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Changing Your Name

To change or not to change? It is your own choice if you want to change your name - you don't have to change it legally. If you do decide to change it, then your marriage certificate will be the evidence you need to inform all the important people of the change (see a reminder list below).

There are good and bad points for changing your name.

It makes it easier if you and your husband have the same surname when you come to making joint financial or legal decisions. You also need to consider what your children's surname will be if you don't take your husband's name. Taking your husbands name is also less confusing for others - most people will assume that you have changed your name.

However, a lot of brides feel that by giving up their maiden names they are changing their identities - or that they no longer "belong" to their own families, but their husband. Many professional or business women prefer to keep their maiden names as they are known by that name by their colleagues and clients. However, you can of course keep your maiden name just for business purposes.

There is no reason why your husband cannot change his name to your maiden name - he would have to do this by deed poll.

Double barreled names. If you are both having a double barreled name then the cheapest option is to get your husband2be to change his name by deed poll a few months before the wedding - and then you will take his name when you marry him. This means you don't have to each pay for the deed poll.

Many brides change their middle name to their maiden name, again you can do this by deed poll.

If you have decided to take your husbands name, you need to write to all of the below enclosing a photocopy of your marriage certificate. Remember when you write to include reference numbers as this will speed up your response - especially if you need a new card or a new driving license.

If you have decided to take your husbands name, you need to write to all of the below enclosing a photocopy of your marriage certificate. Remember when you write to include reference numbers as this will speed up your response - especially if you need a new card or a new driving license.

o DVLA - for you driving license
o Passport
o Bank
o Credit Card Company
o Building Society
o Any organisations you have loans with
o Inland Revenue
o Store credit cards
o Bills such as Phone Line, Mobile Phone, Gas, Electricity, Council Tax, Water, Rent / Mortgage payments
o Any mailing lists you belong to
o Your ISP - esp. if you want to change your Email address
o Magazine or Newspaper subscriptions
o Any clubs you belong to
o AA/RAC/Greenflag or other Motoring organisation
o Insurance - home, car etc.
o GP
o Dentist
o Optician
o Employer
o Any companies you have shares in.

Changing the name on your passport. This is more complicated than the others. You can change your passport up to three months before you get married - this means you can travel on your honeymoon in your new name. The passport will be made valid from the date of your wedding, so this is no good if you wanted to go away for a hen weekend a week before the wedding.

IMPORTANT NOTE. Some countries will not accept your passport if you have not changed your name. In some countries you cannot have a visa issued if you have a postdated passport (you passport will only be valid from the day that you get married). Make sure you check with your travel agent first, and that the name on your honeymoon tickets match the one on your passport.

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