Wednesday, January 7, 2009

It truly cannot be this hard...

... to get a copy of a marriage certificate. I was married 2 full months ago on November 7, 2008. I still do not have the appropriate paperwork to legally change my name. I want to change my name, but I can't. Here's how it all went down:

November 7 - Wedding.

November 24 - Confirm with officiant that he had sent in paperwork to the courthouse so they would have a record of our marriage. He says that he did indeed mail it right after the wedding.

December 1 - I drop a letter in the mail, addressed to the courthouse. I enclose the request form for certified copies of my marriage license and a check for the required amount.

December 12 - I really want to get a new drivers license (with my new name) to show off when I go home for the holidays, but I still don't have any certified copies of my marriage license to take to the DMV or Social Security Office. I call the courthouse to ask where my copies are. I am told they do not have any record of me being married. I am asked if I actually got married. I immediatly call my officant. He says that he did mail in the paperwork, but has heard (from his officiant friends) that this particular courthouse has "lost" paperwork in the past. He says he will hand deliver another copy.

December 18 - I call the courthouse to see if a second copy has been delivered. They confirm that they DO have my paperwork and promise that certified copies will be mailed.

December 22 through December 31 - On vacation in NJ. Unable to check mail.

January 1 - I check my mailbox. There is an envelope from the courthouse. Inside the envelope is my uncashed check, stapled to a form. A box is checked off - "No record of marriage". Next to that statement someone has handwritten "Are you sure you got married in this county?"

January 2 - I call the courthouse and explain the situation. They confirm that they do have my paperwork and that the letters must have crossed in the mail. I tell her that the postmark is for December 23, which would be 5 days after I called to confirm that they had my paperwork. The receptionist offers a half-assed apology. I ask for my certified copies. She says she will mail me ONE for free, even though I need FOUR. I say fine.

January 6 - I receive an envelope from the Courthouse. Inside, there is ONE certified copy of a marriage certificate. The marriage certificate confirms that the husband and I were married in Annapolis on……November 17, 2008.

January 7 - I call the courthouse AGAIN. I am put on hold for 4 full minutes. She almost says that she can’t find my paperwork, and I cut in and tell her to LOOK HARDER. She does. She finds it. She snottily asks what my wedding date was. I say November 7. She says “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yes the paperwork does say the 7th. Oh.”

Allegedly another certified copy is in the mail. Happy 2 month anniversary to me.

3 comments:

Jenna @ SpitzerStories said...

This is complete insanity. I'm so sorry you have had to go through all this just to get proof you're married! Hopefully one day you can look back on this and laugh...one day in a very, very long time. Here's to hoping they get it right this time.

lisastassforth said...

How frustrating. I'm sorry too. To show you how times have changed, I got married in Los Angeles,Ca., May of 1990, a Tuesday evening. The next day I think I've lost my wallet so we spend the whole day reporting to all my credit cards. The last place we go to is the DMV. We get in line and when its my turn, I tell the worker that I lost my license, but I also got married last night. I gave her my DL number and she then asked me what my new last name is and printed out a temporary. She took a new picture and off I go. I couldn't believe it. I hope you have many happy years to come. Congratulations

Kate said...

Wow, lisastassforth - I can't believe they just made you a new DL - thats awesome!!! It's sort of a pain in the butt these days (or so I hear, since I've yet to do anything because of a lack of proof) but I am looking forward to changing my name!

SpitzerTales - I have been following your blog (I think I found it on WeddingBee?) and am honored to be on your blog roll! thanks!