After saying “I do,” changing a name after marriage has often been seen as the next step on the list to solidify the union of newlyweds as a newly merged family. Among straight couples, the tradition is for the bride to drop her last name and take on the family surname of her husband after their wedding . However, trends are changing, and many couples are delaying the process, hyphenating last names, or forgoing a legal name change altogether.

While it isn’t a requirement of marriage, changing your last name does have some perks—and disadvantages. While becoming a family under one moniker can create cohesion for couples, the process of changing your name is a bit of a nightmare, prompting some couples to put off the legal change just to avoid paperwork. It also can be tricky for those

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