One Year Ago...

One year ago, on this day, I married the professor!

We had a super small ceremony, just immediate family, and followed it up with drinks and nibbles at home then ice-skating and a meal in the evening. 

It wasn't what most would think of when they think 'wedding' but it was very us and just how we wanted it.

In the weeks proceeding the wedding, people kept asking me if it felt different being Mrs Professor and I kept looking at them blankly for it didn't. We'd been together a month shy of 15 years when we got married so in our minds we were already married... Just without the legal paperwork.
Plus, if we didn't know each other after 15 years (about 13 living together) then we had bigger problems!

Now, one year on from that day, I've had time to reflect on whether my 'nothing is different' still holds true... And it does: Our relationship is no different. However, there are two huge things that have taken a lot of getting used to. Why did nobody tell me that remembering these two things would be so bloody difficult?!

Number One - My New Name

After much debating, I decided to change my surname to match that of my husband and son. 

I thought it would be straight forward - and updating it on documents/accounts has been - but remembering my name?! Not so much!

The number of times I've sat in a stakeholder meeting and introduced myself as my maiden name and then had to immediately correct myself is embarrassing.

Not to mention when someone calls me by my married name and there's that awkward time delay while my brain process and accepts the information before I move to respond.

Number Two - My new Signature

Settling on a new signature was simple. Remembering to use it? Really, not so much. 

I have to pause and think then sign very deliberately and carefully... I feel like a forger.
Every. Single. Time.
Even now... "I've signed the wrong name."
(Seriously, this happened again only a couple of days ago!)

So, anyway... The fundamentals of life haven't shifted but some of the little things are still taking a lot of getting used to.

A friend of mine pointed out that I've been using my birth name my entire life so until I've been using my married name for just as long, I have a pass. Although, it'll be a bit weird if I'm still using/signing 'the wrong name' when I'm in my 60's... I'm hopeful this will resolve in another year or two, lol.

🌻

Want to know something else I learned from getting married?
Families are bat shit crazy.
I mean, I always kind of knew that but nothing highlights the crazy like a wedding.

I legit have an aunt and uncle combo that aren't speaking to me anymore because they weren't invited to the wedding, despite the fact that the only people who were invited to our wedding were our parents & parental figures, surviving grandparents, siblings and our son. Oh! And not to mention the fact they hadn't been in regular contact for about 5 years before we got married...



Weddings just seem to make people nutso!

People will offer advice and suggestions constantly whether it's wanted or not.
People will give you their opinion on your choices whether requested or not.
People will try to influence you to do/have x, y, or z no matter how you plan on getting married.
People think they have the right to dictate what you do.
My conclusion is that you've just got to ignore everyone and get married your way.
It's your wedding, and you do what you want, what you can afford and you invite who you want.
Nod and smile and be polite and do it your way.
(This is my unsolicited wedding advice to those who it applies! lol)

Anyway...
Happy anniversary to us!