I have always thought it would be great if the couple just came up with their own name rather than one taking the other's or each keeping their own.  Then you could both have something you like without all the issues.  

Taking DH's name was not a big deal for me, as I never had a middle name and was excited to have three initials (I know, trivial, but it was a big deal to me).  But DH has always had a strained relationship with his father, who adopted DH when he was 4, so it bothers me a bit to have given up my family's name in favor of someone we don't really even get along with that well.  Ultimately, though, to me, a name is just a name.

I think I remember it being that way on our marriage license too... but I must be misremembering, since we were also in Los Angeles County.

We were both quite serious about it, but the combinations resulting from our names were horrendous.  I suppose we could have just made one up, but that would be challenging too.

I think it does make the most sense.  Someone pointed out to me that a woman making a feminist stand for keeping her own name is actually keeping her father's name (and his father's name, and his father's name).  So it's still all part of this patriarchal system.