[us_separator]

Wenning's Wedding Tip Wednesday

[us_separator]

Understanding the Legalities

Now that you are officially married and loving your newlywed life, there are just a few things you should know. There is no need to stress, because we are here this week to help you better understand the post-wedding legalities! Everything from paperwork to changing your name, we have you covered.

Marriage Certificate

After you are married both of you must sign your marriage license, this paper is the proof that you were legally able to get married. It is then the wedding officiant’s job to mail the license to your county office.

This should only take a week or two for it to be processed. Once that form is sent out you must fill out a form to request copies of your official marriage license document. Make sure you get a decent amount of copies, because you are not allowed to mail the official document!

Changing Your Name

This is the fun part! You are officially married, but you have not changed your last name yet. Try to enjoy this post-wedding task, because it is definitely one of the more enjoyable tasks. In order to change your name, you must apply for a new social security card and drivers’ license with your new last name. You can take this as an opportunity to finally get a drivers’ license picture you love as well.

Health Insurance

The next step is to either join your partner’s health insurance or put them on yours. Most insurance companies allow you to do this freely up to 30 days after the wedding. Even if you don’t complete this task within the 30 days after your wedding do not worry, because you won’t be penalized. The best rule of thumb is to see whose policy can save you more money in the long run if both of you already have health insurance!