bride

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!

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

Ready for a New Name? Order Now!

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: Jon Mervis

It’s Wedding Pro Wednesday, and I couldn’t be happier to introduce you to Jonathan Mervis. Jon is an “artist of business growth” at Mervis Diamond Importers. And, one of the nicest DC entrepreneurs you will meet. Perhaps his “sparkling” personality runs in the family! With direct access to the world’s finest diamonds, Mervis offers an amazing array of magnificent diamonds. By importing directly, Mervis eliminates the middleman and provides unbeatable prices daily. Their guiding mission is very simple. Provide the finest quality diamonds at the lowest price to the most people. Their obsession with this is the driving force behind the company’s continued success. If you have inherited a family business, or are in the midst of wedding ring shopping, don’t miss Jon’s answers and advice below!

Have you always been a wedding professional? If not, what was your previous career?
Yes – my family has been in the diamond and jewelry business for over 80 years! My grandfather started our company in Johannesburg, South Africa and I’m the third generation. I joined the family business full time after graduating with my MBA in 2009.

As a kid before joining the family business, I had several small businesses and little ventures. Just after undergrad, I started a clothing line called Crooked Monkey. We made graphic t-shirts and sold to companies like Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom. In college, I didn’t want to get a boring summer job and so I started a company doing the only thing I was qualified to do at 19 years old: Take the SAT’s. So, I started an SAT tutoring company with some friends. And amazingly, we were able to really help local high schoolers improve their scores!

What inspired you to create your company?
I’m really grateful to work in a family business and continue the family tradition that my grandfather started. While the diamond ring is a timeless tradition – the world of today is so very different than it was for my grandfather and even father’s generation. What drives me is the challenge and joy to continually adapt and innovate. We need to continue to do what our clients appreciate while also finding new ways to appeal to tomorrow’s bride.

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
The biggest obstacle for any multi-generational business is often the balance between longstanding traditions that have proved successful versus new ways of doing business.

What do you love most about your job?
I love meeting couples that are just so happy together and excited to get married! DC is an exciting place, bringing together interesting people from all over the world for any variety of reasons. I love hearing our client’s stories, not just about how they met, but about their lives and what’s important to them.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
When you’re planning your wedding and budgeting costs, remember to consider the lifetime value of each part. You will keep your photos and wedding rings forever. You’ll wear your wedding rings every day and keep getting joy from them! On the other hand, many other parts of the wedding will be consumed within a few hours. You’ll want flowers to make the ceremony beautiful, but it’s helpful to remember that your flowers won’t last and budget accordingly.

What is your best of advice for newlyweds Jon Mervis?
My one piece of advice is to stay humble. Remember that neither one of you is 100% right at any point and the other 100% wrong. Look for the good in your partner and you’ll always find something to smile about!

We hope you loved all that Jon Mervis had to share. From his story, to his advice on jewelry and relationships. We can’t help you with diamonds. But, should you be ready to change your name, MissNowMrs can save you 13 hours of hassle!

Wedding Pro Wednesday: Kimberly Dean

Today I am excited to introduce you to Kimberly Dean, the founder of Kimberly Dean Photos and publisher of Valley Bride Wedding Guide. Her company specializes in understanding a client’s uniqueness so they can capture that essence in photos!

I met her at a sorority sister’s wedding and then noticed that my Facebook feed was continuously flooded with gorgeous images from her engagement, wedding, equestrian, and baby photo shoots. I am a photography snob, so if I like it, 99.9% of the population will as well! I also had the opportunity to experience Kimberly as a photographer at one of my best friend’s weddings. There were none of the fussy, stiff photo set-ups. Instead there were playful shots that showed the bride’s true colors and the entire feel of her big day.

If you are curious about professional photography for your wedding, or photography as a possible career, Kimberly’s story and advice are ideal for you. Read her candid answers to my questions below!

Have you always been a wedding professional? If not, what was your previous career?
No, I spend ten years working in online publishing for Agora Inc. as a marketing strategist, copywriter, and advertising buyer.

What inspired you to create your company?
As a wedding photographer, I meet so many couples who are very inspiring and hold such gorgeous weddings. My natural tendency to learn about people and my journalistic mindset sparked the idea to begin a wedding publication. I live in an area, just next to the Greenspring Valley, full of horse country and oodles of wedding venues. The North County, which touches the valley, also holds so many talented wedding professionals: from florists and caterers… to photographers and dress shops. Creating a geographically niche publication for the area just made sense. Start small, start local, and see where it leads.

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
Getting over my own self doubts and fear of failure were hands down the greatest obstacles. Once I began taking one step forward, however, the other steps luckily came easier and easier. Meeting some fellow publishers randomly at a coffee shop one day, who coincidentally were also starting a new home owner’s magazine in the same location, felt like a sign I was headed in the right direction. Having them to partner with for printing our magazines together also kept me on target with my deadlines. Sometimes you just meet the right people at the right time. This serendipitous chance meeting really helped me believe I was where I was supposed to be.

What do you love most about your job?
Both wedding photography and publishing entail telling stories. Whether it’s through photographic documentation or written words, storytelling and making memories are the common denominator for the two. I love the process of creating and sharing the final outcome. I’m also a hopeless romantic who loves details. I want to capture the emotion… the look… the vibe… the story. On the publishing side, interviewing and learning about the professionals behind all the wedding day magic also fascinates me because there’s so much talent there.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
I hope that brides and couples remember that although weddings do take so much time and money… that the ultimate goal is to enjoy the day you’ve been planning for. Remember what it’s all about. Remember why you fell in love, what the day represents, and don’t let any surprises or bloopers take away from that joy. Life is full of the unexpected, and weddings are no different. All the careful planning and meticulous detail in the world can’t prevent some kind of a hiccup on the day of a wedding. Laugh it off and consider it all part of the adventure. That’s really my best piece of advice. Laugh it off together.

What is your best advice for newlyweds?
I continue to keep in touch with couples post wedding who come back to me to photograph their first child’s portraits and family pictures, so I get to see how the marriage appears to be holding up. None of us can know for sure, but it seems to me that those who look the happiest have a true friendship. There’s an admiration there as well, and mutual respect, that maintains that friendship and helps bond them through life’s ups and downs. So, I suppose my best piece of advice is to make time to nurture the marriage and… stay friends.

Photo Credits: Kimberly Dean Photos (obviously)

The Perfect Bridal Shower Gift Formula

Are you searching for the perfect bridal shower gift this season? Before the big days of friends and family members comes a flurry of brunches, teas, and afternoons filled with celebrating the bride-to-be. While every event may be different, you do need a shower gift. Not to worry, we have the perfect formula to help you bring the best shower gift for each of your friends!

Something Nostalgic + Something Helpful + Something Beautiful = The Perfect Shower Gift

Something Nostalgic
The first component of your gift should be something that will remind the bride of your friendship or her new relationship. If she met her fiancé in Spain, a tapas cookbook or a gift card to a Spanish restaurant would be perfect! If the two of you spent hours at a particular shop or spa, a goodie from that establishment is a great way to remind her of all of the good times you have had as friends.

Something Helpful
If you’re already married you have amassed married knowledge your friend needs. Think of something that was difficult for you as a newlywed or something you wish someone had given you. A MissNowMrs gift card is a perfect component for your perfect shower gift. It saves the bride 13 hours of hassle on her name change! Instead of standing in long office lines and stressing about what form to file when and where, she’ll breeze through the process in 30 minutes! You will absolutely receive a thank you note for this gift!

Something Beautiful
Weddings are filled with beauty, so of course wedding shower gifts should have a beautiful component. This can range from a mini perfume with floral notes for her wedding day, to gorgeous wrapping paper in her wedding colors, to your favorite bridal beauty item. Again, think of your friend. If she isn’t into super fussy things, skip the lace and give her elegant stationary or an engraved business card holder in her new name.

We hope this formula helps you create perfect personalized bridal shower gifts for the amazing women in your life. Enjoy this season of love!

Name Change After Marriage in Alabama

Newlywed in the Heart of Dixie? If you are considering name change after marriage in Alabama, there are a few key things to keep in mind as you make the switch to your new name.

Alabama Name Change Options

Alabama’s policies make it a great state to change your name in. All of the name-change options are allowed under state law. So, you can take your spouse’s last name, hyphenate your last names, take two last names sans hyphen, take your maiden name as a middle name or replace your middle name with your maiden name. If you’re on the fence about the new name that is right for you, play the Married Name Game. Its algorithm determine your ideal married last name based on key life factors and your personal style.

Alabama Name Change Forms

Any newlywed in Alabama changing their name needs to file the SS-5 form to update their social security card. Then the IRS 8822 to update their name associated with taxes. Followed by, one of three passport forms to update their married name with the State Department and the USPS form to change their name with the postal service.

The Alabama DMV does not have an official form for newlyweds changing their names on their driver’s licenses. But, you will need to bring your current license, your certified marriage certificate, and proof of residence if your address has changed.

Alabama Name Change Fees

It is free to file all federal name change forms except for the passport form(s). If you have had your U.S. passport for less than twelve months you can update your married name on your book for free. If you have had your current passport for more than twelve months you will need to pay $110 to have your married moniker on your passport.

The fee for your duplicate driver’s license is $18.50. So, if you’re changing your name after marriage in Alabama you’re going to spend approximately $118.50. This does not include certified marriage certificate fees. Not too bad to become a newly named newlywed!

Save Time On Your Name Change

You can manually fill out all of the forms mentioned along with notification letters for all of your banks, credit cards, insurances, employers, mortgages, etc. OR, you can use the MissNowMrs easy online name change service. It’s like TuboTax for married name change. Answer a few questions and all of your forms will be prepared for you. You can print, sign, and file. Or opt for our premium package and have them mailed to you with pre-addressed envelopes and postage. For only $29.95 it’s a no-brainer for busy newlyweds!

Help Me Change My Name