, that's totally not worth $60 or whatever they charge you.

mlynn1223

Thanks for all of the help.  I will see if I can do some of it online.  If not I will gladly pay $5 to have it rushed.  

Just confirming, my FI does not need to be there correct?  I can go down all by myself with all of the proper paperwork and pick it up without him.

I'm more worried about this then I have been about most other wedding related things.

Jashley05

I would call and make sure, but think I remember that we both had to be there since we picked it up that day.... Definitely call and ask all of these questions just so you don't waste a trip down there.