Mrs. Swance

All photos were taken by my photographer Crestina. She does amazing work! 

You can see her website HERE.

Hey friends! 

So, I wanted to get on the topic of changing your name when you get married. I honestly believe that out of this whole marriage process what I found the most daunting was changing my name. I mean think of ALL of the paperwork and places I would need to call to make these changes!

 I was more than excited to sign my life over to Brent (haha I obviously had SOME nerves!) but changing my name was definitely what stressed me out the most. It's not that I wasn't excited to change my name and officially become Mrs. Swance, I had been dreaming about it since the day Brent and I said "I love you" for the first time but changing your name is such a personal thing, I mean we're literally changing our identity here! 

I am not one of those feminist women who needs to keep her maiden name to feel whole and if you are one thats awesome, power to women!! But regardless of my name change I still feel and know in my heart that I am and always will be Kathy Paulo. That will never change but being called Mrs. Swance sounds so adult, so official, so new. It has made me want to recreate myself in a way... I'm a wife now and one day I'll be a mother so being Kathy Swance is a new life adventure. 

My friends and I joke about how elegant (and kind of old) Kathy Swance sounds, I feel like in 50 years I'll be the type of granny that wears full out pastel suits and maybe one of those fancy British hats! 

Funny story and totally off topic but did you know that those funny hats are called Fascinators? When I was shopping for a mother of the bride dress with my mom we ended up in this really fancy section of the Bay that carried a British designers dresses and Fascinators. When we were paying for her dress at the cash register, the cashier (who was British) told me the name of the hats and I being the silly woman that I am just couldn't help but throw a pun and say "Wow, thats fascinating!!" haha the cashier, my mom and I had quite the giggle over that!

Although, it was the scariest part of the process it is actually the most fulfilling to me. It connects me on another level with Brent, we have officially become a family of two. It's Mr. & Mrs. Swance over here, we are legally and spiritually one and you know what, I love it. Being his Swance is so special to me.

Have you changed your name or decided to keep your maiden name? I'd love to hear your story!

xo