The document that will facilitate your name change is the Marriage Certificate, which is very limited in scope. Your certificate will allow you to update your middle or last name to any combination of your and your spouse's current last names.
If you want to change your first name, or create a brand new last name you'll need to go through the legal name change process, which is briefly outlined below:
1. You will visit your local county clerk.
2. You will complete a name change order with the county clerk.
3. The clerk will schedule a date for you to appear before a judge.
4. In the interim, you will post notice of your new name in a local newspaper (a very antiquated rule, but still part of the requirement).
5. You will have a name change hearing where the judge will issue you the desired name(s).
6. Upon completion, the judge will give you a document called a "name change order."
The "order" will be the legal document used to change your desired name(s) in place of your marriage certificate. Upon completion of this process, the judge will issue you a "Name Change Order." Once this document is physically in hand, you will use it in place of your Marriage Certificate when submitting the forms that we provide. HitchSwitch will be able to help you update your name on everything from your passport to your driver's license and everything in between.