A few wedding questions

[Ngala]

Hey all!

My wedding is coming verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry quickly now that I cant believe it!!! So I just got a few questions...

1. Thank you cards - do I send these out once all gifts are received or are they to go on the table so people can get them straight away??

2. Signing marriage certificate - do I sign this in my signature now or my new signature??!! hehe sorry if a silly question!

3. Changing surname - how easy is it to change my surname? Is there one form that I fill out and it notifies everyone (like where my bills come from and bank name etc) or do I need to notify everyone seperately?

Well thats all I have got for now!!

TIA

[Sequoia]

IMO:

1. Send cards once gifts have been received.

2. Sign the certificate in your maiden name.

3. It's a PITA, make sure you have your marriage certificate handy when you change your name at banks, government agencies, etc.

[Antheia]

i agree with shoegal. With changing your name you just show the marriage certificate to the bank and whoever you have bills with and they can change it. It's not actually 'legally' changed as such, its just because you have that certificate you can change it if you like, you dont have to. So theres no forms to fill out about changing it etc.

[Sequoia]

You'll need to fill out a form at a licensing agent when you change the name on your drivers license. I'd wait until it's due for renewal so your new name will be on your new license card, otherwise you'll have to pay for a new one.

[Karina]

I sent out my thankyou cards a few months after our wedding. I was disorganisaed, otherwise I would have done them all beforehand and given them out at the wedding. In the end, we actually did personalised thankyou cards ourselves and just printed them out on pretty paper at home!

As already mentioned, you sign your certifcate in your maiden name. When we signed ours, the celebrant told me what name to sign it in so there was no confusion there!

I have had to go to various places and change my name. No where would accept the marriage certificte you get on the day, so I had to apply for the proper one through Births Deaths & Marriages. For my license, I just went in and filled in a form and showed my certificate, they took a new photo and gave me a new license for free. Medicare, I just went into the medicare office with my certificate and filled in a form. For my bank account and private health cover, and a couple other things, I just mailed them a photocopy of my certificate and they changed it. Some places want you to get the copy certified by a JP, whihc is a bit of a hassle but anyway.

[Antheia]

Um i never had to paid for a new licence. i just showed them my marriage certificate a week after i got it and they just printed me up a new one.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Thank yous after the wedding, but try to get them sent out within about 10 weeks. Hard work, but longer than 3 months and people complain (well, my mother complained that XYZ hadn't received one after 6 weeks, but I had loads to write and sent them all at once... imagine one aunt getting a letter 3 weeks before the other!).

Your registry is the last time you use your maiden name. If you so wish... you can keep using it!

It's easy to change your name - I tended to visit all the organisations in person and they copied the certificate themselves. The odd place I couldn't visit accepted photocopies of the certificate. The car insurance changed my name 2 weeks early as my insurance was renewed on 4th September (we were married on the 18th) and I didn't want to pay the £50 for a name change, so they were really good about it and didn't want proof. Oddly enough, the mobile phone was the hardest one to organise! So I cancelled it as I no longer needed a contract phone.

[AngelPunks]

1. make them up the same time as you do the invitations but send them out after the wedding
2. i don't use my surname in my signature so I signed in my usual signature
3. you will have to wait for your official marriage certificate from BDM (which you have to order & pay for - not the one you sign on your wedding day - well it is one of the ones you sign on your wedding day but you don't get to keep it as it has to be officially lodged) before you can change names on things - places will change your name on your bills etc for FREE (yes including licences - well in Qld it is free) - some places will do it over the phone with no proof (telstra is one), others just want to see the certificate and will take a fax. It took about a month to get my certificate from BDM. I am in the process of hungint down mine since we moved, I forgot to change my name on my ING account!

[Jodie259]

Also a note on Marriage Certificate....

Don't carry around the "fancy" one that you get at the wedding ceremony...
You need to show the "official" one from the births/deaths & marriages. (It looks a bit like a birth certificate).
Many places won't accept the 'fancy' one.

It takes ages to change all your names. So many things you forget... and stuff like passports are a pain to re-do.

But you can update your drivers licence, and get a new photo... and they don't charge you!

[Sequoia]

But you can update your drivers licence, and get a new photo... and they don't charge you!

Actually DPI (licensing) in WA will charge you for a new one.

Ngala, I'm in WA too and never had to get an "official" form from BDM to change my name on anything (although I didn't change my name on my passport).

[Tashie]

When are you getting married? I got married three years today!!! I sent out our thank you cards with our Christmas cards in November to kill two birds with one stone and save on postage.
It took me two years to change my name on my drivers licence, as you have to go into the transport office and I hate having to line up. Some things are really easy and just needs a phone call, other things you need to show proof. For those things, you'll need to get the official marriage certificate, not just the one they give you on the day. This one costs about $25 from memory. You apparently get a month or so to change your passport before they charge you. I wish I knew this before I got my act together as mine is still in my maiden name.
Congratulations and I hope your wedding is all your dreamed for and more

[nic]

Another thing to remember to change is any superannuation that you have. I tried to rollover some money and the fund I was trying to rollover from wouldn't do it because it was still in my maiden name.

Nic

[LisaBear]

be aware that you only have a very short period in which they allow you to change your name on your passport for free, cannot remmeber the frame but i forgot to have mine done, so when i traveled overseas i had to show my BDM certificate to let me on the plane!! youhave to go to the passport office with your official certificate and they print a thing in the back to certify you have change dyou name, if you miss the time frame you have to reapply for a passsport and they wont credit you your old one!!! so that is a really important thign to do!! believe me!!

[Cooper]

You have a year from the wedding date to change your name on your passport but i did mine within a couple of months, i just did it at the post office and it was very easy!

[HollyC]

1. I actually find it very strange when I find my seat at a wedding and there is a pre printed card that says "Bride and Groom thank you for your thoughtful and generous gift" How do they know it was either? Wait until afterwards.

2. Sign with your maiden name.

3. Unfortunately there is no one form to fill in. Would be great if you just stood on a line at a government office and said my name is now.....

As someone else said you need to get the official copy from births, deaths and marriages. You will need to show this to banks etc. rather than the fancy one.

I didn't pay for new drivers licence etc, but the expiry date stayed the same. You have 1 year I think to change your passport for free.

Remember that you can use any name you like, so long as you aren't trying to commit fraud. So you can leave some stuff in your maiden name. Quite a few of my bills are still in my maiden name. The only problem is if you need to prove who you are. It is worth having ID and major things like bank accounts all in the same name.

Good luck!

[briggsy's girl]

i think the girls are pretty spot on with their answers - but one thing i will say - Telstra CAN change your name on your bill over the phone - but it's only what is printed on your bill - not your actual account, it will still say your maiden name (well it does for mobiles anyway) - and if you go to upgrade, they'll ask for your marriage certificate so that your ID matches the system! (can you tell i've been through it?!?) you can take your marriage certificate to any telstra shop and they'll update it there for you...