Addressing Wedding Invitations To A Baptist Minister: A Guide

When addressing wedding invitations to a Baptist minister, it is important to follow the correct etiquette. The outer envelope should include the minister's full name along with their title, such as The Reverend. If the minister has a doctorate, this can be included as The Reverend Dr. or The Reverend, [name], Ph.D.. Their spouse can be included as Mr., Mrs. or Ms. followed by their name. For example, The Reverend and Mrs. John Smith. When addressing the inner envelope, you can use the minister's title and last name, for example, Reverend Smith. It is also appropriate to send a handwritten letter of invitation to a Baptist minister and their spouse.

Outer envelope titles

The outer envelope is the envelope that the post office sees. Wedding etiquette rules require that you send an invitation to your ceremony's officiant at the same time you send the rest of your invitations. When addressing a Baptist minister and their spouse on a wedding invitation, it is important to include their official titles and full names.

If the minister is male, the outer envelope should be addressed as follows:

• "The Reverend [Name] and Mrs. [Name]"
• "The Reverend Dr. [Name] and Mrs. [Name]"
• "The Reverend [Name] and Dr. [Name]"

If the minister is female, the outer envelope should be addressed as follows:

• "The Reverend Zoe Deen and Mr. John Deen"
• "The Reverend Dr. Zoe Deen and Mr. John Deen"
• "The Reverend Zoe Deen and Dr. John Deen"

If both spouses are ministers and share the same last name, you can address them as "The Reverends [Last Name]."

Inner envelope titles

The inner envelope is where you include the names of all invited guests in a family, such as the officiant's children. In most cases, the inner envelope is addressed only to the officiant or to the officiant and spouse.

You do not need to include the officiant’s full name. Instead, you would write:

• Father Doe for a Catholic pastor
• Reverend Doe for a Protestant pastor
• Rabbi Doe for a Jewish pastor

If the spouse is also invited, you would address the inner envelope to:

• Reverend Doe and Mrs. Doe
• The Reverends Mary and John Smith (if both are referred to as "Reverend")
• Pastor Steven White and Mrs. Ellen White

If the pastor has a doctorate, you would write:

• The Reverend Dr. and Mrs. Davis Smith
• The Reverend Dr. Mark Smith
• Reverend Dr. Mark Smith

If the pastor's spouse has a doctorate, you would address them as:

• The Reverend Jim Price and Dr. Samantha Price
• The Reverend Maxine Su and Dr. James Su

If the pastor's spouse is in the military, place the spouse before the pastor on the envelope. Use the person’s military title as well as the branch of the military they serve in. For example:

Colonel Jane Wilton, US Army and The Reverend Max Wilton

Addressing a pastor and his wife

When addressing a pastor and his wife, it's important to use the correct titles to show respect. Here are some guidelines to follow:

Formal Address on Envelopes:

• Use the title "The Reverend" for Protestant ministers and "The Reverend Father" for Catholic priests. For example, "The Reverend Mark Smith". The gender does not matter in this case.
• If the pastor has a doctorate, include it in the address. For example, "The Reverend Dr. Mark Smith" or "The Reverend Mark Smith, Ph.D.".
• Address the spouse separately. If they don't have any specific titles, use "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Ms.". For example, "The Reverend and Mrs. Mark Smith". If they don't share the same last name, write "The Reverend Mark Smith and Ms. Molly Doe".
• In many black churches, the wife of the pastor is known as the "First Lady". Address her as such: "The Reverend Ronnie Franklin and First Lady Linda Franklin".
• If the spouse has a military rank, place them before the pastor on the envelope and include their military title and branch. For example, "Colonel Jane Wilton, US Army and The Reverend Max Wilton".

Informal Address in Correspondence:

• For Protestant pastors, use the title "Pastor" with their full name in casual correspondence, such as "Pastor Molly Mitchell".
• For Catholic priests, use the title "Reverend" with their full name, such as "Reverend John Smith". You can also use the more casual "Father" if you know them well, as in "Father John Smith".
• Abbreviations can be used for very informal correspondence: "Rev. John Smith" or "Pr. Molly Mitchell".
• Address the spouse with their typical title and full name, such as "Dr. Johnson" or "Ms. Wells". If the congregation uses "First Lady", you can address her as "First Lady Jones".

In-Person Address:

• For Protestant pastors, use "Pastor" with their last name, such as "Pastor Shannon". In more casual congregations, you can use "Pastor" with their first name or simply "Pastor".
• For Catholic priests, use "Father" with their last name, such as "Father Everton". In informal parishes, you can use "Father" with their first name or just "Father".
• Address the spouse with their typical title and last name, such as "Dr. Johnson" or "Ms. Wells". If the congregation uses "First Lady", address her as "First Lady Jones".

It's always best to respect the pastor's preferences, so if they request a less formal address or to be addressed by their first name, you can adjust accordingly.

Addressing a pastor and his wife in person

When addressing a pastor and his wife in person, it is best to keep things respectful but casual.

If the pastor is Protestant, call him "Pastor" and then his last name. For example, if the pastor's name is Jill Shannon, you could call her "Pastor Shannon". If your congregation is more casual, you could call your pastor "Pastor" and their first name ("Pastor Jill"), or simply "Pastor".

If the pastor is Catholic, use the title "Father" with their last name. For example, if the priest's name is Don Everton, you could address him as "Father Everton". In more casual parishes, you could call the priest "Father" and his first name ("Father Don"), or simply "Father".

Address the spouse of the pastor as Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr. and their last name, whichever is most appropriate. This keeps things personal but respectful, particularly if you don’t know them well. For example, you could address a pastor’s wife who does not share his last name as "Ms. Wells".

If the pastor's spouse has a title that is more appropriate than Mr., Mrs., or Ms., you should use that title instead. For example, if the pastor's wife is a doctor, address her as "Dr.".

Addressing a pastor and his wife in casual correspondence

When addressing a pastor and his wife in casual correspondence, it is appropriate to use “Pastor” or “Reverend” with the pastor's full name. For example, “Pastor John Smith” or “Reverend John Smith”.

If you are on a first-name basis with the pastor and his wife, it is acceptable to address them as “Pastor John” or simply “Pastor”, or “Reverend John” or “Reverend”, depending on their preference.

The spouse of a pastor can be addressed with their typical title and full name, such as “Mrs. Smith” or “Dr. Smith”. If the pastor's wife is also a pastor, you can address them as “The Reverends Smith” or “Pastor Jane Smith and Mrs. John Smith”.

In casual correspondence, it is also acceptable to use abbreviations, such as “Rev. Smith” or “Pr. Smith”.

Frequently asked questions