The Legalities of Getting Married: What You Should Know

Getting married is one of the most magical days you’ll experience in your life. It’s a moment you’ll treasure forever and if everything goes without a hitch is just about perfect.



It’s the tie that binds couples both emotionally and legally, but with so much to think about, from the right dress to the catering, venue and flowers the legal sides to the big day can often be forgotten about.



There are many ways around this. Using a legal firm who specialise in family law, such as Simmrinlawgroup is a useful way to ensure no stone is left unturned, whether that be for a prenuptial agreement or child support issues. But there are also many other legalities surrounding marriage which should also be considered, many of which you perhaps wouldn’t even think of.



Below you’ll find some of the more common legal aspects of getting married that you could need to consider...

Children

If yourself or your partner already has children, discussions are required to determine whether their legal guardians will change once married. This naturally needs to be done sympathetically as it can affect a number of people, including the children themselves and the biological parent.



Discussing it with all parties is a must and explaining what it means to the children clearly and in a language and tone they’ll understand.

Prenuptial Agreements

Prenups aren’t exactly considered romantic and many people avoid them to avoid any arguments before even tying the knot. However, they can also save arguments should the relationship end in divorce.



You can highlight and plan for who would receive what in the instance of divorce, alongside any special agreements, all of which have to be signed off by both partners.

Name Changing

It’s traditional for a female to change her surname to that of her husband in marriage and with that you’ll be required to change your name on things such as bank accounts, social security cards and insurance companies. In fact, there’s a long list of items and accounts which will need to be updated.

Insurance

Once married there are various insurance plans that can be changed to cover both of you, including retirement, life and health insurance.



With the latter, you can join the insurance plan of your partner which can save money in some instances. It’s always worth shopping around, and as well as updating health insurance, updating life insurance is also a must to fully cover your partner should you pass away.

Wedding contracts

As well as the legal aspects that could affect you outside your wedding day, it can also be useful to have legalities in place for your big day too.



We all know that not everything can run smoothly on a wedding day. It’s rare that it goes completely without a hitch, but you can avoid some of the biggest hiccups by having legally binding contracts in place.



For example, you might wish to get a written contract for the venue to ensure you know exactly what you’re receiving, alongside avoiding being cancelled on. The same applies to the likes of wedding bands, caterers and more.