Long story short, I don't want to change my name, and my fiancee isn't too thrilled with the idea. We've had the discussion and other than just not being happy with me not taking his name, he's concerned what the deal would be with the children we plan on having.
He understands that I don't love him any less and vice versa with keeping my Irish last name (aprostophe and all). No, I'm not even going to suggest that he change HIS name; I personally think it's weird, and he would unfortunately be the laughing stock of his very large family. Hypenating is out of the question, for myself an future children. It's just that I've been who I am for the past 28 years (29 by wedding time), and I cannot accept any sort of change like that.
I just want to start a discussion of anyone else feeling in my shoes, or people past thing point and what you've done and how you've handled it. I still get to the point of tearing up and crying when the subject comes up.... which I kind of want to laugh about as in the mist of wedding planning, this is the ONLY sour aspect of everything combined.