Last Name Change

Your aunt, if she is not already an ordained minister, has to get ordained online. There are tons of services for this; Universal Life Church is a popular one. And yes, you’ll need to go to town hall in the county you’re getting married to get a marriage license. I don’t know Tennessee laws but it’s usually only valid for a certain time period before you must get married.
You will change your last name once you return to CT, starting with the SSN office. I got married in FL and was in the process of moving from MA to CT. It was not difficult at all.

Every state is definitely going to be different so check to see what you will need for all of that. Ideally if you are designating someone to officiate you and your FH they would need to be ordained online and fill out some type of form (which also may need to be notarized). We designated my husband's cousin to officiate us. We live in Las Vegas, NV. She went online to get ordained and then there was a form that the future Mr. and Mrs. needed to sign alongside with the officiate and notary. She turned it in and then just waited a few weeks to get something in the mail to say if she was eligible to do it or not.

Then my husband and I went to the marriage and license bureau to get a marriage license. This gives you permission to get married in state. We pre-filled out the application online so that way when we went to the bureau it was ready to go at the window. They then provide you the license and then a form to fill out alongside with the officiant. Then once the wedding day is over the officiant would have to take that form to whatever office it needs to go to to turn it in. From there you just wait for your marriage certificate. In Vegas we can pick it up for free at the bureau or pay a fee to have it delivered by mail.

As far as for changing your name you fill out the marriage license and certificate according to how you want it. Then once that is finalized you would have to go to social security for a name change. Then you would have to change your ID and passport. Ideally this is the order, but it could be a little different in TN.

So if anything you can definitely google "getting married in TN" and "name change in CT by marriage".

Call the county clerk where you are getting married. They will tell you how and when to obtain a marriage license, and whether an online ordained minster can perform a legal ceremony in that state or county. Literally every county is going to have it's own rules and timeline, so best to reach out to them directly. To change your name, start with the Social Security Administration. Once you get your new SS card, then you can do Driver's License, Passport, Bank Accounts, etc.

I’m in TN & a lawyer. Google T.C.A 36-3-101 & 301.
You’re aunt would need to be an ordained minister. As of 2019, I don’t believe TN recognizes ministers ordained online.

Also, you have to go to the county clerk to get your license & (in Knox county at least) it is good for 30 days. I have been married before (married in TN, name changed in NY). It is not difficult to get your name changed.

Tennessee has restrictions on who can legally marry you. I do not believe they recognize those ordained online. I was married by a clergy from my church so I didn’t look deeply Into it. So just be sure your aunt will fulfill the requirements.
After that just a license from the county clerk is all you need. It’s good for 30 days. We got it from the county ty we lived in not where we got married. Not sure if there are restrictions on that, but a quick call to the county clerk can answer that. I think we even prefilled out a form online to help the process go a little faster.

I live in Tennessee and just got married about a month ago now. We were originally going to have a friend marry us, but Tennessee requires an ordained minister to do it, anyone certified online is unqualified to legally marry anyone. You have to go to the county clerk to get your marriage license, which is valid for 30 days after. And then after the wedding, either your officiant has to send it in to the clerk or you and your spouse have to take it in together in person. Hope that helps!