How long to get your marriage certificate?

Im in SE Michigan....they are only valid for 30 days or so. Not sure how long after, but I honestly don't care. When it comes in it comes in.

In Texas, they told us it'd be about 30 days if we mailed it. If we needed a copy before that, they said we could hand deliver it to the courthouse and we'd get a copy that day.

I got married at the courthouse. So we got our certificate that same day and then the judge signs right off on it.

30 days wouldn't be so bad. I'm not worried about my name for the honeymoon because it's right after the wedding, but we're planning another trip about 6 weeks later.

It would also be nice to have an idea when I can drop mine and get on my husband's health insurance! :-)

In Pennsylvania, they do not give you the legal one. You get one that the officiant signs, and he sends another copy off to the state. You have to request the legal one. By legal one, I mean it's a legal size document (8.5 x 14 as opposed to your standard "certificate" which is 8x11).

It's my understanding you can get on his insurance starting the day you get married, even filing a little later and having them backdate it to your wedding date. As far as your honeymoon, do you just mean for the wedding perks some resorts offer to newlyweds? Or do you mean for a name change on your travel documents?

Call your officiant and get the information for the office where your license was filed. This is an impossible question for anyone who is not in your actual state/county/town to answer.

Personally, I would wait until after to legally change my name. If you planning on purchasing any travel (air, train, even car rental) before the wedding and name change, you are going to have to be sure that you identification has the same name on it or you wont be able to use those tickets.

I was hoping someone on here had gone through this in my state.

I'm thinking both @KTizzle. His insurance specifically requires the certificate to add me. I also want to start the name change process right away, but don't want to be caught in the middle when the trip rolls around. I'll have to call the courthouse. Thanks ladies!

I'm with Maltese on waiting to do a name change. If you book travel in your new name, but there is any kind of delay in the processing of your name change, things could get hairy. Ask about processing timeframes for any documents you will need for travel (passport, ID/license, etc. should be about it) before booking your travel. That way you kinda know if you're risking a tight timeline, or if you have a few weeks in case of delay. The post office told me 4-8 weeks processing time when I applied for my passport. It was here in 10 days, but I got lucky! I don't know what the turn-around is on a name-change on a passport though. I just know that I have one year from the date it was approved to change my name for free.

Turn-around time also is seasonal. I would imagine that May is busy in your state and the issuing office will be busy.

Here, the courthouse usually says 2-4 weeks. But, during busy wedding season I know it can take 4-6 weeks.

We brought ours to the Clerk the Monday after the wedding & I received the certified copy that day. I changed my name the next week.