Getting married involves planning a wedding, finding a house and, for many women, legally changing their names.
A woman might change her last name after marriage by taking her husband's name or hyphenating it with hers. Blending two names together is another option, but most women take their husband's last name or surname.
A woman who keeps her last name does not have to deal with the processes that can come with a name change. But she might face a stigma associated with breaking tradition.
Women who kept or hyphenated their last names were perceived as independent, unattractive feminists who were less likely to make good wives or enjoy cooking, according to a 2004 study of women and surnames performed by Diana Boxer and funded through the Rockefeller Foundation.
Traditional titles
Unlike the second wave feminists of the 1980s, most modern women who are in their early twenties take their husband's surname, said Boxer, professor of linguistics at the University of Florida.
For a second wave feminist, keeping her last name was a way to protest a male-dominated society, retain her ethnic identity or maintain her professional status, but none of that appears to matter anymore, Boxer added.
The majority of today's young women, even those who consider themselves feminists, are more concerned with family unity and even dream of taking their husbands' last names, Boxer said. Modern women feel they have less to prove than feminists in the past, she said.
Women in the Midwest are among the most likely to take their husbands' last names, according to Boxer's study.
Christina Blair, a newlywed Ohio University junior, didn't even consider keeping her surname when she got married.
Taking the man's last name after marriage is the typical and traditional thing to do, said Blair, an early childhood education major who takes classes at the Lancaster campus.
I never even really thought about (the alternative) G? I think it's weird when a woman doesn't take her husband's last name
she said.
While a woman willingly takes her husband's surname, a man would rarely consider taking his wife's last name, Boxer said.
However, Boxer's research indicates that homosexual couples are more willing to blend or hyphenate their surnames with their partner's.
For straight men there is a historic pattern of women taking men's surnames, so for a woman to ask a man to take her name can be perceived as emasculating, said Mickey Hart, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Programs Center.
For LGBT couples, these conventions of a patriarchal society don't apply as easily, Hart said.
Fusing families
A couple could choose to blend or hyphenate their names to retain an ethnic or individual identity and to symbolize a new union.
When Judy Millesen and her partner decided to commit to each other, they blended their names.
Before creating a name there was a lot of discussion of what parts to blend and how, said Millesen, an OU associate professor of political science.
Eventually, they decided to combine Miller and Milsen into Millesen, keeping the sen part to represent Millesen's partner's Norwegian descent.
We just thought (blending names) was a great way to express our commitment to the family that we were creating Millesen said.
Tough transitions
For some women, taking their husbands' surname is just as complicated as blending or hyphenating their name.
A loss of identity, problems with passports and not being recognized under the new name were common complaints in Boxer's study.
Although legally changing a name is a fairly simple process, it comes with other complications.-
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