Is there a reason to get a copy of your marriage certificate?

If you want to mail it off to places at the same time if they won't accept copies. That's the only reason I can think of. I'm thinking my professional license might keep the copy though.

Yes, you need it to change your name with your employer and the bank, and on and on

I tell my couples to get three; one for a safe place and two to use for everything you have to change.

I've needed mine close to a dozen times during the name changing process. I don't know if the SS office varies from state to state, but I didn't need to mail mine in anywhere and wait for it to get returned. I just had to show it to them in the office and they made a copy of it. I was in and out in 15 minutes.

My family has a tradition of framing them. I've seen my great-great grandparent's and it's pretty cool

In Missouri, not only do you need a copy of the marriage license to pursue a name change, but it has to be a certified copy.

Hmm but if I mail it off to social security, can't I just wait until they mail it back for me to change the next thing? I can't change my driver's license until I get my new Social Security card anyway, right? Or does it take longer for them to mail me back the certificate than it does to mail me a new Social Security card?

At least in Nor Cal, they're like $15. And you can always get a second one later if you need it. I think Celia (per usual) is pretty spot on though.

I just thought you could do things sequentially and you just sort of have to show it where you go places and the only place they actually keep it for some time is Social Security.

Also we're getting married in California but live in Hawaii, so if I need the copy I would want to get it while we're in California and already at the office applying for the first one, not sure how easy it is to apply for a copy when I'm not in California.

I just went to the local SS office and had mine changed. They mailed me a new card.

Correct me others if I'm wrong, but you only get the certified certificate after the ceremony. So when you go back to file it with all your signatures and your officiant's signature; not when you buy your license. Which you can do by mail (from CA or HI) or in person before you leave (or have your officiant do it).

Again, at least in NorCal, you can apply for them online and they mail it to you.

Well the license is the thing you pick up before and pay for, then your officiant and witnesses and everything sign that at the ceremony, then the officiant will mail it back for us. Then at some point we are mailed the certificate a few weeks later. I'm sure I could apply for a copy of a certificate from Hawaii, but I figure if I really need a second (or third) one then I'll just do it all at once when I pick up my license. But I just am wondering if there is a need for an extra certificate or if I can just use the one they give me for everything.

It sounds like Susan you didn't even have to mail them your certificate so maybe only one certificate is really needed as long as I'm just going into the office and not mailing things in.

I recently changed my name. You don't need your new social security card to change your drivers license, at least for Texas. If you plan on changing your passport you need a certified copy because they will hold on to it for six weeks. I only got one certified copy and it's been fine, but two wouldn't be a bad idea. I don't like carrying around the original one.

We only have 1. I added DH's last name already. The rest stuff will be Immigration docs. Again, if we ever lose it, its only about $22 CDN to replace it (i think) so no biggie.

Our situation was a little different because of immigration, but we've used like 4 copies already. Some places want originals and there's no guarantee to get them back(Like a passport name change) I've also heard the 3 rule that Celia said.

You don't need to mail in a certificate to get your Social Security card. You just take a certified copy of your license (which is what gets sent to you after the wedding) to the Social Security Office. I did not need my new Social Security Card to get my new license at the DMV. I once again just needed the certified copy of the marriage license and I went before I had my new Social Security Card. We only got one copy. At no point has any agency/business needed to take it out of our possession. I think you're probably overly thinking the steps.

@B-2-Z, I've never heard of a passport agency not sending back a marriage certificate, especially if it is a certified copy. Usually they mail the new passport. Then within ten days they mail back the documents you submitted. If you don't receive those documents then it is your responsibility to call them and get it back.

Katherine, it's because I'm a Canadian in the US on a visa, they required it for part of immigration in both countries.. Like I said, my situation is different.

@Sarah, that's what I was thinking, okay, no extra copies it is for now at least!!

I feel like getting at least one copy would be good, so you can bring that around with you and you don't need to worry about losing the original.