Planning

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

9 Wedding Day Essentials

Here are 9 wedding day essentials to ensure the perfect day! You’ve done a lot of planning to get to your wedding day, and it’s finally here. From securing the perfect vendors to choosing your floral arrangements and much more, it’s a great feeling to finally have everything crossed off of your checklist. But, one thing that brides often forget about, is what could pop up when getting ready to walk down the aisle. We want to make sure you’re prepared to handle whatever is thrown your way.

Wedding Hair Essentials

No bride wants to be worrying about her hair as she’s saying her vows or greeting guests at the reception. To ensure that every hair stays properly in its place, but a travel-size hairspray in your bag, along with a couple bobby pins. Also include this tangle-free hair tie for when you’re ready to hit the dance floor!

Wedding Makeup Essentials

Whether you have a makeup artist or have done your own look, it’s important to have makeup that stays. However, be ready to do some quick touch-ups if needed. Finishing powder is perfect for a light dusting over your face. It’s also great for preventing any unwanted shiny spots caused by sweating. Lip balm is also a good idea, not only for dry lips, but if you need a little moisture before or after applying a matte lip color. No bride wants cracked lips for the big kiss! Mini makeup wipes are a must for getting rid of excess dirt or sweat before applying your wedding day makeup. Wipes will also come in handy at the end of the night when you’re ready to get it all off.

Wedding Dress Essentials

Most dresses are altered to fit the bride perfectly. But, there are times when she has gained or lost a little bit of weight right before the big day, causing the fit to be slightly off. The first step to finding the perfect fit is with the right support. A discreet strapless bra can do wonders for securing the top of the dress. It also lends proper support. Heavy-duty safety pins are great for securing access fabric or for handling puckering cutting out the hassle of a needle and thread. It’s not a bad idea to have a pair of scissors on hand as well for tiny loose threads. Eyebrow scissors are surprisingly helpful thanks to their small design that can easily get into zipper lines or embroidery.

Behind the Scenes Essentials

While hopefully everything is taken care of in advance, there are times when vendors have last-minute questions. Someone needs a signature, or you’re short on a final deposit. Have your checkbook handy, as well as a pack of sticky notes and a pen to sign checks. These items make it easy to make any necessary payments that pop up or to pass along messages for wedding day helpers. The last thing you want to be worrying about is running around your venue as the countdown begins.

Wedding Fun Essentials

Every bride is different, but think about what little accessories will bring a little extra joy or excitement. Do you want to give your bridesmaids a cute little gift right before they head down the aisle? Or, do you want to have a quick wedding day cocktail with them to tackle your nerves? Thinking ahead will allow you to create the fun moments you’ll remember for a lifetime!

Whatever essentials you choose to include, be sure to have fun and focus on the best parts of getting ready to say “I do,” and get excited for the life ahead of you! While there are many different details that go into getting married, there are tons of resources out there to help it go as seamlessly as possible. MissNowMrs is just an example with the tools you need to change your name. Check out our site for advice and help, and follow us on Instagram for more wedding and post-wedding info!

Family Getaways: Tips For Vacationing With The In-Laws

Thinking about vacationing with the in-laws? At some point in almost every marriage there will come a day when the family decides to vacation together. Whether with one set of parents or two, this can be both a fun and a stressful undertaking. Taking the right steps before leaving your home can make a big difference in how the vacation proceeds and how well everyone gets along.

Planning is Essential While this is the case, planning in the wrong way can lead to frustrations and hurt feelings. Don’t try to create the vacation agenda completely on your own and don’t dump the project on just one other person. This should be a shared task and each member of the group should have some input. Keep in mind that not all activities have to be done by the whole group. Allow for this in the planning. That also means understanding if not all members of the group want to participate in the things that most excite you.

Expect Some Financial Tension One of the most common occurrences in large family vacations is awkwardness over money. It is rare that all involved participants will have the same financial status at the time of the trip. This makes it easier for some to go off agenda than others. Be prepared for and discuss what the protocol will be when these awkward financial matters arise. It might be an uncomfortable conversation now, but it will avoid similarly stressful situations surrounding “who pays for what” while you’re on your group getaway.

Let History be Your Guide Are you unsure of what to expect while vacationing with the in-laws? Then, ask. Look at old photo albums together or ask your spouse to tell you stories of past excursions. These little insights will likely provide you a better understanding of what is being expected by the other members of your extended family. For instance, if all the best memories from your husband’s family trips are centered around adventures, you might want to plan something like white water rafting or deep sea fishing to ensure that they’ll all be satisfied with the trip.

Plan for Personal Time Even while on vacation, you will more than likely need an escape when traveling with others. It’s a good idea to pack a book, some of your favorite music, magazines, or some other form of personal entertainment, which can be enjoyed when you need to get away from the group.

Also consider scheduling time on your itinerary for couples to go off on their own and enjoy some private time. After all, this is your time to be away from the stresses of life and you will likely want to spend a few of those special moments alone with your spouse.

Have you been on a vacation with your in-laws? How did it go? Are there any tips you’d share with our readers to help them avoid potential pitfalls?

Newlywed Love, Life and Family

Newlywed love, life and family… it’s so much to think about! You’ve said yes, you’ve said I Do, so what’s next on your life agenda? For some of us, it’s a promotion, a new job, a new home, or a dog, or maybe; dare I say it, becoming parents?! Whatever the case may be, we all have things on our list of “to-do’s” and we as women create a pretty picture in our minds of how things are going to be as we get older.

Falling in love, getting engaged, your wedding day, your marriage, being a wife, becoming a mother, and the list goes on! Obviously we all know that things don’t always work out just as we have planned, and that’s just life. If you think about it, it wouldn’t be half as interesting if things in life worked out ‘by-the-book’!

Having a few friends in the same boat as myself now, where we’ve now been married a few years, we’re finding that the number one topic of conversation is starting a family. Other popular topics of conversation also include: moving to a different location, purchasing a bigger home, trips that we want to take with our spouses, and so on!

So now we’re looking at our list of “to-do’s”, deciding what we would really like to accomplish before having kids, and re-structuring the remaining items based on finances and a more realistic time frame. In my opinion, it is most important to be on the same page as your spouse when planning to start a family. Make sure it is something you are both ready for in your life and that you have taken time for yourselves, to build on your relationship as a married couple!

Please share your thoughts with us! We would love to hear how your handling newlywed love life and family.