Ever since Zan and I got engaged I have been looking forward to changing my name. I love love love my old name, but I also love love love my new name, too.
Anna Winchell <– that’s the new me! Which is exactly the same as the old me. Thank goodness. :)
I knew this summer would be the perfect time for me to change it legally. Being on summer vacation means I have more free time to run extra erands. Also working it all out in the summer means I can start the school year fresh with my new name. I like how my new class doesn’t know me yet, so Mrs. Winchell won’t be hard for them to remember to say. (Although it’s still a bit strange for me to hear!)
Turns out, as it is with these things, changing your name is a pain in the butt. Legally, at least.
A friend told me that The Knot has a great guide to follow when it’s time to change your name, but even that felt a bit tedious to me. So many websites to go to to find information! So many places to stop into! The thought of it literally made my head spin.
Then I found Hitchswitch.
Praise up!
For a (not too crazy, totally worth it) price they offer 2 different options to fit your budget:
Print at Home package (you fill out the forms online, print them at home, sign your name and send them in yourself) and a Full Service package (they mail you an awesome folder filled with all the forms you need (already filled out!) WITH pre-addressed pre-stamped envelopes, which was really the icing on the cake for me.
Both are worth it because you don’t have to trail around town or scour the Internet for the correct forms. Which is seriously the worst. (You do need to go to the DMV in person though (tragic) because they don’t let you do that through the mail.)
Overall it was so easy breezy. So very stress free.
My favorite part is how organized it all was. When the package came there were checklists and sticky notes with arrows where I needed to sign. Everything was placed in the order in which I should complete the forms and send in (Social Security first!). I just loved the simplicity of it all.
Especially after the craze and prep of the best day ever? I was the busiest bee for months!
Oh yes! I’ll take allllll the simple I can get.
