Addressing Military Personnel In Wedding Invites: A Guide

When addressing wedding invitations to military personnel, it is important to follow certain protocols and conventions. The specifics of how to address military invitees depend on their rank and whether they are active or retired. For instance, when addressing a married couple where one or both members are in the military, modern formal invitations typically list their first and last names, ranks, and service branches on separate lines, with the word and at the start of the second line to indicate their marital status. In contrast, traditional invitations for a married couple where only the husband is in the military would be addressed with his rank and the wife as Mrs., followed by their last name. Abbreviations are generally avoided, though they may be used for very long titles or where space is limited.

Addressing a retired military officer

When addressing a retired military officer, it's important to follow the correct etiquette, especially when sending a wedding invitation. Here are some guidelines to ensure you address them appropriately:

Address Format:

The address format for a retired military officer on a wedding invitation will differ depending on whether it is an official or social invitation.

• Official Invitation: For official invitations, it is important to include the person's full rank, their full name, the branch of service designation, and their retired status. This is because official invitations are often related to the veteran's military service. The format can be as follows:
• (Full Rank) (Full Name), (Branch of Service), Retired, (Address)
• E.g., Lieutenant Colonel Richard James Dixon, United States Air Force, Retired, 123 Air Force Street
• Alternatively, you can use the abbreviation "Ret." instead of "Retired":
• (Full Rank) (Full Name), (Branch of Service), Ret., (Address)
• E.g., Lieutenant Colonel Richard James Dixon, United States Air Force, Ret., 123 Air Force Street
• Social Invitation: For social invitations such as a wedding, you should address the retired officer with their rank and name, but it is not necessary to include the branch of service or their retired status. Here is the format:
• (Full Rank) (Full Name), (Address)
• E.g., Lieutenant Colonel Richard James Dixon, 123 Air Force Street

Additional Tips:

• Abbreviations: You can use service-specific abbreviations for ranks, such as "LTC" for "Lieutenant Colonel." However, ensure that you use the correct abbreviation for the specific military branch to avoid confusion.
• Spouse Included: When including the spouse's name on the invitation, you can write:
• For official invitations: (Full Rank) (Full Name) and Mrs./Mr. (Spouse's Name), (Address)
• E.g., Lieutenant Colonel Richard James Dixon and Mrs. Mary Dixon, 123 Air Force Street
• For social invitations: (Full Rank) (Full Name) and Mrs./Mr. (Spouse's Name), (Address) or simply (Full Rank) (Full Name), (Spouse's Name), (Address)
• Outer and Inner Envelopes: If your invitation has outer and inner envelopes, address the outer envelope with the full names and the inner envelope with abbreviations:
• Outer: Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Richard James Dixon, 123 Air Force Street
• Inner: Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Dixon

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that you properly address a retired military officer on your wedding invitations while showing them the respect they deserve.

Addressing a currently serving officer

If you are addressing a currently serving officer, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, the titles of the bride, groom, or any of their parents who are in the military should be included on the invitation. The general format for addressing a currently serving officer is as follows:

[Rank] [Full Name], [Branch of Service]

For example, if the guest is a lieutenant in the Army, you would address them as:

> Lieutenant Jamie Garcia, U.S. Army

If the guest is a senior officer (colonel or above), their title should appear before their name, followed by the branch of service on the line below:

> Colonel Timothy Andrew Smith

> United States Air Force

If the guest is a junior or company-grade officer, their title should appear under their name, followed by the branch of service on the same line:

> Andrea Rebecca Barnett, Second Lieutenant, United States Air Force

Note that for First and Second Lieutenants in the Army, simply use "Lieutenant." For the Air Force and Marines, use "First" and "Second."

For enlisted personnel, the rank is usually omitted. Write the full name on one line, with the branch of service underneath:

> Joseph Peter Jones

> United States Air Force

It is important to note that "Mr." is never used to address or refer to an officer on active duty.

When addressing a married couple where only the husband is in the military, use the following format:

> Colonel and Mrs. Andrew Garcia

If both spouses are in the military, they are addressed on separate lines in modern formal invitations. Each line includes their first and last name, rank, and service branch. To indicate that they are a married couple, add the word "and" at the beginning of the second line:

> Major Natalia Correa, U.S. Military

> And Colonel Andrew Garcia, U.S. Military

When addressing a currently serving officer, it is important to follow the correct format and include their rank and branch of service.

Addressing a couple where one or both partners are/were officers

When addressing a couple where one or both partners are or were officers, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, the member of the armed forces is listed first, followed by their spouse. If the officer is retired, their status is not included in the address on social correspondence. The full rank and name of the officer are included, followed by their spouse's name. Here are some examples:

• For a senior officer: Colonel Timothy Andrew Smith and Mrs. Smith
• For a junior or company-grade officer: Second Lieutenant Andrea Rebecca Barnett and Mr. Barnett
• For a retired officer: Lieutenant Colonel Richard James Dixon, Retired and Mrs. Dixon
• For a couple where both partners are officers: Lieutenant Walter Carl Thomas and Lieutenant Melissa Sue Thomas
• For a couple where one partner is an officer and the other has a professional degree: Lieutenant Colonel William Smith and Dr. Linda Smith

It is important to note that military titles should never be abbreviated and that the branch of service is usually not mentioned when addressing a couple.

Addressing a couple where one is an officer and the other has a different role

When addressing a couple where one is an officer and the other has a different role, it is important to follow the correct etiquette to ensure your guests feel respected. Here are some guidelines to help you with the wording and format:

Traditional Etiquette:

Traditionally, the wife's name is omitted, and the couple is addressed using the husband's title and full name, followed by "and Mrs.":

> Lieutenant Colonel Richard James Dixon and Mrs. request the honour of your presence...

However, if the wife has a different last name or a special honorific, her full name should be included:

> Lieutenant Colonel Richard James Dixon and Dr. Linda Smith request the honour of your presence...

Modern Formal Etiquette:

A more progressive approach is to list the wife's name first, followed by the husband's name and title. The word "and" is added at the beginning of the second line to indicate their married status:

> Major Natalia Correa, U.S. Military

>

> and Colonel Andrew Garcia, U.S. Military

Contemporary Casual Etiquette:

In informal settings, you can be flexible with the format and choose whichever style you prefer. Here are a few options:

> Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Richard James Dixon

>

> Colonel Richard James Dixon and Dr. Linda Smith

>

> Colonel and Mrs. Andrew Garcia

Additional Considerations:

When addressing a couple with the same rank and service, you can use their shared rank and last name:

> Captains Thomas and Maria Marquette

When the couple has different ranks and services, you can list their individual ranks and names:

> Captain Thomas Marquette and Major Maria Green

If the officer rank is not 03 or above, some experts suggest that the name should be listed first, followed by the rank and service designation on the second line.

Remember, these are just guidelines, and you can ultimately choose the style that best suits your wedding invitations.

Addressing a couple where both partners have different roles

When addressing a couple where both partners have different military roles, it is important to follow the correct etiquette to ensure your guests feel respected. Here are some guidelines to help you with the wording and format:

• Traditional invitations: When addressing a married couple with different military roles, the invitation should be directed to the husband, using his title and last name. For example, "Colonel and Mrs. Andrew Garcia". If the wife is in the military but the husband is not, the invitation should still follow civilian married couple etiquette, using social titles.
• Modern formal invitations: In this case, each person's military rank and full name are listed on separate lines, with the woman's name listed first. The word "and" is added at the beginning of the second line to indicate their married status. For example, "Major Natalia Correa, U.S. Military and Colonel Andrew Garcia, U.S. Military".
• Abbreviations: It is generally recommended to spell out titles and ranks in full to avoid any confusion. However, when addressing the outer envelope of the invitation, you may use service-specific abbreviations for ranks, such as "LTC" for "Lieutenant Colonel".
• Retired military personnel: When addressing a retired military couple with different ranks, the invitation should include their titles and full names, followed by their branch of service and "Retired". For example, "Captains John and Jane Smith, United States Coast Guard (Ret.)".
• Contemporary formal style: In this style, the title comes first, followed by the full name on the same line. The next line includes the service in full. For example, "First Lieutenant Jhonson Smith, United States Marine Corps".
• Order of names: Traditionally, a woman's name was listed before a man's name on an invitation. However, nowadays, the order of the names is flexible, and you can choose to list the names in alphabetical order or based on personal preference.
• Same-sex couples: When addressing a same-sex couple with different military roles, use the same two-line format as for heterosexual couples. List the names in alphabetical order by last name. For example, "Major Maria Green, U.S. Army and Captain Thomas Marquette, U.S. Air Force".

Remember, these are just guidelines, and you can always adapt them to fit your specific situation or preferences. The most important thing is to make your guests feel welcomed and respected.

Frequently asked questions