Weddingbee boards

You need the license before the wedding and then sign it the day of your wedding.

You'll get the certificate after the wedding. In Canada we had to fill out a form to get it then wait a couple weeks for it to come in the mail and it cost us $35. Once we got that, I started changing my name.

In North Carolina - there is one document for all things - They are all the same!  The document says "Application, License and Certificate of Marriage".  The words are interchangeable here.

Is is what was filled out at the marriage license office the month before the wedding, the same thing that was signed by our witnesses/officiant and the same thing that was mailed to one once officially signed.

This is how ours worked:
1. we filled out the marriage application online
2. went to the marrige license office downtown (not the court house here)
3. showed our IDs and had the paper work filled out and verified & paid the fee
4. given the printed out document with all the instructions (at the office)
5. (at home) pre stamped/addressed an envelope with a check for 3 copies of the official license for our officiant to mail back the day after the wedding
6. had the document signed by everyone on wedding day
7. day after the wedding officiant sealed the envelope and put it in the mail
8. a few weeks later we got the official copies in the mail

THEN. 
1. I went to the social security office - applied for a name change. - only needed 1 official copy as "reason for name change" - there is no fee.  I got a reciept.
2. waited 3 days and took my receipt to the DMV where I applied for a new Drivers License with my new name.  - again official marriage license as proof of reason for name change.

note: in NC there is no mention of name change on the actual license.  The license is just proof of reason for changing your name. 

The certified copy of our marriage certificate was $1 ... that's right, one dollar.  It's just a printed out copy of the marriage certificate, crimped and signed by an employee.  That is what you need to change your name most everywhere.  Some places are fine with the copy of the license (which is what you originally pay the $25 for), some places want the embossed copy of the court document.

@Ella1978 Lucky!! Ours were $30 each!  I got 3 copies but come to find out I could have done with 1. 

@Rgeddy: oh my gosh!  $30 each!  That's insane!!!  Yeah at the county building here it's a dollar per page on any copy you make.. hence the deal of a price!