My husband and I have the same last name (his) because we're a team and as we like to say to each other "we have a contract of love" (we're really sappy by the way).

I didn't get married until I was 35. That might have something to do with it - it just wasn't important to me to keep my old name. Hyphenating was out of the question because I personally think its a waste of time and makes writing checks and signing documents that much more tedious. (and in my case, it sounded really, really dumb) I'm guessing that people who go the hyphenating route have never bought a home and had to sign the zillion documtents required at closinig.

Finally, my husband is the most important person in my life and I plan on keeping him for a very long time. Having the same last name for me is a sense of unity. I didn't "lose" anything by shedding my former name.