Image courtesy of Photocity Wedding Photography
The decision to change your name after marriage is a completely personal choice. Before I got married, I was asked what I thought was a very easy question to answer – “Why do you want to change your name?” I answered immediately with “Because I want to take my husband’s surname”. The person asking me the question then replied, “But I am asking why you want to change it? Is there anything that you or he will gain from it?” At first the question really threw me off balance and it took me a few minutes to realise exactly what they were asking. For the next few minutes, I stood there wondering what my exact answer to this question was, and it made me really think about the reasons for why I was making the change.
If you just can’t bear the thought of losing your maiden name, there are still plenty of options which you might want to consider.
- You could always retain your maiden name as your middle name.
- You can hyphenate, but be careful, you want something that flows well and is easy to say, not a mouthful!
- You can also keep your maiden name professionally, but choose to take on your husband’s name socially.
- Of course the other option is to create something completely unique and new, particularly if both of you dislike your husband’s last name!
The most important thing to remember is that before you can even change your name legally, you require an official copy of your Marriage Certificate. The one that you receive on the day of your wedding won’t do the job! You will need to visit your states registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to obtain a copy and it will set you back around $35.00. If you’re lucky, you will be able to get it on the day! If you are unlucky like me, it will take around 6 weeks, depending on their backlog!
The process of actually changing my name, was no where near as daunting as I thought. I did a lot of research online and came across the fantastic After the Wedding – Name Change Kit . It is packed full of information on the how’s and where’s of changing your name.
Name Change Kit from After the Wedding
There are so many options these days, but one thing that I can’t stress enough is the fact that whatever you choose to do with your name, your soon to be husband needs to be involved. Even if you don’t like talking about these things, you don’t want to cause any offence or unnecessary arguments. Keep in mind that there could be family traditions or expectations involved.
In the end I made the decision to change my name because I think it is a privilege to accept my soon to be husband’s last name. It symbolises the start of a new life together for the both of us and for the future we plan together. It is a nice tradition but at the same time it doesn’t mean you have to lose your own identity. I think part of the deal of getting married is that your fiancé is offering to give you his name in marriage – why would you not want to accept it?
So my one tip for choosing to change your name? Make sure you are doing it for all of the right reasons!
Ms Gingham says: This one is such a personal decision. Just like every new stage of your life, there are legalities involved so that’s why I absolutely love the idea of a Name Change Kit. It makes things so much simpler!
About Sarah: “Newly Wed who loves to blog about weddings and food! Loved everything about planning my wedding and honeymoon, and absolutely devastated that it is all over now. 🙁 Have the most amazing husband who I love with all my heart, and am so looking forward to the journey life will take us on together now that we are married!”
Read Sarah’s recent post on Wedding Budget Busting tips here.
Read Ms Polka Dot’s take on this topic here also.
Join the conversation