Relationship

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!

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!

5 Fun Fall Newlywed Activities

here are 5 fun newlywed activities that will help you enjoy fall and each other! As newlyweds, it’s easy to be so wrapped up in married life and the juggle of your schedules that you forget to take time to savor the seasons. Hence us making you a list!

Go Apple Picking – Wait for a crisp fall morning and head to a local orchard. You can spend the day picking apples together (hello photo op) and then come home and either eat them fresh or use them for pies or applesauce. Unsure where to go? Use this resource to locate an orchard in your state.

Attend a Football Game – Whether you opt for your local college/high school team or a professional team, get geared up and go to a football game. There’s nothing like cheering together and then snuggling under a quilt in the stands for building Fall memories together. Eat fun treats, enjoy the halftime show and head home knowing you didn’t miss out on a timeless Fall tradition.

Carve a Pumpkin – Remember making jack-o-lanterns as kids? Guest what? It’s still fun as an adult (especially if you add cocktails)! Stop by a local pumpkin stand or simply go to the grocery store to select your perfect gourd. You can have a competition to see who carves the best face or work as a team on a more elaborate design to grace your table. Either way, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.

Enjoy The Leaves – Take a walk through a park or plan a drive through gorgeous section of fall foliage. Admiring the beauty of the season is good for you souls. An alternate way to make the most of fall is to rake leaf piles in your yard and jump in them or use them to fuel a bonfire.

Plan Your Halloween Costumes Early – No one enjoys scrambling for a last minute costume. All the normal sizes and good ideas are always sold out leaving you to be over-sized Mickey and Mini or even worse Barney. If you start planning early enough, you can even make your costumes! Check out this site for 25 DIY couple costume ideas.

Whether you use our 5 Fun Fall Newlywed Activities or not. The important thing is to enjoy the season and each other. Taking time to make memories is never a bad idea and is always great for your relationship!

Did you get married this fall? If so, don’t miss our list of tips ideas, solutions, and tips for newlyweds!

Summer As Newlyweds: 5 Things To Do

Spending the summer as newlyweds? The season is full of so many golden opportunities to make memories as a couple and with friends/family. It also has the tendency to be the season that flies by so quickly we all look up and it’s already fall. Take my advice and make a list of summer to-do’s together…right now! This allows you to understand each other’s ideal summer activities and the list can be referenced any time you have a free evening. Below are five newlywed summer ideas to get you started.

1. Pack a Picnic – Pick an afternoon to picnic and be serious about it. Whether you go the fancy route with wine, cheese and crackers or something as simple as fried chicken and lemonade it it the idea of eating together somewhere out of the ordinary that makes this a moment to remember…not just a meal. Leave your phones at home and take time to enjoy each other’s company and the outdoors. You’ll be glad you did!

2. Go to a Theme Park – Revel in being big kids who don’t have kids (yet). Screaming as you ride roller coasters and laughing as you get drenched on a log luge will do wonders for your relationship. Spending a carefree adrenaline filled day together is one of the best ways to celebrate summer as a newlywed. Don’t forget to take a commemorative photo or two.

3. Host a BBQ – Time to break out all of the fun entertaining items that you received as wedding gifts. Make a big pitcher of sangria, put together a salad, throw a few things on the grill and invite your friends over. Good times are guaranteed. You can up the fun factor by lighting sparklers as the light fades.

4. Plan Pool/Ocean Time – Make plans to plunge into a pool or the ocean (or both) this summer.. You can hit the community pool with a bag full of sunscreen and pool toys or get away for a weekend at the beach. There’s nothing better than cooling off in a big body of water with your spouse. Should you be flying to the beach. Don’t miss our travel tips for newlyweds!

5. Attend a Local Concert or Festival – Look for a concert or festival in your area. Groupon and Living Social tend to have discounted tickets to a variety of events from music to wine in the woods. You don’t have to go alone either, coordinate a whole group of friends to come enjoy the festivities. You’ll laugh, dance and enjoy each others company.

What are your summer plans? Did making a list work for you and your spouse? Let us know in a comment!

Newlywed Mother’s Day: Moms & Mother In Laws

Handling your first newlywed mother’s day? Hopefully wedding planning and newlywed life has improved your relationship with your mother as you now share even more life events in common. Newlywed life has also provided you with another mother to honor on Mother’s Day, your Mother-In-Law. Below are a few tips for incorporating your Mother-in-Law into the holiday.

To avoid any disappointment on either side of the family, it is wise to chat with your spouse about their traditions for Mother’s Day. Some families may simply send a card, while others plan elaborate weekends together. Understanding expectations before the holiday will help you plan a way to make both moms happy and prevent hard feelings between families.

For your first married Mother’s Day, it may be easier to celebrate separately. This is especially helpful if your mother’s live in different states. If both of you plan to spend time with both of your moms, you’ll need to schedule times in advance or see if both mothers would want to celebrate together.
This may sound like a great deal of planning for a single day, but happy in-law relationships can only help your marriage. If you’re planning a family in the future, it will also lay the ground work for your mothers to be flexible when it is your first Mother’s Day.

How are you spending Mother’s Day as a newlywed? Did you have to juggle family traditions or are you celebrating your own first Mother’s Day? We’d love to hear from you in a comment.

Spring Fling Newlywed Style: 3 Ways to Make the Most of the Season

Here are three ways to make the most of Spring Fling newlywed style. After what seemed like an endless winter for most of the U.S., Spring has finally arrived! The sun is shining, birds are chirping and love is in the air. As newlyweds, there is no better time to shake off the “winter blahs” and reconnect as a couple.

1. Take a walk and hold hands. Enjoying the warm sunshine and blooms is good for your soul and your relationship. You’re making Vitamin D, lowering your stress levels and physically connecting on a very sweet level.

2. Plant something together. Whether you stop by your local nursery and plant already blooming bulbs or select a tree or bush for your yard, working together on a project that beautifies your yard or community is a great way to enjoy Spring as newlyweds. Added bonus: you’ll get a sense of satisfaction and nostalgia each Spring when you see your handiwork in full bloom.

3. Follow nature’s example. Birds do it, bees do it….and so should you! Shave your legs, put on a sundress and make the most of Spring Fling newlyweds. If you’ve been contemplating starting a family, this may be the perfect season to get started.

Whatever you do to enjoy Spring Fling newlywed style, be sure to take time as a couple to enjoy each other and the season. We’d love to hear what your favorite Spring activities are as newlyweds, so please leave a comment.