taking care of odds and ends before moving

I am looking for a little advice (as per usual )
We are getting married state side, getting the spousal visa, and then going over. Heres my question(s):
Should I start the spousal visa process prior to the wedding? We are planning on going to the NY consulate in person, so other than bringing stuff there, do we need to mail stuff before that? And going in person by appointment makes it a one day process, right?

Also, I intend on taking my fiance's name after we are married. Should I do the name changing before or after the spousal visa? If before, how long does it take to get a passport updated w/ a new name?

I'm asking these questions because we want to leave the states for the UK as soon as possible after the wedding so we wont have to leave seperately. Any help would be much appreciated!!!

From www.ukvisas.gov.uk

How do I qualify to join my husband or wife?
You must show that:
you are legally married to each other;

You will need your marriage certificate to prove that you married to get your spousal visa. You can organize your paperwork prior to your day at the NYC consulate.

What will I need to make my application?
You will need:
 
Application form VAF2 - Settlement  (PDF, 127K) 
which you have filled in correctly. Any dependants under 16 years old, included in your passport and travelling with you can be included on your form. Older dependants should fill in separate forms
your passport or travel document

a recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm), colour photograph of yourself. This should be:
taken against a light coloured (white, off-white etc.) background
unmounted, clear and of good quality
printed on normal photographic paper
full face and without sunglasses, hat or other head covering unless you wear this for ethnic or religious reasons
Please note that we may not accept photographs which do not meet these specifications.

the visa fee. This cannot be refunded and you must normally pay it in the local currency of the country where you are applying

You may have to attend an interview. At the interview you should have the following documentation available:

your birth certificate

your marriage certificate (if you are married)

your sponsor’s birth certificate

recent statements or letters from your sponsor’s United Kingdom employer, bank, local authority or building society to show the support and accommodation that will be available for you in the United Kingdom
letters from you and your sponsor which are relevant to your application
divorce certificate or death certificate of you or your husband's or wife's previous wife or husband (if either of you have been married before)
evidence that your sponsor is settled in the United Kingdom. This can be a copy of his or her passport or registration certificate which has been confirmed as a true copy.

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1018721067257

And I do not think you can do any name changes until you have your marriage certificate. This includes your passport.

According to the official travel.state.gov website:

"If your name has changed since your passport was issued, enclose a certified copy of the legal document specifying your name change {eg- marriage certificate.} No photocopies are accepted."
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get_renew.html

You will need your marriage certificate to prove that you married to get your spousal visa. You can organize your paperwork prior to your day at the NYC consulate.


And I do not think you can do any name changes until you have your marriage certificate. This includes your passport.

According to the official travel.state.gov website:

"If your name has changed since your passport was issued, enclose a certified copy of the legal document specifying your name change {eg- marriage certificate.} No photocopies are accepted."
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get_renew.html

ok so wait...i would need to go to new york before and after the wedding? so two trips?
and i knew i needed my marriage certificate to change my name, but do i do it before or after the spousal visa? because if i need my marriage certificate to change my name on my passport, and i need to do it before...it could take a really long time...
i really hope i can just get the spousal visa first and then worry about my passport name change later.

we got married 8/28/04.  i completed my fast track application on 8/21/04 and booked my appointment for the NYC consulate around the 17th of that month.  indeed it was a one day process, i went in when we got back from our honeymoon, and i was on a plane the next night.  

as far as name change, i'd do what you can.  I can't ammend my passport yet as i'm waiting to hear about a job.  i've taken my maiden name as my middle name though and have been making everything Amy maiden name married name so, i can show them my ma driving liscence.  i'm looking to get that renewed when i go home in may.

i have not changed my passport name yet, and i'm here on a spousal visa.  so no worries. 

I'm not sure why you think you need to go to the consulate before and after the wedding.  If you're getting married in the US, you'll head to the consulate after the wedding to get your spousal visa.  Your spousal visa will be issued in your maiden name.  (It'll say Zivvy56 Maiden, spouse of Mr. Zivvy56 Married.) 

Once you have your spousal visa, head on over to the UK. Once you're here, you can get your name changed in your passport, if you so desire.  We've been married for over a year and I still haven't changed my name in my passport, so we just book my tickets in my maiden name as that's the name on the passport.  No problemo!   In fact, I probably won't change my name on my passport until it's due for renewal in 2008 and I'm waiting to change my name on my Social Security card until we return to the US for Christmas where I can go do it in person at the SS office (I just don't trust the Royal Mail to get my passport and marriage certificate to the Embassy and back to me in time for Christmas).

Thanks girls. I just get really panicky about things like this...I just want everything to go smoothly, and so I want to make sure I have everything figured out. So I will just start the fast track application stuff, then make an appt at the consulate after the wedding, and then we can leave w/ my visa the same day. I finally understand lol!
Thank you for your patience with me...I get so confused about these technicalities and tend to make them more difficult than they really are!

No problem!  It's such a simple process, but it seems like it should be WAY more work (especially when compared to the equivalent US process).  I freaked out a million times and felt like a big moron after we'd gotten the visa--it wasn't worth all of the stress.  As long as you have all of your documentation and you have a straightforward situation (and it sounds like you do), you'll be just fine.  Good luck!

zivvy, please note that you make the appointment and it's for 2 weeks ahead, so if you wait until you're married, that's 2 weeks after the wedding your appointment would be. 

ooo I will have to call a week or so before the wedding then to get it done asap. one last question and i swear im done! when do you recommend starting the fast track process? is there a certain time to have it submitted before you can call for an appointment?

you can't call to make an appointment--you have to make them online at the consulate's website.  you can submit your fast track application anytime before you head to the consulate, but i wouldn't do it too far ahead.  maybe a month before your appointment? 

also, you don't have to use the fast track process...you can just take your documentation to the consulate on the day of your appointment if that's easier for you.

i liked fastrack cause you could pay online.  and it made more sense to me and i felt 'complete' doing it.

like i said, i did mine a few weeks before my appointment.