Just got back from applying for marriage license!

[NewEnglandLady]

So FI and I just got back from Boston''s city hall, where we applied for our marriage license (yay!). For the past month or so I''ve been in contact with several branches of the MA family court, the soc. security office and a marriage lawyer to determine how to keep my maiden name as a second middle name. There is no way to add it on the marriage license form, but apparently I can add it as a second middle name at the SS office, howeiver the SS office and the lawyer confirmed that it was not a legal name change, just a cosmetic name change. Still, they''ll print it on legal documents (still confused about that one). I was really hoping that the clerk could just add my maiden name as a second middle name on the ML itself, so I didn''t have to go through the whole name change/addition process. Here''s how the convo went:

Me: "Yes, hi, I would really like to keep my maiden name as a second middle name. Is it possible to do this on the marriage license so that I don''t have to fill out a name change form, pay a fee and go to court?"
Delightful government clerk: "yeah...just do it."
Me: *stares blankly at her for a few seconds*
Me: "How would I just do it?"
DGC: "Just do it!!"
Me: *looks at FI in a way that portrays I have no clue what to say*
FI: "I''m sorry, but do you mean she should just sign her name like that, can she do that?"
DGC: "sure"
Me: "Well would that be a cosmetic change or a legal change?"
DGC: "I don''t know, I''m not a lawyer!"
Me: "I''m sure you probably get this inquiry often, is that what is recommended?"
DGC: "No, most people just replace their middle name with their maiden name."
Me: "Oh, okay, so is there a way I can do that legally without going through the name change process?"
DGC: "Yeah, just do it!!"

Oy, I just thanked her, paid the cashier and left (we''d been there for almost an hour just to fill out the form and take a one-sentence oath). Then we got cream puffs from Fanieuel Hall to celebrate!

I''m beginning to wonder why I care so much about legally changing (keeping) my name when it doesn''t seem that any legal body in MA cares if I do...

 

[Nicki]

Hahaha! That''s Mass Gov''t for ya! I can relate...I''m a Mass''hole too!

Luckily, I live in a small town and will just be visiting the town clerk.

 

[Selkie]

NEL, for some reason I thought you were getting married in Maine? Must be someone else. I guess they just don''t care as much about changes to the middle name, more to the first and surname.

When we applied for the license at the town clerk in my parents'' (small) Mass. town, they never even asked us for ID, even though our legal residence is in CA. She asked if we are citizens so DH told her he was naturalized and could show her his papers, but she didn''t bother looking. It a way, it''s nice that people are still trusting in some places.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Great idea, Nicki, we planned on doing it on the south shore where we live and where we are getting married, but we both work in Boston and since all town halls are only open from like..10:30 am to 2:30 pm (not really, but you get the idea) M - F and we both have to be there (he can''t work from home), this was pretty much our only option. Hopefully your experience is less painful!

I highly recommend cream puffs, though!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Hey, Selkie,

We didn''t have to show ID, either, which I thought was odd. And I was worried that we hadn''t brought our birth certificates and passports!

 

[Nicki]

Date: 8/30/2007 4:19:00 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
Great idea, Nicki, we planned on doing it on the south shore where we live and where we are getting married, but we both work in Boston and since all town halls are only open from like..10:30 am to 2:30 pm (not really, but you get the idea) M - F and we both have to be there (he can''t work from home), this was pretty much our only option. Hopefully your experience is less painful!

I highly recommend cream puffs, though!

Oohh....cream puffs....I don''t even have a bakery (Dunkin Donuts DOESN''T count) to stop at afterwards, so I am a little jealous!

We''ve got a month to go, so I guess I need to start thinking about heading on over to the Town Clerk one of these days.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Haha, well you might have to celebrate with a dunkin'' donut, then

There''s no rush to get it, you''ve still got a few weeks if you need them. Lately I''ve been on a kick trying to get as many things off the "to do" list as possible and this was a big one, so I''m glad it''s done.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 8/30/2007 4:16:21 PM
Author: Selkie
NEL, for some reason I thought you were getting married in Maine? Must be someone else. I guess they just don''t care as much about changes to the middle name, more to the first and surname.

When we applied for the license at the town clerk in my parents'' (small) Mass. town, they never even asked us for ID, even though our legal residence is in CA. She asked if we are citizens so DH told her he was naturalized and could show her his papers, but she didn''t bother looking. It a way, it''s nice that people are still trusting in some places.

Sheesh! When DH and I applied for our marriage license we had to have our drivers licenses and another form of I.D. and swear that we weren''t related! No trust in the county offices around here! I''m glad you had it easy.

Jess

 

[Tacori E-ring]

We had to show our IDs AND birth certificates when we got ours. At least WI doesn''t require blood tests like some states. I replaced my middle with my maiden (I know slightly different than what you are doing) but I didn''t have to pay anything to change it. Maybe it is different in your state.