Reasons to Change Your Name After Marriage

• Changing your last name after marriage is still the socially acceptable thing to do, and people will automatically start addressing you as Mrs. Green regardless of whether you have decided to legally change your name or not.
• If you plan on having or do have children it is easier to share a last name as parents then to continuously explain to teachers, doctors, playmates, and other parents that you are indeed married and the mother and father of your child.
• His name may be easier to pronounce than yours, or it just sounds nicer with your first name.
• Some women feel that changing their last name joins them to their husband and makes them a family.
• Booking travel plans, making dinner reservations, and monogramming will be much less complicated if you share a last name with your husband.

Purchase a Dress & Change Your Name with MissNowMrs.com For Free!

During the month of June, David's Bridal will give each lucky bride a MissNowMrs.com gift card when she purchases her wedding gown or bridesmaid's dresses at one of their stores nationwide!  What a great idea...buy the dress of your dreams AND save 13 hours on your name change!  Check out David's Bridal for more details on the promotion and how to plan the wedding of your dreams.

MissNowMrs.com in My Day Weddings Magazine

More exciting news! MissNowMrs.com was included in MyDay Weddings magazine's Fresh Picks! You can read what the chic and witty editors at My Day had to say about our name-change service on page 18 of the Winter 2008 issue!  Pick up a copy today to read about us and get great wedding ideas and tips.

Bridal Gown Goodness

Have you been wondering what to do with your wedding gown?  Should you preserve your gown for future generations or will it collect dust for decades only to be discarded?  The Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation has a fantastic way for you to make sure that your dress continues to help dreams come true. 

You can donate your gown to Brides Against Breast Cancer!  This fund-raising extension of the foundation sells donated bridal gowns (new and used) at a series of 32 shows nationwide.  The proceeds are used to grant wishes, including memory-making events, for metastatic breast cancer patients, while continuing to support, educate and increase resource awareness.

If you are interested in the Making Memories Foundation and the Brides Against Breast Cancer fund raiser please check out their website: www.makingmemories.org. MissNowMrs.com feels strongly about supporting breast cancer patients...and we now donate 5% of profits to the Making Memories foundation.

MissNowMrs.com in InStyle Weddings Magazine

News Flash! MissNowMrs.com was included in InStyle Weddings "The Best Wedding Websites, from A to Z" article!  You can read all about our name-change service on page 184 of the Fall issue under the letter "Y" for Your New Last Name!

Virginia Changes their Driver's License Form Again

Did you know that the State of Virginia recently updated their driver's license form again?  This will be the second time this form has changed since January of 2007.  Changes to a driver's license form may seem like an irrelevant fact, but it may very well impact you.  If you purchased a name-change kit or CD and are planning on using the Virginia driver's license form in them, you are probably wasting your time. Unfortunately, books and kits are printed in bulk and cannot be updated until all of the supply is used and a new edition is printed.

The MissNowMrs.com online name-change service has the advantage of being able to immediately update forms and directions as state and government offices make changes.  Once a new form is issued our service is updated and our customers receive the benefit of the new form instantly.  Giving brides access to the latest Virginia driver's license form is just a recent example of our dedication to Making New Beginnings Easier!

Name Change and Your Credit

Many brides are curious about what happens to their credit when they change their name.  Do they lose their credit history and start over with a new name?  Do they need to notify the main credit bureaus of their name-change?

When you change your name you do not need to notify the three U.S. credit bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experion.  When you update your name with all of your creditors (banks, credit cards, ect.) the bureaus will add your new name to your account and keep your maiden name as well.  This way you keep your established credit and build credit with your married name.

How Many Marriage Certificates are Needed for a Name Change?

The number of marriage certificates that a person needs is very dependent on how and where they are changing their name.  The DMV, State Department, and Social Security offices all require a certified marriage certificate to process a name change, but they will return them.  Name change with many banks and creditors will require marriage certificates and they are not obligated to return the certificates.  The average number of marriage certificates a bride uses for a name change in the United States is three.

Virginia Driver's License Update

Did you know that the State of Virginia recently updated their driver's license form?  This may seem like an irrelevant fact, but it may very well impact you.  If you purchased a name-change kit or CD and are planning on using the Virginia driver's license form in them, you are probably wasting your time.  One of the drawbacks of printed kits is that they are typically printed in bulk and are therefore very hard to update.  Many brides are disappointed to complete an outdated form and then have to re-write all of their information on a new form at the DMV.

On line services have the advantage of being able to immediately update their forms and directions.  Once a new form is issued the service can be updated and customers receive the benefit of the new form instantly.  MissNowMrs.com is the only on line name-change service that offers this kind of technology to newlyweds.  The new Virginia driver's license form is just a recent example of our dedication to Making New Beginnings Easier.

Does it Matter How My Name is Listed on My Marriage Certificate?

If you are changing your name you may be concerned that your maiden name is printed on your certified marriage certificate or that you signed the certificate with your maiden signature.  As long as your name and your husband's name are listed on the certificate you can use it as legal proof of marriage for name-change purposes.  The name you are changing to does not need to be listed on the certified marriage certificate.

How do I get a Certified Marriage Certificate?

The official that performed your marriage ceremony will submit your marriage certificate to a county office for recording.  Certified copies of that certificate are typically available ten days after your ceremony.  You can personally go to the county office where you applied for your marriage license and request certified copies, or you can request your certificates on line.  www.MissNowMrs.com is a site that guides brides through the name-change and marriage certificate request processes.