Addressing Wedding Invites: Return Address Etiquette

Wedding invitations are a guest's first impression of your big day, and addressing them correctly is an important part of wedding etiquette. The return address tells guests where gifts and replies should be sent, and there are a few rules to follow to ensure your invitations are in tip-top shape.

Return address placement

The return address is an important component of your wedding invitation envelope. It ensures that your guests' replies and gifts are sent to the correct place, and it provides an address for returned invitations in case of non-delivery.

There are two options for return address placement on your invitation envelope:

• Upper Left-Hand Corner of the Envelope: This is a standard style, particularly for less formal wedding invitations. It can be added using a return address stamp or skinny-wrap labels.
• Back Flap of the Outer Envelope: This is the preferred option for formal invitations as it keeps the front of the envelope elegant and clutter-free, allowing the handwritten address to the guest to shine.

If you are using double envelopes (inner and outer), the return address only needs to go on the back flap of the outer envelope. The inner envelope traditionally does not include a return address.

For response card envelopes, the return address always goes in the upper left-hand corner.

Return address etiquette

The return address on a wedding invitation tells guests where gifts and responses should be mailed. Traditionally, the hosts of the wedding—usually the bride's parents—will be listed as the return address, and they will receive any gifts sent before the wedding or by those unable to attend.

The return address should be placed on the back flap of the outer envelope and the front of the response envelope. If you are using inner envelopes, the return address only needs to go on the outer envelope.

There are a few options for how to format the return address. Traditionally, no names are included on a formal return address, only the physical address. However, it is okay to include names if you wish, especially on the response envelope, as this will be delivered back to you. If you are including names, the traditional format is:

> Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Johnson

> 12 Park Lane

> Mobile, Alabama 36695

If the bride and groom are hosting the wedding, their names should not be listed together. Instead, use their first and last names separately:

> Ms. Kari Johnson

> Mr. Bradley Shaw

> 23848 Dunmore Loop

> Mobile, Alabama 36695

If you are going for a more casual approach, you can use first names only or combine names:

> Kari and Bradley

> 23848 Dunmore Loop

> Mobile, Alabama 36695

There are also a few different ways to get your return address onto the envelope. You can handwrite it, use a stamp, a mailing label, or have it pre-printed on the envelope. Handwriting is the most traditional and elegant option, but it is also the most time-consuming. Pre-printed envelopes are a huge time-saver, but they can be costly and may not be an option if you need to order more envelopes. Return address labels are simple and affordable, but they may look inelegant, especially if you are using coloured envelopes. A custom return address stamp is a good middle ground, as it can be used over and over and will match the calligraphy of your guest addresses if you are using a calligrapher.

Return address options

The return address is usually placed on the back flap of the outer envelope and is traditionally the address of the person or persons hosting the wedding. This is where guests will send their RSVPs and gifts. If you are using double envelopes (inner and outer), the return address only goes on the outermost envelope.

For the RSVP return envelope, the address used should be that of the person(s) designated to receive response cards, traditionally the hosts of the wedding. This envelope should include the proper postage for return mailing.

There are several options for formatting your return address:

• First names only (e.g. Alex and John)
• First and last names (e.g. Alex Jones and John Smith)
• Last names plus wedding (e.g. Jones and Smith Wedding)
• No names, just the address

Traditionally, the names of the bride and groom should not appear together in print before the wedding. If the couple is unmarried and living together, the return address should be addressed to the bride only.

There are also a few different ways to get your return address onto the envelope:

• Return address labels: A simple, affordable option is to create return address labels that can be printed and stuck on the envelope. However, white labels on a coloured envelope can look inelegant and inconsistent with the guest address.
• Pre-printed return address on the envelope: When ordering envelopes online, you can often have your return address pre-printed for a small fee, saving time and creating a clean look. However, this may incur an extra cost and lead time for printing, and it will be inconsistent with the guest address.
• Return address stamp: You can order a custom return address stamp to use over and over again. This can be designed to match the calligraphy of your guest addresses and is available in a variety of ink colours.
• Calligraphy return address: The most expensive but cohesive option is to have a calligrapher write your return address. This ensures a 100% match in writing style and ink colour but takes the most time for the calligrapher.

Remember, it is important to include a return address in case an invitation is returned undelivered.

Who to address

When addressing wedding invitations, it's important to consider who will be hosting the wedding, as traditionally, the return address is that of the host. This is usually the bride's parents and their home address, as they are often the ones who will collect RSVPs and gifts.

However, there are a few different options for whose name you can include on the return address. One option is to only include the first names of the couple, for example, "Alex and John". You could also include their full names, for instance, "Alex Jones and John Smith". Alternatively, you can include the last names only, such as "Jones and Smith". It is important to note that a couple's last names should not be combined as they are not yet married, e.g., "Alex and John Smith". If you want to keep things simple, you can choose to include no names at all and just use the address.

If the bride and groom are hosting the wedding themselves, or together with their families, it is more common nowadays to see their names listed on the response envelope. Traditionally, an unmarried couple's names should not appear together in print. However, this tradition may be disregarded if the couple prefers to have their names listed. Here are some examples of how to format the return address for the response envelope:

Ms. Kari Johnson

Mr. Bradley Shaw

23848 Dunmore Loop

Mobile, Alabama 36695

The Johnson-Shaw Wedding

23848 Dunmore Loop

Mobile, Alabama 36695

Kari and Bradley

23848 Dunmore Loop

Mobile, Alabama 36695

What to include

The return address on a wedding invitation tells guests where gifts and replies should be mailed. Traditionally, the return address is placed on the back flap of the invitation envelope and the front side of the response envelopes. If you are using inner and outer envelopes, the return address only goes on the outer envelope.

The return address should be the address of the person or persons hosting the wedding. Traditionally, this would be the bride's parents, but nowadays, it is not uncommon for the bride and groom to host the wedding themselves or to share the cost with their families. If the bride and groom are hosting, it is considered more formal to use their first names and last names separately (Ms. Kari Johnson and Mr. Bradley Shaw) or to refer to them as the Johnson-Shaw Wedding. A more casual approach would be to use their first names only (Kari and Bradley).

If the bride's parents are hosting, the return address on the invitation envelope can be formatted as follows:

> Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Johnson

> 12 Park Lane

> Mobile, Alabama 36695

If you are using response envelopes, the return address on these should include names so that the post office can deliver them to the correct recipient.

Frequently asked questions