Perhaps you found solace in writing your first name and then attaching the last name of your latest crush. This old tradition of a woman relinquishing her family surname for that of her husband's was once seen as the only option. Today's wedding name change options offer a host of possibilities to best fit everyone's perspective.
There are no more preconceived notions of appropriate last name changes upon getting married, because we have evolved into a society that recognizes and celebrates individuality and choices. Certainly the traditional option of taking the husband's last name is still a popular one, as it allows for a unified feeling when children come, in addition to celebrating and symbolizing that connection or unification for the entire family.
Some women, however, chose to connect the husband's name to their own names via hyphens. This may alleviate feelings of losing one's identity and allows for a symbolic merge. This more modern approach is becoming increasingly popular. Other women choose to use their original last names as middle names and then adopt the last names of their husbands' families. A couple adopting this name philosophy may decide to pass the middle name on to each of their children.
It is less common to see the groom replace his last name with that of his wife's, but this is not unheard of. He may simply be ready for a change, want to show his undying devotion for his wife, or enjoy the idea of this role reversal.
Grooms also may decide to hyphenate along with their brides so that there is a new shared name that incorporates the given surnames of both of them. And finally, some couples actually decide to create a new and unique name based on the merging of both of their names!
The final option of course, is to do nothing. There are couples who are wholly devoted to each other and their new married life but who prefer not to change their names at all.
If you decide to change your name, it is recommended that you wait until you return home from your honeymoon. Because you will need a certified marriage license to prove and endorse a legal name change, travel could be complicated. Your name will need to be consistent on all your travel documents, such as passports and driving licenses. The names appearing on plane tickets, too, will need to show consistency with all of your travel papers.
Once you are home from your honeymoon and ready to make that legal name change, you will need to involve government agencies. It is generally recommended that you begin the process by changing the name on your social security card, driver's license, and vehicle registration. After that you are ready for the basic name change checklist (which of course will vary from person to person):
- Post office
- Employer
- Utilities
- Credit cards
- Bank accounts/ investments
- Voter registration
- Mortgage
- Medical offices
- Insurance
- Legal contracts
- Will
