Marriage is not only a spiritual, but also a legal union, which is confirmed by the marriage certificate and the common surname of the new family. Although adopting a single surname is optional, many couples choose to cement their union by adopting a wife's, husband's or double surname. However, there is another path that Alice and Pēteris Coimbra chose to take - for both of them to adopt a jointly chosen last name.

Why change the surname after the wedding?

The tradition of the wife taking the husband's surname is still relevant not only because it confirms acceptance into the husband's family, but also because in this way the couple confirms the truth and depth of the marriage to each other and to those around them. Adopting one surname also has practical considerations - it facilitates various legal aspects of cohabitation, makes you easily recognizable as a couple in society, and also allows you to avoid possible misunderstandings when offspring enter the family and you have to decide on assigning one parent's surname if they are different.

Although all the mentioned aspects are sufficient grounds for adopting one surname, nowadays it is also possible not to change the surname or to choose which surname to adopt, guided also by other criteria, such as its good sound, one's associations with this surname and the like. If you don't want to take any of the couple's surnames, and if the couple has a valid reason to do so,

there is an opportunity to adopt a completely new, self-invented last name.

Conditions for accepting a surname of one's own choosing

Changing the surname to your spouse's surname is very simple. It is also possible to accept one of the surnames of the family, in a direct ascending line. However, if there is a justified desire to change the surname to something completely new, with this surname and the reason why you want to accept it, you must write a submission to the Ministry of Justice, which is examined by the commission and decides on the approval of the new surname. Of course, this should be done in time and the application review time, which can take a month, should be taken into account. Detailed information, as well as the application form, can be found on the website of the Ministry of Justice.

Alice and Pēteris acted in such a way that the husband changed his surname in this way a month before the wedding, but Alice took her husband's surname in the classic form at the wedding.

Accepting a surname of your own choosing - a story of experience

The bride, Alice, tells about the couple's path to the decision to adopt a new, self-invented last name. "It's a kind of magic to go far away and come back completely different. Our story has been closely related to the road and change from the beginning. Change can be hard, but it's even harder to stay where you are, because if you don't change, nothing changes.

My husband and I met when I was 16 and he was 18. Two different personalities on the outside, but inside we are even very similar. Simple and complex times need each other to create balance. Meeting at such a young age, we grew up together. We experienced everything the adult world has to offer and built our life together from scratch.

Many of our decisions have seemed bold and perhaps even wrong to others. We have never specifically made decisions to go against the flow, we have only listened to our inner feeling. As our common path reached the port of marriage, we came to the decision that we wanted a new, jointly chosen last name, which is connected to our already ten-year path. We both have great families with whom we have very close relationships, but we have always been a bit of a "black sheep", or those representatives of the family tree who do not follow the usual order of the family. Our desire was to create a new, blooming branch in the family tree, combining the strengths of our two families, and bringing new traditions, norms and beliefs that unite us both.

When we started thinking about the last name that will accompany us for the rest of our lives, we tried to return to the beginning of our path.

At a time when we had met, but were not yet a couple, Pēteris went on a study exchange program to Portugal. Shortly after he left, we agreed that I would fly to visit. Portugal was our first trip together. A place that greatly changed our view of the world. we have currently traveled to around 40 countries, among which the honeymoon in Hawaii has become one of our favorite trips. We went there a couple of days after we found out we were expecting a baby. The Portuguese city of Coimbra was the beginning of our journey, where we took a step towards a long and beautiful life as a young family. As proof that we made the right decision, life gave us our first-born son, who, we hope, will continue the family path we started."

In conclusion, Alice adds that, despite the non-standard choice in the context of the last name, the couple wanted a very classic wedding. Black tuxedo, Jelgava Castle, thick wedding dress, white candles, white roses, horses... Alice and Pēteris Coimbras show that in the context of weddings and cohabitation, you can stick to classic values as well as follow completely new paths, the main thing is that your choices are authentic and make you happy.

Author of the article: Renate Berga

Story: the bride Alice Coimbra

Photo: Janens_com