Brides Who Are Keeping Your Own Last Name. . .

I'll be announced in as "For the first time as husband and wife, my first, my last name, and his first, his last". I hope that lets people know without making a 'thing' about it.

On the thank-you's I plan to just use our first names.

I am not changing my name. We're mostly relying on word of mouth (eg people have asked us and we've told them I'm not changing my name).

What also helps: Not changing it on facebook, being announced at the reception ("Introducing for the first time as husband and wife, Bride Herlastname and Groom Hislastname!"), and politely correcting anyone who makes the mistake.

Thanks so much for all the help, everyone! I think I've decided I'm going to have the DJ announce us by our full names. Then, use my return address labels with both or names on the Thank-Yous, and if it seems people still haven't got that I didn't change my name, I'll sign the Thank-you's as i stated in the OP. If it seems people have caught on, I'll just sign with our first names.

Thanks again for the help! You are all wonderful! (And it is nice and encouraging to see so many of you keeping your names, too!)

We're probably doing the same as @Mallory: announcing it. We will have our Pastor say something like, "for the first time as husband and wife, FHfn FHln & Steph Goods.

For our thank you cards we already have a return address stamp we will use, with my full name, and we'll sign it inside with our first names. It all depends though cuz FH may be taking my last name.

Most of our family and friends know that I'm keeping my name.

That's a good plan @StephGoods!

That wasn't so much an issue with my current marriage. (One advantage of a two-bride wedding is that no one knows whose name is "supposed" to change.) But I did deal with it at my first wedding.

On the return address on our thank-you notes, we used, "Mr. John Jones and Ms. Jane Smith." Not everyone got the message right away. But if the situation came up, I'd say cheerfully, "We have different last names, because he kept his maiden name," which usually at least got people to think. Of course, some people still didn't get it--but they were mostly ones who really didn't want to respect our choices.

@2d Bride, hahaha I LOVE that response! I hope you don't mind me stealing it! That will definitely make people think!