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last names
I'm a bit confused on something
If you have a ceremony but aren't legally married would you be able to take the last name of your spouse or would it need to be a legal marriage?
What exactly makes a marriage legal?.....What is the difference between a ceremony and a legal marriage?
Also, If you had a ceremony would you still refer to others as husband and wife?
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In the United States you can change your last name to nearly anything, for pretty much any reason you'd like. So, you can legally take you partner's name at any time, whether you are married or not. No one in the government cares.
A marriage is legal when a couple gets a Marriage License. They need to apply for the license and have it granted by a civic officer. Generally, the license has to be signed in view of two witnesses who also need to sign it.
The difference between the ceremony and the license depends entirely on the religion/ceremony being performed. The license is really straight-forward and many couples include signing the license in their religious ceremony. Other couple who want a religious marriage and a license, do them on a separate days. It doesn't matter which you choose.
You can refer to one another as husband and wife, or as Grand Poo bah and Lady Madcap. So, yes. If you believe the ceremony makes you husband and wife, that is what you should call each other. The government doesn't care. What the license does is guarantee you (and your family) all the right and protections of a legally married couple.
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I'm not a lawyer nor am I an American or European for that matter. Laws vary by state in the U.S., nationally and Europe is a whole other ball of wax.
I do know enough to answer your question in part without running into trouble or leading you astray. If really concerned call a lawyer or call city hall and ask them about laws on marriage and being legally married and they should know that.
If you have a ceremony without a piece of legal paper saying you are married it's a civil union between two people from what I've been told. You can take on another person's name but must legally change it for the name change to be your legal name.
Again, I am not a lawyer but what makes a marriage legal is that piece of paper saying you are legally husband and wife and it's recorded as such.
Would you still refer to your partner as husband or wife without the legal ceremony? Yes, you can in fact do that. It's true! After you live as a couple for a certain amount of year (again check the law in your area) you're known as common law married. The law sees you then as husband and wife. Again, check the laws but this is all based on what I've heard and or read.
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