Est time for UK Spouse visa in USA?

My fiancée is coming over to the USA for our wedding in Dec. I already submitted my application thru the website and paid  - can I make my apt before we get married and then send out the paperwork after we are married.
Also do I need to send in my passport with the application - as I need it for our honeymoon?
How long should I allow for the whole process?
Will they want to interview us?

One of the experts may need to verify, but I think you've got your timing all wrong. You submitted and paid already, but you're getting married more than a month from now? You know you only have 30 days after submitting the online app to send all your documents to Sheffield? That includes your marriage license, which you won't have by the end of November.

Or did I read your post wrong?

Yes, you will need to send your passport to Sheffield, as the UKVI puts your visa into the passport.

If you applied for a spouse visa before you're married, it has no chance of being approved. Withdraw the app before you do biometrics and request a refund...you may not get it, but worth a try. Apply again AFTER your wedding and honeymoon.

GAtoWales and historyenne are correct, you have applied way too early.  You need to withdraw your application before you attend your biometrics appointment.  Spend the next month reading up about what documents you need to send and work on collecting them.  Have your fiancée bring all the necessary documents to the USA for your wedding.  Go on your honeymoon and be ready to submit upon your return because you will need to send in your passport.  Good luck!

My fiancée is coming over to the USA for our wedding in Dec. I already submitted my application thru the website and paid  - can I make my apt before we get married and then send out the paperwork after we are married.

You can only apply for a spouse visa AFTER you are married.  As you have not attended your biometrics appointment yet, see if you can withdraw your application and request a refund.  If you have applied for a spouse visa and are not yet married at the time of application (submitted online), the application will be refused.

Also do I need to send in my passport with the application - as I need it for our honeymoon?

Yes, you need to send your passport with the application.  The visa is inserted inside.

How long should I allow for the whole process?

Processing times can vary widely depending on the time of year, depending on how many applications are pending at the moment, whether you paid for priority service or not, whether they need to make additional enquires, etc.  With priority service, I believe people have been saying processing time has been a month or so recently.  Without, I believe more like 2 months.

Will they want to interview us?

Highly highly unlikely.

The application process:

1.  Gather all your supporting documents.  Do not submit the application until you have all your supporting documents in hand.  Once you submit your application, you schedule and attend a biometrics appointment.  Once you have attended your biometrics appointment, you only have 14 calender days to mail your visa application package to the UK (or 30 days from when you submitted the online application - whichever is sooner).  If you miss the deadline, you will need to submit a new application, including paying the fee again.  All your documents must be originals or certified copies.  If you want an original document returned, include a regular photocopy of that document with the original.

2.  Complete the application online.  At the end, you will pay the fee and can book a biometrics appointment.  The biometrics appointment takes place at any USCIS center, and you can choose any one.

3.  Once you have completed biometrics, mail in your application package including your supporting documents to the UK.  If you wish to have your application processed as priority, you purchase the service on the day you mail your package.
 
4.  Wait for a decision.  Processing times can be highly variable depending on the volume of applications at the time.  The wait can be a few days, a few weeks, or possibly several months.  Priority processing will ensure your application is reviewed quicker; however, there is no guarantee of how soon it will be done.  If there are a high volume of applications at the time, even with priority processing, the wait can still be several weeks.

5.  When a decision is made, your documents will be returned to you.  If approved, your passport will have a visa sticker attached inside.  Check the visa sticker carefully and ensure there are no errors.  If there are any errors, you may need to send your passport back so a corrected visa can be issued.  If not approved, you will receive a letter detailing the reasons why the visa was not approved.

6.  Once you have your approved and correct visa, you can book your flight to the UK.  Due to variable processing times and the potential for needing a visa error corrected, it is highly recommended to not book any flights until the visa is issued and inspected for accuracy.

Links:

General Info: 

https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk

Financial Requirement:
  https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/337420/Annex_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement.pdf

Appendix 2: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270484/VAF4A-Appendix2.pdf

Priority Processing: 

http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/user_pay_services.html

Not an official government link, but a VERY good and comprehensive list of what to include as documentation, and with an example sponsor letter:

http://www.londonelegance.com/transpondia/family-visas/spousal-visa

After you do your biometrics, all your documents have to be IN sheffield within 2 weeks.

Like everyone said, you can't apply for the visa until after you are married, so you will have to wait until then.

Are you going on the honeymoon right after the wedding? I would suggest waiting until you get back from the Honeymoon then.

Thank you so much for all your replies - I have asked for a refund, since I already submitted the application I can not cancel it.
How likely am I to get the refund? Also will the application be deleted once they refund my payment?
Is there a list a website that states all the documents that need to be submitted with the application? My fiancée will need to bring the correct documents with him to the USA.

Thank you so much for all your replies - I have asked for a refund, since I already submitted the application I can not cancel it.
How likely am I to get the refund? Also will the application be deleted once they refund my payment?

You should be able to withdraw your application, not cancel it. The crucial thing is that they don't consider your app officially completed (although technically the application date is when you submit online, they cannot process it without your physical documents) because then they will just refuse it. Withdrawing it before biometrics are done should halt the process and with no decision made, make it easier to get a refund. How easy, I don't know. We don't have a lot of anecdotal evidence because the situation doesn't arise that often, but I know there have been one or two people in the past who applied for the wrong visa, but caught the mistake early enough to withdraw the app and get the fee refunded. Like I said all you can do is ask, but since you caught the mistake fairly early, there's a good chance.

You dodged a bullet here. The last person on the forum who applied for a spouse visa before she was married had to wait months before the app was refused and her passport and documents returned so she could apply for the correct visa. Even if you don't get a refund, at least you won't have to go through that 

Is there a list a website that states all the documents that need to be submitted with the application?

Have a look at the relevant page on the gov.uk site:  https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk.  This will lead you to the proper documentation as per the UKVI guidelines.  This isn't the most straightforward of websites so also take some time to browse through the recent posts on this forum.  You can even post your own list and receive feedback on what else to include.  We can only give you advice or share what worked for our own applications.  Good luck!  It is fortunate that you posted before it was too late to withdraw your application.

Should I change my name before I start this process? Does my passport need to have my married name on it before I start the visa process?

Should I change my name before I start this process? Does my passport need to have my married name on it before I start the visa process?

No, it doesn't, but your visa will be issued in the name on your passport only.

So, it's up to you:

- if you want your visa issued in your married name, you MUST change your name on your passport before you apply for the visa (before you submit the online form and pay for the visa again)

- if you are happy to have your visa issued in your maiden name, then you don't have to change your name in your passport. You can use your married name for everything else in the UK, but just keep your passport and visa in your maiden name (just make sure you book any travel in the name on your passport).

Like ksand said, it is completely up to you.  If you are going to change your name in your passport based on marriage then you will need to wait until after you are married as you need to send your marriage certificate with the application.  I renewed my passport with my married name in June and it took 4 weeks, though there is an expedited process.