Danielle Tate

2 Ways to File For Your Married Name on Your Social Security Card

When you decide to change your name after marriage, the first thing you typically thinks of is your Social Security Card. And, you’re right! Filing to updated to your married name with the Social Security Administration is at the top of the name-change list. There are 2 Ways to File For Your Married Name on your Social Security Card. Read on to find out what they are!

I vividly remember standing in the endless line at the Social Security office when I got married. There was an armed guard at the entrance. And, no one was allowed to use their phones. That experience definitely took some of the wind out of my newlywed sails.

Guess what? That doesn’t have to happen to you. You have options when filing for your married name with the Social Security Administration. There are two ways to file for your new Social Security Card.

Too busy to take time off of work to file for your new Social Security Card? Elect to file by mail! Simply complete the SS-5 form, include a certified marriage certificate, and your driver’s license or U.S. Passport (photocopies are not accepted.) Mail them to the Social Security Administration Office within your city. Two important things: If you do not have a passport to file with your form, do not mail in your driver’s license. This leaves you driving without proper ID for a minimum of 2 weeks. Also, as you are mailing important documents, we highly recommend using certified mail.

Method 2: File the SS-5 In Person

If you do not have a U.S. Passport to use as your identification document, or if you’re paranoid that your form and passport might get lost, filing in person is the option for you. When you file for your new Social Security card at the office, the clerk will take your form, make copies of your license or passport and marriage certificate and then give them right back to you. Your new Social Security card with your new name will be mailed to you within 10-14 business days. To minimize your wait time, we advise filing mid-week around 2:00pm.

Still feeling a little overwhelmed after learning the 2 Ways to File For Your Married Name on Your Social Security Card? The MissNowMrs name change app and service were designed to streamline your form completion and filing process. When you use our service you have access to name-change experts who are happy to answer your questions. And, give you the support you need to make your name change a breeze!

Ready for a New Name? Order Now!

Wedding Pro Wednesday: Laura C. Cannon

Today I am excited to introduce you to Laura C. Cannon. She is the founder of Ceremony Officiants™ is ranked the #1 wedding officiant company in the United States with more than a decade of experience creating beautiful, personalized ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds. Her diverse and friendly team of experienced professional officiants has performed over 3,000 weddings and maintains a perfect 5.0 average for reviews on WeddingWire and the Knot. In 2013 Laura launched a sister company, DC Elopements, which specializes in stress-free, simple elopements and mini-weddings in the Washington, D.C. area.

So, if you’re trying to decide on a wedding officiant or are curious what a career in “marriage” might be like… don’t miss Laura’s answers below!

Have you always been a wedding professional? If not, what was your previous career?
I was not always a wedding professional, but almost! The first company I started while still in college was an event planning company and weddings were certainly part of the mix. I sold that business and went on a spiritual journey that lead me to becoming ordained as a non-denominational minister. I always had the heart of an entrepreneur and was fortunate to grow up with two entrepreneurial parents. But having gone to college with the thought of having a typical 9-5 career, I decided that I had to travel down that path to have that experience. I worked in higher education in a salaried position and stayed there while I continued to officiate weddings and preside over funerals on the side. Eventually I decided to make the leap into working full-time in the wedding industry. I grew from solo-preneur to a team of wedding officiants that now covers several states, has spawned several other companies, including the formation of the International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants.

What inspired you to create your company?
I was inspired to create my company when a student of mine who knew I was ordained asked if I would perform her wedding ceremony. While doing her wedding I had what Oprah calls an “Aha” moment where everything became clear. I knew I was meant to do another wedding and that it was the perfect use of a variety of skills I had been honing for years. That first year I did a handful of weddings just from referrals. The business continued to grow and then I decided to bring on my first associate officiant. It’s now been almost 15 years and we’ve performed thousands of weddings!

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
While I am thankful for the fact that I did not experience and “failures” in my business, there were certainly challenges. I think as an entrepreneur starting out in a new industry the biggest hurdle to cross is dealing with the fact that you don’t know what you don’t know. Everything is new. I had the challenges of learning a business and the industry it was inextricably a part of all at the same time.

What do you love most about your job?
I LOVE LOVE. Seriously. Having the opportunity to bear witness to two people in love make a sacred commitment to each other is the greatest joy of my life. People ask me all the time, “Now that you are an author and a speaker and run all these businesses are you going to stop officiating weddings?” No way! There is a Sanskrit word, mudita, which means the joy derived from the joy of others. It is my favorite kind of joy and I get to experience mudita every time I officiate. It doesn’t get better than that.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
My #1 piece of advice for brides is to plan for your married life, not just a wedding. The wedding is one day. Yes, it is an amazing extra-special day, but ultimately it is really just the first day of your married life. We spend so much time planning for this event and we forget to put just as much emphasis on planning for a great partnership with our spouse. Spend some of your time considering what your married life will be like: What do you each need to do to contribute meaningfully to your relationship? How will you best support each other as life inevitably changes?

Laura C. Cannon’s best advice for newlyweds

COMMUNICATE. We often have different styles of communication and the way one person expresses love may not be the way the other person receives love. We have to learn how to explicitly communicate with our partner. Your partner is NOT a mind reader and yet sometimes when we are in relationship with someone for a long time we start to assume they should “just know” when something is wrong. No, they shouldn’t. It is up to each of you to be responsible for communicating your own desires and needs explicitly. Couples who communicate explicitly and frequently have deeper intimacy than those who don’t. And that deep intimacy with another human being is the true gift of marriage.

Photo Credits: Headshot – Denis Largeron, Wedding Couple Photo – Justine Ungaro

Did you love the story and advice of Laura C. Cannon? If so, don’t miss Valerie Hammer’s Wedding Pro Wednesday feature!

Married Name Change: 3 Nuances Every Newlywed Needs to Know

Tis the season for weddings, followed by millions of brides changing their names. While it might seem like a simple process, married name change had a great deal of nuance. The MissNowMrs experts came up with the 3 name change nuances every newlywed needs to know.

Once a newlywed has decided they want to change their name after marriage, They need to choose the option that best suits their situation and personal style. Thankfully we created the Married Name Game for that! Next she has to file a series of state and federal forms to change to her new name, and then notify all of her creditors. Once again, we’ve got the solution: MissNowMrs.com. So where does name-change nuance come in?!

There are several nuances, or subtle differences, to the married name change process that make it different from the legal name change process. Read on for the big three…

1. Newlyweds cannot change their first name.

Using the married name-change process, women cannot change or even correct a mis-spelling of their first name. They can only use their certified marriage certificates to file for a change to their last names, and sometimes their middle names.

2. Brides cannot omit their middle name.

Women changing their names after marriage can take their maiden name as a middle name or as a second middle name in most states, but they cannot completely eliminate their middle name and just have their first name and new last name as their legal name.

3. Blending last names isn’t possible.

Unless the newlywed is a resident of California and wrote a blended* last name on the marriage license application, she/he cannot use the married name change process. In the 49 other states, taking a blended last name requires petitioning the court system for a legal name change order. *A blended last name is a mixture of both partners names. For example Faltrow.

Now that you know the nuances of name change, you can move forward with confidence. It’s a complicated process from emotions, to societal expectations, to the actual legal process, but don’t worry… the MissNowMrs team has your back! You can also reference our married name change checklist to understand each of the steps in your transition to Mrs!

Natalie Seng | Wedding Pro Wednesday

This Wedding Pro Wednesday, I’m excited to introduce you to Natalie Seng, the principle designer and owner of Designed Perfectly Events. Her company offers full and partial event planning, styling, and design as well as Wedding Day Management. With over 12 years of hands-on experience, they specialize in classic weddings with bold personalities for Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and beyond. (Pssst…their passports are ready!)

If you are considering engaging a professional planner for your wedding, or are curious about the profession, don’t miss Natalie’s answers to my questions below!

Have you always been a wedding professional? If not, what was your previous career?
No, my first job was actually in Television. I was a Floor Director and Associate Producer at a local news station. I got married while working there and I absolutely loved everything about planning my wedding. Like so many brides, felt a void when the wedding and planning was over. So I contacted local planners for internship or employment opportunities but got nowhere.

I found an ad for field staff for a local catering company and called to see if I would be able to intern in the sales department instead. I was excited when they said yes. My internship didn’t last very long when I was offered a full time position as an Event Designer. I excelled at that position for many, many years and I absolutely loved the logistical and event design aspect of it. For the brides that did not hire a planner or coordinator I basically became theirs when I felt someone was needed to take the reins.

What inspired you to create your company?
I loved the involvement and the relationship I was able to form with my clients while working in catering. However, the more involved I got the more I realized that this was something I was even more passionate about and after 10 years I decided to branch out on my own. Running my own company allows me to be very hands on with my client and provide the best service possible. I started Designed Perfectly Events in the Summer of 2014.

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
I had been “dreaming” about becoming my own boss for a long time but it was a scary decision to go from a cushy job to a solo entrepreneur. However, in order to succeed in life, you have to take risks. Starting my own company was definitely the right move for me and I am enjoying every second of it.

What do you love most about your job?
My clients! Every couple and every wedding is so very different. It’s exciting to look forward to each and every celebration and to work towards translating their thoughts and ideas into something tangible that adds their personality into the mix. This industry is ever changing and the passion really keeps on building by trying to exceed your client’s expectations on their big day. Revealing the reception space to my clients is actually my favorite moment at each of our weddings. This is where they can really see their vision come to life. It’s a very emotional moment.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
I believe that every couple should treat themselves to have at least a “month of coordinator” to assist with the last minute details and to pull the logistics together. Most of my clients will tell me afterwards that we were one of the best investment they made for their wedding. But aside from that, I tell my clients to enjoy the journey. Wedding planning can be very stressful at times and it’s important to remember why you are planning this grand event in the first place. We encourage our couples to plan date nights where wedding plans are off topic and just enjoy each other’s company.

Natalie Seng’s best advice for newlyweds

Communicate often. Be truthful. Learn to compromise and love deeply.

Llama, Llama No Wedding Drama

Wedding llamas. Apparently they’re a thing now, and I have to admit a pretty awesome thing. Instead of agonizing over what wedding guests who don’t want to dance will do, you provide fuzzy animals to interact with. Who could possibly start drama when there’s a llama present?!

While I typically enjoy ring bearer and flower girl antics, llamas and anything they chose to do (like eat bouquets) would absolutely entertain me and make for fantastic photos. Who needs a photo booth, when you have live animals to shoot selfies with? This is serious Instagram & SnapChat fodder.

Mtn Peaks Therapy Llamas and Alpacas is the company that creating “the wedding llama.” Located in Brush Prairie, Washington, they offer llama wedding interactions to couples in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington areas. Their furry friends are even accessorized to match the theme and color theme of the wedding! Want to feel even better about adding llamas to your wedding day? All of the proceeds from the weddings llamas (and alpacas) help fund their therapy visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.

So, if you’re looking to do something a little different for your big day, and are out west, consider adding llamas to your event. This could be the beginning of an exotic wedding animal trend. Penguins would be a logical next step, as they are already in formal attire and are incredibly cute! What do you think? Would you include llamas or any other animals on your wedding day? Share your view in a comment!

Photo Credit: Kim Smith Miller Photography
Original Story: The Skimm

Social Security Name Change

Method 1: File for our Social Security Card By Mail