Heather - also from the website
If you plan to change your name when you get married or form a civil partnership
Deciding whether to change your name before or after the ceremony
You should think carefully about whether to change the name on your passport before the ceremony or wait until you have returned from a foreign trip.
This is because the name on your passport should match the name in which you booked your travel. Even if you carry your marriage or civil partnership certificate with you, if the name on your passport does not match the booking:
some countries may not let you in
some travel companies may not let you board their flights
You should check with your travel agent or the consulate of the country you plan to visit.
IPS can change the name on your passport up to three months before the ceremony. They will cancel your old passport and issue you a new one. But the new passport is 'postdated'. This means you cannot use it before the day of the ceremony. Some countries will not issue visas for postdated passports. You should check with the consulate of the country concerned.
I read that as you are not legally obliged to change the name on your passport when you get married.
Views welcome.
hubblebubble - I don't think I've got a spare 45 minutes to be on hold
