Wedding FAQ

Wedding FAQ of Marriage Certificates, Changing your name and other Legal Issues

Getting a valid marriage license and being married by someone licensed by the state to perform the ceremony is the first consideration. Some states may require a blood test as a condition to getting the license, so check your local laws. Make sure there is nothing legally keeping the two of you from getting married. For example, if you’ve been married previously, make sure you have obtained a valid divorce before your wedding. Be prepared to show the appropriate documents. Beyond these initial issues, you may wish to consider the tax implications of marriage and how your tax bracket could change. Also, if one of the prospective spouses has children from a previous relationship, consider how the new spouse’s income may affect the other spouse’s obligation to pay–or the ability to continue to receive–support.

Requirements vary from state to state. Generally, one may change one’s name merely by using the new name, as long as fraud–such as to evade taxes or hide from the law–is not intended and the name is not offensive, for example,using an obscenity or epithet as a name. Please see our next article to learn more about how you should handle this situation and who you need to contact, in more detail.

 

U.S. citizens marrying each other abroad need no permission or special documents from the United States. Normally, such marriages are valid in the United States, as long as they are legally performed and considered valid in the country where they take place. However, the country where you plan to marry may have its own, special requirements, possibly including a lengthy waiting period. Of course, you will need your passports and possibly be required to produce birth certificates, and, if appropriate, divorce decrees or death certificates. Your best bet is to check the rules of the specific country before you set the wedding date there.

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