So we are home... well our home until the first week of February when we fly out to start our trip.
There is exactly one month between our wedding day and the day that we fly out. This posed an interesting dilemma for my name. I just couldn't see spending six months and not taking Mr. Robin's name. It is really important to me for us to have the same name, we are one, we are a family. I know that people have many different feelings about this subject and I think all of them have valid points. But for me personally it was priority.
So instead of waiting six months... marathon name change session! We are due to leave on the honeymoon in the evening the Monday after the wedding, so I have several hours. I grabbed an expanding file with all identifying documents and papers and room for more. This will be a day that you collect paper.
1. Marriage License – 10:30AM
This is the key to name changing. You need a certified copy to show the DMV, Social Security, bank, etc, and another copy that you can send the passport office.
While getting marriage license, find out how fast you can get a certified copy after the ceremony. For example, in the state of Oregon usually the officiant of your ceremony usually mails the license in after the wedding,. Well, we couldn't wait for the US Postal Service, so my maid of honor took it and placed it into my bags and then we drove to the license office on Monday morning (before taking off on the honeymoon) and turned it in ourselves.
Also, before the wedding I found the layout of the government offices in Portland that were near the County marriage office. Then, after we got copies of the marriage license with its seal of approval we didn't have to go far in between stops.
2. Social Security – 11 AM
I decided to do the offices in order of most likely horrible and get easier. So Social Security first. I don't want to insult anyone at the office, they were polite, helpful and efficient. But it was still about an hour and a half before I walked out Mrs. Robin in the eyes of Social Security. 85 minutes in a plastic chair trying to read, and less than five minutes at the window.
3. DMV - 12:45 PM
The weak point of my plan, if I had planned better I would know that the DMV I chose, while close to the other offices, was in fact closed on Mondays. Grr.
4.Passport – 1:45 PM
To prepare for this I had filled out the renewal forms online and printed them out. This is wise, so there will be no misspellings or mistakes due to my poor handwriting.
Walgreen's in the Northwest takes passport photos and will have them for you in about fifteen minutes. So I get the obligatory unflattering pics and head over to the Main Eastside Post Office (fyi, they also take pics there) and I wait in line. The woman who works here is super-helpful. Since I need my passport fast, we overnight the forms and I expedite the forms.
5. Bank – 3:30 PM
The second place that the plan breaks down... The line goes out the door and around the corner. Mr. Robin (who has been patiently shadowing me for moral support) tells me that his dad wants to see us at 5:30 before he flies out. Sigh. I am not going to make it to another DMV.
So I finished up the day we got back from the honeymoon, with that final piece. I have no credit cards to change, so now, fourteen days after the wedding there is only Mrs. Robin!
