After the wedding

The checklist for after a Vermont wedding

After a Vermont wedding, confirm the officiant’s certificate return, then handle certificate copies, supplier returns and any chosen name change. The Department of Health requires the officiant to return the completed certificate to the issuing clerk within ten days. A temporary officiant attaches the authorization copy. Other event tasks follow their actual contracts.

Close the bookings as well as the paperwork

Arrange certified copies with the clerk when buying the license, or request them afterward. A certified copy costs $10; the state’s online service adds a $2 processing charge. Ask each requesting agency what document it accepts rather than ordering a fixed number for everyone.

Confirm who returns rented items and collects personal decorations, and when.
Reconcile final supplier invoices against the agreed hours and attendance.
Download photo and video files within their delivery and access terms.
If changing a name, follow the relevant agency’s sequence and deadlines.
Ask the cleaner to follow the garment’s care instructions.

References

The after-the-wedding checklist, in order

What to do after a Vermont wedding, when and the page that covers it.

Officiant returns the certificate to the issuing town clerk: Within 10 days of the wedding; Ceremony-day paperwork.

Order certified copies of the certificate: Two weeks or more after, from the clerk; six weeks or more after, from the Department of Health; Certificate copies.

Update Social Security, then visit the DMV, if changing your name; Notify the DMV within 30 days; Changing your name.

Return rentals and collect decor, signs and personal items: The next day, by an agreed person; Tables and chairs.

Download the full photo gallery and back it up: As soon as it arrives, before it expires; Albums and prints.

Send thank-you notes: Start from the gift list you kept; Wedding website and registry.

Clean and preserve the dress: Promptly, before stains set; Dress alterations and preservation.

The Vermont marriage certificate after the wedding

The officiant completes the license and returns it to the town clerk where it was issued. If they used a temporary registration, the Secretary of State's certificate of authorization goes with it.

Ask the officiant on the day whether they will return it themselves and when. A quick message a week later costs nothing and settles it.

Certified copies and the name change after a Vermont wedding

Order more than one certified copy. The DMV accepts a certified copy with a stamp or raised seal, and other offices may each want their own. A copy is $10.

If either of you changes your name, Social Security comes first when the license is Real ID compliant. See changing your name for the order.

Vendor returns, payments and the photographs after a wedding

Name someone to return rentals and collect the decor before you leave. Ask each vendor when its final payment is due and whether overtime was charged.

Download your gallery at once, in full resolution, and keep it in two places. Galleries can expire. See albums and prints for what to ask the photographer.

What happens to the marriage license after the wedding in Vermont?

The officiant fills in the date, place and officiant details and signs it, and it becomes the marriage certificate. They return it to the issuing town clerk within ten days.

How long does the officiant have to return the certificate?

Ten days after the wedding, according to the Department of Health's FAQ. Ask the officiant to do it the next day.

When can I get certified copies of my Vermont marriage certificate?

You can arrange one when you buy the license. After the ceremony, two weeks or more later from the clerk, and six weeks or more later from the Department of Health. Each is $10.

When are thank-you notes due?

Keep a list of gifts as they arrive and set yourselves a date, so the notes are not left for months.

Should I clean my wedding dress right away?

If you want to keep it, yes. Food, drink and grass stains set over time, so book the cleaner before the wedding and drop the dress off soon after.

Do I need to tell anyone that we are married?

Only the offices and companies you choose, and the DMV if your name changes. Each sets its own requirements, and most ask for a certified certificate.

Where can I read the state's own guidance?; The Department of Health's Getting Married in Vermont FAQ and its vital-records page.

Ceremony-day paperwork: How a Vermont marriage license becomes a certificate: who signs when, who returns it to the issuing clerk and how to request a copy afterward.

Changing your name: What the Vermont DMV requires to change your name after marriage: a certified certificate, Social Security information and matching identity records.

Albums & Prints: Turning wedding photographs into albums and prints: delivery timelines, print releases, storage and the photographer’s delivery terms.

Marriage license: What a Vermont marriage license costs, how long it lasts, which clerk issues it, the age rule and the steps for obtaining and returning it.

Officiants: Who may solemnize a marriage in Vermont, how a friend can be temporarily authorized under 18.

Marriage certificate: How to get a certified or noncertified copy of a Vermont marriage certificate: the $10 state certified-copy fee and the office that holds the record.

More in Planning a Vermont wedding: Vermont wedding alcohol, Accessibility at Vermont wedding venues, Changing your name after a Vermont wedding.