camillepearl23@gmail.com If you have decided that you are going to change your name once you get married you might be wondering how that works. Your name is in so many different places and it all needs to be consistent. A wedding planner might be willing to help you out with this. Check out my posts “Should I Hire a Wedding Planner” and “The Most Important Questions To Ask Your Wedding Planner” to decide if a planner is right for you. Since I’m planning my own wedding, I’ve been researching how and where to change my name after I get married. I’ve made a 10-step list of how to change your name after you get married. For the most part, this is also the order in which the changing must be done. If you don’t want to do it yourself, check the bottom of this post for services that will help you change your name after you get married. Congratulations on your new name!
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How To Change Your Name After You Get Married
1. Get your marriage certificate
Also known as your marriage license, this is something that you will need to think about and acquire BEFORE the wedding. That way, your wedding officiant can sign off to make the marriage legal. Make sure to check what your state requirements are since every state is slightly different. Check out “Order of Planning a Wedding” and download your free wedding planning timeline so you know exactly what to plan and when to plan it!
2. Get a new social security card
In order to get a new social security card, you will need your official marriage certificate. So, everything from here on out happens after your wedding. You can only apply to get a new social security card by mail or in person, not online. Check this link to find a social security office near you! When you apply in person or through the mail, the social security office will need proof of citizenship, proof of identity, and your current social security card.
3. Get a new driver’s license
You will need your new social security card or the receipt proving you applied for a new social security card to get a new driver’s license. Also don’t forget your current driver’s license, proof of residence, and a certified copy of your marriage license when you go to the DMV.
4. Get a new passport
To apply for a new US passport, go to this website. An important thing to consider is if you will need your passport for your honeymoon. Honeyfund is a great way to have your loved ones donate money towards your honeymoon. Your passport must match the name on your plane ticket for international honeymoons. I would recommend waiting until after the honeymoon to begin the process of getting a new passport. Check out my previous post “Best Winter Honeymoon Destinations.”
5. Change your bank account name
A conversation you and your future spouse need to have before you get married is about what you will be doing with your bank accounts once you are married. Will you combine them or keep separate accounts? Either way, contact your bank to make sure they are using your new name on your accounts. The bank will need your marriage license, your new social security card, and your new license.
6. Change your name on your credit cards
You and your future spouse will also need to decide what credit cards you will be keeping and if you want to open any together.
7. Update any insurance (life, health, renters, car, etc.)
You want to make sure your insurance is covering you…with your new name! It is probably easiest to change your name with each insurance company the next time they bill you. It’s easier to remember and not miss any that way.
8. Update all accounts
This includes any mortgage accounts, utility accounts, and all your online accounts. Yes this is a lot, but if your new name is important to you, then you must do it!
9. Let your work know your new name
Have your work change your email (if applicable) and make sure any paychecks or anything else important will have the correct name. As a teacher, I also will need to tell my students what my new name is!
10. Make sure to check your specific state to see if there are any other requirements or places to change your name
As much as I would love if this post was all-inclusive, different states might have different requirements that you will need to look into. Check your state’s website to be sure.
Services That Will Help You Change Your Name After You Get Married
1. Name Change Kit
This service will guide you through all the steps of changing your last name. They also suggest that this would make a great gift to put on your registry! My Registry lets you combine multiple registries all in one spot. You could also add your name change kit to your wedding website to have guests contribute or purchase. WedSites is a great website that will help you make your own wedding website.
2. MissNowMrs
This is an app that will help you change from a Miss to a Mrs! Although this is a service you have to pay for (so is Name Change Kit above), they take all the pressure off of you of finding how and where to change your name.
3. HitchSwitch
HitchSwitch has you fill out your information once and then autofills it to everywhere that needs to be updated once you change your name. Super easy!
If you’ve made it all the way through this post, congratulations! I’ve created a FREE checklist of how to change your name after you get married! Sign up using your email and your checklist will be emailed right to you. You’ll also be subscribed to the Wedding Planning Woman newsletter which gets sent out weekly. This newsletter includes the latest blog post and wedding-related deals and sales!
It could be really easy to forget some things in the process… So thanks for this, it will be very useful to me later in the year! 🙂
Yay congratulations!
Wow I learned a lot. I did not know there was that many name changes that needed to be made!
Seriously it’s a process!
This is a great post. It took two weeks after I received my new social security card to have my name changed with my banks, credit cards, job, and my driver’s license took the longest because they were so backed up that the wait, at the time, was three hours or more going in-person. Doing it over the phone and online was not an option. So I had to try everyday for two weeks to do it before I went to work. I ended up having to take off of work to get it done.
Ugh that’s so annoying – it shouldn’t be this hard!
I recently got married I was wonder what’s the process. Thank you for this !
Thank you for this guide! I am getting married this summer and while I’m not planning on changing my name right away, these tips are super helpful for the future 🙂
Yay congratulations!
Ahhh! Yes! This would have been so helpful to have when I got married last year! I felt so lost after on what to do and how to do it!
It’s confusing!
Aww such a great and informative post! I really need this for future refrence. Thank you so much for sharing 😀