Franklin Dean
Wedding invitations can include an inner and outer envelope, but the inner envelope is entirely optional. The outer envelope is stamped and addressed, while the inner envelope contains the names of the invitees and the invitation itself. The outer envelope is formal and traditionally includes titles and full names. The inner envelope is more informal, and it's up to the host whether to include titles and last names or just first names.
| Characteristics | Values | |
|---|---|---|
| Outer envelope | Formal, includes recipient's full name(s) and title(s) | |
| Inner envelope | Informal, may include first names only | |
| Married couple, same last name | "Mr. and Mrs. [Husband's first name] [Last name] | |
| Married couple, different last names | "Mrs. [Wife's first name] [Wife's last name] and Mr. [Husband's first name] [Husband's last name] | |
| Married couple, one hyphenated last name | "Mr. [First name] [Last name] and Mr. [First name] [Hyphenated last name] | " |
| Unmarried couple | "Mr. [First name] [Last name] and Ms. [First name] [Last name]" | |
| Single person | "Mr./Ms./Mx. [First name] [Last name] | |
| Single person with a plus one | "Mr./Ms./Mx. [First name] [Last name] and Guest" | |
| Married couple, one person is a doctor | "Dr. [Doctor's first name] [Doctor's last name] and Mr./Ms. [Spouse's first name] [Spouse's last name]" | |
| Married couple, both are doctors | "The Doctors [Last name]" or "Drs. [First name] [Last name]" | |
| Couple with distinguished titles | "The Honorable [First name] [Last name] and Mr./Mrs. [Spouse's first name] [Spouse's last name]" | |
| Family with children | "The [Last name] Family" or "Mr. and Mrs. [Parent's first name] [Parent's last name]" |
What You'll Learn
How to address a wedding invitation to a single person
When addressing a wedding invitation to a single person, it's important to use their preferred title. If you're unsure, it's best to leave out the title altogether. Here are some examples to illustrate the correct format:
For a single woman:
- Outer envelope: "Ms." "Stephanie Chen" or "Miss Stephanie Chen" if she is under 18.
- Inner envelope: "Ms. Chen" or "Miss Chen" or "Stephanie".
For a single man:
- Outer envelope: "Mr." "James Montgomery".
- Inner envelope: "Mr. Montgomery" or "James".
For a non-binary person:
- Outer envelope: "Mx." Courtney Andrews.
- Inner envelope: "Mx. Andrews" or Courtney.
For a widowed woman:
It is common to address her using her married name, such as "Mrs. George Devereaux". However, some widows may prefer to be addressed as "Ms." so it's best to inquire about their preference.
For a divorced woman:
You can use either "Ms." or "Mrs." followed by her ex-husband's last name if she still uses it or her maiden name, depending on her preference. For example, "Mrs./Ms. Cookie Lyon" or "Mrs./Ms. Cookie Holloway".
For a single person with a plus-one:
- If you know the name of the plus-one, include it on the outer envelope as you would for an unmarried couple. For example, "Ms. Jessica Spano Mr. Albert Clifford Slater".
- If you don't know the name of the plus-one, simply write "and guest" after the invitee's name. For example, "Mr. Zachary Morris and guest".
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How to address a wedding invitation to a married couple
When addressing a wedding invitation to a married couple, there are a few things to keep in mind. Traditionally, the outer envelope is more formal, and you would use the couple's titles and full names. The inner envelope is more informal, and you can use just their first names.
If the married couple has the same last name, you can use "Mr. and Mrs." followed by the husband's first and last name. For example, "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Warren" or "Mr. and Mrs. John Rivera". If the couple is heterosexual, the husband's name is used. However, for same-sex couples, either name can go first. If the couple prefers an egalitarian approach, you can use both the husband's and wife's first and last names, for example, "Mr. Thomas Warren and Mrs. Michelle Warren".
If the married couple has different last names, you can write their names on the same line with the woman's name first. For example, "Ms. Maria Stevens and Mr. David Estevez" or "Ms. Celine Elgin and Ms. Jacqueline Purcell". If the combined names are too long, you can list them separately.
In the case of a spouse with a hyphenated last name, the invitation can be addressed as "Mr. Marcus Craft and Mr. Brian Crosby-Craft" or "Mr. Andy Dwyer and Ms. April Ludgate-Dwyer".
If one of the partners has a distinguished title, such as a judge, military personnel, or a doctor, this should be reflected in the addressing. For example, for a judge, you would use "The Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Mr. Martin David Ginsburg". For a couple of doctors, you can use "The Doctors Smith" or "Drs. Matthew and Angela Smith".
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How to address a wedding invitation to an unmarried couple
When addressing a wedding invitation to an unmarried couple, the outer envelope should include both guests' full names, with their names connected by "and". If the couple has different surnames, list the person you are closest with first or go in alphabetical order.
> Example: Mr. Aaron Triguiero and Ms. Rachel Green
If their names are too long to fit on one line, you can list their names on separate lines:
> Example: Mr. Aaron Triguiero
> Ms. Rachel Green
The inner envelope is more informal, so you have the option to use only their titles and surnames or just their first names.
> Example: Mr. Triguiero and Ms. Green
> or Aaron and Rachel
If you are only using an outer envelope, simply focus on properly addressing it.
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How to address a wedding invitation to a family
When addressing a wedding invitation to a family, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, decide whether you want to be specific about which family members are invited. If you want to keep it general, you can simply address the envelope to the whole family or use "The [Family Name] Family".
If you want to specify which family members are invited, write the names of each family member, including the parents, in list form. Begin with the parent or parents' names, followed by the names of any invited children in order of age. For female children under the age of 18, you can use "Miss" as a courtesy title. Here's an example:
> The Carter Family
> Mr. Max Carter and Mrs. Natasha Carter
> Mx. Daniel Carter
> Miss Alex Carter
> Mr. Andrei Carter
Alternatively, if you prefer to use first names on the inner envelope, it could look like this:
> Mr. and Mrs. Carter
> Max, Natasha, Daniel, Alex, and Andrei
Same-sex families should follow the same format. Here's an example:
> Mrs. Jackie White and Mrs. Cara White
> Miss Danielle White
> Mr. Gabriel White
If you are using both inner and outer envelopes, the outer envelope is typically more formal, while the inner envelope is more casual and may include first names. However, it's important to note that including an inner envelope is optional, and you may choose to use only an outer envelope, especially for more casual weddings.
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How to address a wedding invitation to a single person with a plus one
When addressing a wedding invitation to a single person with a plus one, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, it is important to use the person's preferred title. If you are unsure, it is better to forgo a title altogether. If you know the name of the plus one, it is best to include it on the invitation. This can be done by writing the single person's name followed by "and Guest" or by including a note at the bottom of the card or on the back of the invitation saying "You are invited to bring a guest" or "You are invited to bring a plus one".
Outer envelope: "Mr. Tyler Morris and Guest" or "Mr. Tyler Morris"
Inner envelope: "Mr. Morris and Guest" or "Tyler and Guest"
If you do not know the name of the plus one, you can simply address the invitation to the single person and include a plus one note inside the card. Here is an example:
Outer envelope: "Ms. Ali Johnson"
Inner envelope: "Ms. Johnson and Guest" or "Ali and Guest"
It is important to note that the outer envelope should be formal and include the recipient's full name and title. The inner envelope is more informal, and you can choose to leave out certain elements of the formal name format.
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