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Marriage License v. Marriage Certificate

peggyo10peggyo10
100 Comments
in Illinois-Chicago
Hi ladies,

I'm confused over the logistics of the marriage certificate and marriage license.

We are getting married in DuPage County.  I know we have to go to the county clerk's office with our IDs and get the marriage license the day before the wedding.  

Is this the same form that our officiant and our witnesses sign to indicate that the marriage took place?  Then what do we do with it after the wedding?  Do we take it back to the clerk's office for filing or certification or something?  (Note:  our officiant is a judge from out-of-state, so we'll be responsible for any filing that needs to occur.)

Every place we ask about name change stuff says we have to bring in a copy of our marriage certificate...is this something that we get back when we turn in the marriage license or do we have to order it and get it back in the mail?  We are staying in town until Tuesday morning, so it would be great if we could pick it up on Monday and take it home with us.  

Finally, is there a place on one of these forms where you indicate that you're changing your names or will places just understand that after Bride A and Groom B got married, they became Mr. and Mrs. A-B?

Thanks for your help, ladies!

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Re: Marriage License v. Marriage Certificate

  • MINDMNMOMINDMNMO
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I'm actually in the middle of all of this now.  Before you get married, you get a marriage LICENSE.  That is the paper you get and have the officiant sign on the day of the wedding.  Once you are married, you are not legally Mrs. A-B yet.  You have to return your license and then about a week later you will be able to pick up the marriage CERTIFICATE.  This is the document that recognizes the marriage and is the document you need to start your name changing process with social security, the DMV etc.
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  • MISSCOURTNEY20MISSCOURTNEY20 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011

    In our case, our officiant mailed the certificate back. Yours might do the same. Also, we did not need witnesses.

    And the whole time, my future husband was in the room...... image image
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  • MINDMNMOMINDMNMO
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Good point, MISSCOURTNEY.  We didn't need witnesses either (we got married in Cook County).  The county clerk said yes, the officiant can send it back but if you drop it off at the office, you'll have the certificate in 1 week.  
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  • peggyo10peggyo10
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    thanks, ladies!

    do you have to pick up the certificate in person or can you have them mail it to you?  we won't be back in chicagoland for a couple of months, but would prefer not to wait that long to do our name changes.

    is there a place on the marriage certificate that says Bride A becomes Bride A-B?  and is there a place to say that Groom B becomes Groom A-B?

    thank you again!
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  • mscramuzzomscramuzzo member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Just curious, why are you going the day before the wedding? I just went to double check because I hand a mini panic moment that I had to do it the day before, but it is says "A marriage license is issued immediately and becomes effective 24 hours later. The license is valid for 60 days."

    And I think I know the answer, but if I have a drivers license in another state, that won't be a problem will it?
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  • peggyo10peggyo10
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    we live out of state, so we have to get it right before the wedding.

    the wedding is saturday at 7pm, so we should be fine even if we get it friday, but if my fiance can get to town in time on thursday, we'll go then, just so we don't have to worry about it.

    as far as i can tell, it's fine if you have an out of state license.  a passport works too, i think.
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