Addressing Wedding Invites: Male Doctors, The Proper Etiquette

When addressing wedding invitations to a male doctor, there are a few etiquette rules to keep in mind. Firstly, it is important to use the full, formal name of the guest, including their middle name if you know it. For a married male doctor, the invitation should be addressed to Doctor followed by his name and his spouse's name. For example, Doctor and Mrs. Robert Smith or Doctor Robert and Mrs. Elizabeth Smith. If the male doctor is unmarried, his invitation would be addressed to Mr. followed by his full name, for example, Mr. James Montgomery. It is also worth noting that if the doctor has a Ph.D., the abbreviation Dr. is used, whereas for medical doctors, the word Doctor is spelled out.

Married couple, male doctor, different last names

When addressing a wedding invitation to a married couple with different last names, the outer envelope should contain their names on the same line, with the woman's name listed first. If their combined names are too long to fit on one line, list them separately. Here's how to do it when the husband is a doctor:

Outer envelope: "Doctor [Husband's First Name] [Husband's Last Name] and Mrs. [Wife's First Name] [Wife's Last Name]"

Inner envelope: "Dr. [Husband's Last Name] and Mrs. [Wife's Last Name]" or "[Husband's First Name] and [Wife's First Name]"

If the wife is the doctor, the format remains the same, but the wife's name is listed first:

Outer envelope: "Doctor [Wife's First Name] [Wife's Last Name] and Mr. [Husband's First Name] [Husband's Last Name]"

Inner envelope: "Dr. [Wife's Last Name] and Mr. [Husband's Last Name]" or "[Wife's First Name] and [Husband's First Name]"

If the couple has different last names and the wife has kept her maiden name both socially and professionally, the invitation should be addressed as follows:

Outer envelope: "Doctor [Wife's First Name] [Wife's Maiden Name] and Mr. [Husband's First Name] [Husband's Last Name]"

Inner envelope: "Dr. [Wife's Maiden Name] and Mr. [Husband's Last Name]" or "[Wife's First Name] and [Husband's First Name]"

Married couple, male doctor, same last name

When addressing a wedding invitation to a married couple with the same last name, where the husband is a doctor, there are a few options.

If the couple has chosen to use the husband's full name, you can address the invitation as follows:

• Formal, outer envelope: "Dr. and Mrs. [Husband's Full Name]"
• Formal, inner envelope: "Dr. [Husband's Full Name] and Mrs. [Husband's Full Name]" or " [Husband's Name] and [Wife's Name]"
• Informal, outer envelope: "Dr. and Mrs. [Husband's Last Name]"
• Informal, inner envelope: "Dr. [Husband's Name] and Mrs. [Wife's Name]" or " [Husband's Name] and [Wife's Name]"

If the couple has chosen to include both their first names, with the husband's name first, you can address the invitation as follows:

• Formal, outer envelope: "Dr. [Husband's Full Name] and Mrs. [Wife's Full Name]"
• Formal, inner envelope: "Dr. [Husband's Full Name] and Mrs. [Wife's Full Name]" or " [Husband's Name] and [Wife's Name]"
• Informal, outer envelope: "Dr. [Husband's Name] and Mrs. [Wife's Name]"
• Informal, inner envelope: " [Husband's Name] and [Wife's Name]"

It is important to note that the title "Dr." is typically used for medical doctors, while "PhD" is abbreviated for those with a doctoral degree. Additionally, some doctors may have different preferences for their social and professional titles, so it is essential to know your audience and address the invitation accordingly.

Single male doctor

When addressing a wedding invitation to a single male doctor, the etiquette can vary depending on the formality of the wedding and the preferences of the guest. Here are some guidelines to follow:

Outer Envelope:

Use "Mr." followed by the doctor's full name. For example: "Mr. James Montgomery". If the doctor is a medical doctor, it is customary to spell out the word "Doctor". However, if the doctor has a Ph.D., you can use the abbreviation "Dr.".

Inner Envelope:

Refer to the guest using their title and last name, such as "Mr. Montgomery". If the doctor's first name is desired, you can use it as well, such as "James". If the doctor is a medical doctor, it is acceptable to abbreviate "Doctor" on the inner envelope.

Age Considerations:

For young boys under the age of 6 or 7, the term "Master" is used before their name. For boys between the ages of 7 and 16 to 18, no title is used. At the age of 18, the formal title "Mr." is applied.

Plus-One or Guest:

If the single male doctor has been offered a plus-one or is bringing a guest, this information is typically not included on the outer envelope. Instead, reserve the "and guest" language for the inner envelope. For example: "Mr. James Montgomery and guest".

Informality:

If the wedding is informal, you may choose to omit titles and use only the guest's name on the inner envelope, such as "James". However, it is generally recommended to maintain a level of formality in the invitations, especially for older or more conservative guests.

In summary, when addressing a wedding invitation to a single male doctor, use "Mr." followed by their full name on the outer envelope, and refer to them by their title and last name or full name on the inner envelope. Adjustments can be made for age considerations, plus-ones, and the level of formality desired.

Married couple, both doctors, different last names

When addressing a wedding invitation to a married couple with different last names, where both parties are doctors, there are a few options to consider.

Firstly, it is important to note that the outer and inner envelopes follow different etiquette rules. The outer envelope should be formal, and the inner envelope is more informal.

For the outer envelope, you can use one of the following formats:

• "The Doctors [Last Name of Spouse 1]" or "Drs. [First Name of Spouse 1] and [First Name of Spouse 2] [Last Name of Spouse 1]" (if they have different last names)
• "Doctor [First Name of Spouse 1] [Last Name of Spouse 1] and Doctor [First Name of Spouse 2] [Last Name of Spouse 2]" (if they have different last names)
• "Doctors [First Name of Spouse 1] and [First Name of Spouse 2] [Last Name of Spouse 1]" (if Spouse 1 uses their last name socially and professionally)

For the inner envelope, you can use a more informal format:

• "The Doctors [Last Name]"
• " [First Name of Spouse 1] and [First Name of Spouse 2]"
• "Drs. [First Name of Spouse 1] and [First Name of Spouse 2]"

If the spouses have different last names and one has chosen to hyphenate their name, the outer envelope can be addressed as follows:

"Doctor [First Name of Spouse 1] [Last Name of Spouse 1] and Doctor [First Name of Spouse 2] [Hyphenated Last Name of Spouse 2]"

For the inner envelope:

"Dr. [Last Name of Spouse 1] and Dr. [Hyphenated Last Name of Spouse 2]" or " [First Name of Spouse 1] and [First Name of Spouse 2]"

It is also important to consider the preference of the guests. Some doctors may prefer to be addressed as "Doctor" in a professional setting and "Mr." or "Mrs." in a social setting. It is essential to know your audience and use the form of address they would prefer.

Married couple, both doctors, same last name

When addressing wedding invitations to a married couple, both of whom are doctors, and they share the same last name, there are a few options for how to format their names, depending on how formal you want the invitation to be.

For a formal invitation, you could address the envelope to "The Doctors [Last Name]", or "Drs. [Their first names] [Last Name]". For example, "The Doctors Smith" or "Drs. Matthew and Angela Smith".

If you would like to be more formal, you could spell out "Doctor" on the outer envelope and abbreviate it on the inner envelope. In this case, the outer envelope could be addressed to "Doctor [Wife's first Name] and Doctor [Husband's First Name] [Shared Last Name]". For example, "Doctor Elizabeth and Doctor Robert Smith". The inner envelope could then be addressed to "Dr. [Wife's First Name] and Dr. [Husband's First Name]" or their first names. For example, "Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Robert" or "Elizabeth and Robert".

If you would like the invitation to be more casual, you could simply address the envelope to " [First Names]" or " [First Name] and [First Name]". For example, "Jill and James" or "Jill and James Hersch".

Frequently asked questions