So you’ve done the thing. You tied the knot. Now, the highly anticipated day you’ve been waiting for, obtaining the name you may have doodled in notebooks before now. It’s time to change your name! Whether you’re accumulating all the necessary documents to go the DIY route, or you’re letting a convenient name change service take the task off your plate, you may be thinking about all the ways to showcase it once it’s changed. Here are some key places to update your new name, some critical to make it fully legal, and others to show off your family name to everyone you know.
YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE
Let’s get the boring ones out of the way. You’ll definitely need to update your new name with the DMV and get an updated driver’s license. All of your important identifying documents should display your new legal name. As a bonus, this daily used ID will help solidify your new identity as a married person and help you identify with your new name.
YOUR PASSPORT
Similarly to your driver’s license, you won’t want to forget updating this important document once you have officially changed your name. That way, there won’t be any discrepancies between documents when you go to travel or leave the country. Don’t wait until the last minute when you’re weeks away from your already booked Caribbean trip. Get it changed now and you’ll be able to seamlessly travel as a married couple and your names will match on those passports.
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
Unless you have one of those cutesy unidentifying emails, you probably have been using a variation of your first and last name in your email address. As you want to start being referred to with your new name, you may want to consider changing your email address to reflect it. While this may seem like a huge headache, we recommend integrating it slowly, only updating crucial accounts and communications to the new email address. Over time, you can switch everything over slowly so as not to overwhelm you. But, once you have, you’ll be grateful that your new email showcases your new married name to all who communicate with you.
YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
Now onto the fun stuff! It’s time to show off your new married name by updating your social media. It’s the step we all highly anticipate. Don’t forget to change your name and status on Facebook. And, update your name and even your username handle on all the other platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Everyone who follows you will be able to see your new family name and recognize your new wifey status.
If you don’t want to confuse any relatives, or it’s your personal preference, you can keep your maiden name before your new married name. Lots of people choose to display both names due to affinity to their maiden name or to avoid any identity confusion. It’s completely up to you! Either way, updating all of your socials is the #1 place to show off your new name.
YOUR HOME DECOR
Another super fun way to show off your family name is to get custom home decor and display it all over your living spaces! You can order a custom made placemat to welcome guests at the door with your married name. Another at-the-door option is a door sign or wreath with your namesake. Many people decorate their home with their family initial, either as stained or painted letters on the wall or by adding their monogram to a dining table runner. Lastly, you can order custom frames with your new name scripted on them, and use them to display your engagement or brand new wedding photos around your home. Get creative, as there are so many ways you can showcase your new name in your home decor.
Sources:
https://ourpeacefulfamily.com/how-to-change-your-name-after-marriage/
