Tying the knot. Tighter?

I have always been under the impression that weddings were rather common.  Many of my friends, family members, and co-workers are married... and judging from the magazines, they seem to get re-married every few months (or is it weeks?) out in Hollywood.  Based on this, I imagined that the process of taking one's husband's last name would be relatively simple. But I was sadly naive.

To get a joint checking account with our married name, for example, the bank required that I present a driver's license officially printed with Eric's surname.  Yet apparently a bona fide marriage license would not convince the Department of Public Safety that Eric and I had tied the knot.  Instead, when applying for the required driver's license, I was first sent to the Social Security office to have my married name printed on a new Social Security card.  

Naturally, this card took awhile to arrive.  In the meantime, I was stuck explaining that, while I would like my married name printed on all new documentation, my current paperwork temporarily contained my pre-married name, which would be changing to my new married name -- the one I would like to begin using now -- in just a few weeks.  All this seemed to be a little more than the local librarian could handle.  Before issuing my library card, she told me to go to the computer myself and just enter whatever last name I wanted!

At long last, however, my Social Security card arrived and Eric and I set aside this morning to visit the driver's license branch once again.  All went smoothly (we even arrived early enough to avoid a line!) and I was feeling quite happy about the whole process... happy, that is, until the woman asked me to confirm my name and address at the conclusion of the whole licensing process.  

Enthusiastically, I gave my married name.  But she paused.  Our eyes met and hers looked confused.  "That's not the name we have here," she remarked.  "Oh, really!" It was my turn to look confused now.  Inwardly I groaned.  What had gone wrong this time?  

The woman must have sensed the situation.  "Is that your husband?"  She pointed to Eric, who was waiting patiently in a small, plastic, electric-blue chair in the lobby.  I nodded.  "Come on," she said, "We're going to marry you two!"  

She ushered us to a counter and gave us a long, narrow piece of paper to sign.  I saw words like "common law" and "marriage" and "State of Colorado".  It looked official, in an informal sort of way.  And it seemed to satisfy the woman because smiled this time as I gave my married name.

  

And so we left the driver's license branch this morning with my temporary, paper driver's license... and, apparently, a new wedding anniversary.  

Maybe when we finally get to the the bank they'll marry us again, too?!