Any downsides to not changing your surname after marriage?

[BrimfulOfBaba]

I'm getting married in a few months and finally getting around to thinking about the surname situation - I'm a woman marrying a man, for background.

I had known since I was young that I wanted to keep my surname no matter what - absolutely no judgement on anyone who chooses differently, it's just what feels right for me.

However would there be any problems if I had a different surname to any future children? DP is vehemently opposed to double barrelling any future kids and as he picks his hills to die on carefully I'd like to respect this.

I could double barrell mine. I just want to know if it's worth all the paperwork. And does double barrelling work if only one of you does it? I don't want my current surname to become a middle name.

@Triffid1

I had the bank thing too. Weird how often that happens.

I've never understood why when people get married, addressing cards to them suddenly gets so difficult. Pre marriage it was Mr X Name and Ms Y Name. And after marriage surely it's the same?

I chuckled at vet story -w e agreed that all pets, forever, will ALWAYS have my name. So DC have DH's name and animals have mine! It means he occasionally gets called Mr Triffid when taking cat to the vet, but I figure it's good for his masculine soul to be called by the wrong name now and again as it happens to me fairly often.

We don't tend to stay in fancy hotels any more (haha - the joys of changing to self employed with DC) but when we did in the far distant past, he'd sometimes get called Mr Triffid because I was always the one booking! That used to make me chuckle.

I booked our honeymoon.

2 weeks of being called Mr Myname and DH has been the first to defend keeping our own names ever since!

In my experience the airport check if travelling as a solo parent applies to both parties, my husband and I both carry a letter with a note from the other parent permitting travel from X to Y country on Z date. As the kids have my husband's surname (he actually advocated for them to have mine) I also chuck in their birth certificate for good measure. It's all stored with passports, so no hardship at all. So I don't think the airport thing is even name specific, we have both been stopped on occasion and just let through other times. We have grandparents in another country so travel(led) frequently.

I love having my own name & being Ms (although I would prefer there to be no titles at all). I never had any trouble from family either, although considering both our Mums kept their maiden names it's not surprising 🙂 I really hope my daughters keep their names too, but if not I will keep quiet & respect their choice.