| |
-
-
|
-
# 1 - Marriage License
- All states require you to obtain
a marriage license and each state is different; check with the
county clerk's office in your state.
Here is what is generally required:
(a) apply in person - both the bride and groom
(b) cash for the fee (some states accept a personal check); the amount varies, could range $40-$150
(c) birth certificate, tax information, and/or proof of identification
(d) information about previous marriage(s) (divorce decree or death)
(e) blood test
Here are some questions you can ask when you call the clerk's office:
... is a witness required to come with you to the clerk's office when you apply?
... is an appointment required?
... what is the length of time a license is valid? (it may be 30-90 days from the date of application)
... are there any residency requirements?
The marriage license
will be mailed back to you and you will need to deliver it to the officiant on
your wedding day; the officiant will sign the marriage license and send it to the appropriate agency for
filing after your wedding.
Some states offer different types of marriage licenses (example: common law marriages,
same sex marriages, proxy marriages, or a confidential marriage).
For online help and other marriage law information, go to United States Marriage Laws.
-
# 2 - Prenuptial Agreement
- What’s all the fuss about
signing a prenuptial agreement? First, it sounds as if you are already planning
your divorce. Second, it just isn’t very romantic. There are key reasons why a
prenuptial agreement should be signed in case the uneventful occurs. Of course, the
best recommendation is to consult with your attorney for proper advice.
If one or both of the following circumstances fit you, it would be smart to obtain
a prenuptial agreement.
- One of you has a great amount of assets.
- One of you expects to receive a great inheritance.
The agreement should list all assets and liabilities, both separately and
jointly, both before and after the marriage date. It’s an expression of communication.
The pre-nuptial agreement can include how bills are paid, religion, children, and
almost any other issue that you think may be of a concern in the future. In the
off-chance you end up in divorce, at least the two of you decided how to divide the
assets instead of having them divided for you in a court of law. There are quite a
few legal and non-legal issues to consider. If you are both young and don’t have
many assets, then maybe a pre-nup isn’t right for you. The thought of such an
agreement is very unromantic and not necessary for many. If this is your second
or later marriage and you have collected assets or maybe run a business, you may
wish to see your attorney for an agreement and advice.
Don’t sign a pre-nuptial
agreement right before the wedding—make sure it is signed at least one week before
the wedding. Otherwise, it appears that the agreement was signed under pressure
and it will not be recognized in a court of law. Actually, just because you have
an agreement doesn’t mean a court will recognize it as law. Your best bet is to
hire a professional to help you through this tough assignment. A post-nuptial
agreement is, well, like a second thought. As long as it defines the issues,
and both parties agree and sign it with the assistance of an attorney, then it
may help the couple work through their issues.
# 3 - Wedding Insurance - To look at your wedding as
a business project (and it really is!), the investment of $5,000 or $30,000 is
huge and can be costly if something goes wrong. Have you wondered what would
happen if you paid a $500 deposit for the flowers and the little flower shop
just went out of business the week before your wedding? Or the photographer
skipped town one day, along with your proofs? With all the contracts involved
with the vendors and deliverables that must all happen on one day, it only makes
sense to have Wedding Insurance. Go to your favorite web search engine and enter
the keywords “wedding insurance” for specific information.
# 4 - Name Change -
Brides who decide to change their last name have quite a task ahead of them.
There are several kits available to help the bride through the checklist and
legal documentation. If you have access to the Internet, you may want to type
the following “search” terms: name change, wedding name change, bride name change,
married name. The bride may also wish to keep her maiden name – it is the name
she has always had and it is acceptable. There may be some confusion when it
comes to naming their children however, and this will be a topic to discuss. Some
brides decide to use a “hyphenated” name where they keep their maiden name plus
their husband’s name. The worse thing that can happen here is the length of the
last name and minor confusion that can easily be communicated to others. Occasionally,
the groom changes his name to the name of the bride. He may have a complex name or
may have other personal reasons to legally change his name.
# 5 - Out-of-Town Guest Accommodations- Here’s a big challenge. It’s
one week before the wedding, and here come several out-of-town guests. Who should greet
them, have dinner with them, and take them to the city's
entertainment centers? Well, if you’re superwoman [bride] or superman [groom], you can.
The challenge is how to make your out-of-town guests feel welcome, stay entertained
and comfortable in a new city while you are running errands and tying up loose ends.
If possible, assign relatives or friends in your wedding party
to be personal escorts for your out-of-town guests (delegation is key). Brides and
grooms who have a large budget provide their guests with a "welcome basket" in their hotel
room. The basket can include tickets to an entertainment park or a show, or include maps to some of your favorite spots.
Some of the larger hotels who cater to wedding parties
already have maps available for you to send, and brochures about the city. Maybe you could invite your
out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner (they would love that).
Maybe you could use extra help; ask your guests if they could help you finish up
your table centerpieces, or decorating the reception hall.
When you secure the wedding date and site, ask the site manager about reserving
a block of rooms, any special rates available, a honeymoon suite, and how long they
will hold the block of rooms for your guests. If the reception is not at a hotel, then research
hotels in the area along with the rate and directions, and call your out-of-town guests with the
details--they will greatly appreciate it.
Customer Support:
support@weddingsabreeze.com or 760.419.1516
Articles
found on this site are the property of Wedding's a Breeze and are not
to be duplicated without the written consent of Event's A Breeze Software
Solutions.
Return to Articles
|
|
