Franklin Dean
Wedding invitation wording is an art, and there are many ways to address your guests' names on the envelopes. The outer envelope is the more formal of the two and is the one that the post office sees. The inner envelope is more informal and allows for more flexibility.
For married couples with the same last name, use Mr. and Mrs. and spell out the husband's first and last name. For a same-sex couple, either name can go first. For the outer envelope, you could write Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Warren, and for the inner envelope, Mr. and Mrs. Warren or Thomas and Michelle.
For married couples with different last names, write their names on the same line with the woman's name first. If the combined names are too long, list them separately. The outer envelope could be Ms. Maria Stevens and Mr. David Estevez, and the inner envelope Ms. Stevens and Mr. Estevez or Maria and David.
For unmarried couples, invitations are addressed to both people on one line. List the person you are closest to first. The outer envelope could be Mr. Stanley Kim and Ms. Amanda Rhee, and the inner envelope Mr. Kim and Ms. Rhee or Stanley and Amanda.
For single females, use Ms. if she is over 18, and Miss if she is younger. If a single female has been given a plus one, indicate this only on the inner envelope with and guest. The outer envelope could be Ms. Stephanie Chen, and the inner envelope Ms. Chen and guest or Stephanie and guest.
For single males, use Mr. if he is over 18. If a single male has been offered a plus one, reserve and guest language for the inner envelope only. The outer envelope could be Mr. James Montgomery, and the inner envelope Mr. Montgomery and guest or James and guest.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Outer envelope | Formal, full names, titles, and address |
| Inner envelope | Informal, first names, last names, or titles |
| Married couple, same last name | "Mr. and Mrs. [husband's first name] and [last name]" |
| Married couple, different last names | " [first name] and [last name]" on separate lines |
| Married couple, one hyphenated last name | "Mr. [first name] and Mr. [first name]-[hyphenated last name]" |
| Unmarried couple | "Mr. [first name] and Ms. [first name]" |
| Single female | "Ms." or "Miss" [first name] [last name] |
| Single male | "Mr." [first name] [last name] |
| Married couple, one person is a doctor | "Doctor [first name] and [last name]" |
| Married couple, both are doctors | "The Doctors [last name]" |
| Couple with distinguished titles | "The Honorable [first name] and [last name]" |
| Family, including children | "The [last name] family" or "Mr. and Mrs. [first name] and [last name]" |
What You'll Learn
How to address a married couple with the same last name
When addressing a wedding invitation to a married couple with the same last name, there are a few conventions to follow. Firstly, it is standard to use "Mr." for males over the age of 18 and "Mrs." for married women. For a heterosexual couple, the outer envelope is usually formatted as "Mr. and Mrs. [Husband's First Name] [Shared Last Name]", for example, "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Warren". For same-sex couples, either name can go first.
If the couple is sensitive to the idea of the wife's name being left out, the outer envelope can instead be addressed as "Mr. [Husband's First Name] [Shared Last Name] and Mrs. [Wife's First Name] [Shared Last Name]", for example, "Mr. Thomas Warren and Mrs. Michelle Warren".
The inner envelope is more informal and can include only the shared last name and first names, for example, "Mr. and Mrs. Warren" or "Thomas and Michelle".
It is important to note that these are not strict rules and you can choose to forgo titles and use only first and last names if you prefer a more modern approach.
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How to address a married couple with different last names
When addressing a married couple with different last names, the outer envelope should include both of their full names on the same line, with the woman's name listed first. If the combined names are too long to fit on one line, list them separately. Here's an example:
> "Ms. Maria Stevens and Mr. David Estevez"
For the inner envelope, you can use their surnames only or just their first names:
> "Ms. Stevens and Mr. Estevez" or "Maria and David"
If you are inviting a couple who are unmarried but live at the same address, a similar format can be used. List the person whom you are closest to first, followed by their partner's name:
> "Mr. Stanley Kim and Ms. Amanda Rhee"
> "Mr. Kim and Ms. Rhee" or "Stanley and Amanda"
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How to address a married couple with one hyphenated last name
When addressing a wedding invitation to a married couple with one hyphenated last name, the general format is as follows:
Outer envelope: "Mr. [Husband's first name] [Husband's last name] and Ms. [Wife's first name] [Wife's maiden name]- [Wife's married name]"
For example: "Mr. Michael Jones and Ms. Mary Smith-Jones"
Inner envelope: "Mr. [Husband's last name] and Ms. [Wife's maiden name]- [Wife's married name] or use their first names
For example: "Mr. Jones and Ms. Smith-Jones" or "Michael and Mary"
It is important to note that the outer envelope is more formal, and the inner envelope is more informal. The outer envelope should include the recipient's full name and title, while the inner envelope can be more casual and include only the last name or first name.
Additionally, the wife's name is typically written first on the outer envelope, followed by the husband's name. However, if the couple is sensitive to this, you can include both of their full names, with the husband's name first, on the outer envelope:
Outer envelope: "Mr. Michael Jones and Ms. Mary Smith-Jones"
Inner envelope: "Mr. Jones and Ms. Smith-Jones" or "Michael and Mary"
When addressing wedding invitations, it is also essential to consider the couple's preferences and what they prefer to be called. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask them directly.
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How to address an unmarried couple
When addressing an unmarried couple, it's important to include both names on the invitation, even if you are closer to one half of the couple. If you are equally close to both, you can list the names alphabetically.
For the outer envelope, write each name on a separate line, with their corresponding titles, e.g. "Mr. Aaron Triguiero, Mr. Gabriel Reyes". If you are using inner envelopes, you can be more informal, and write "Mr. Triguiero, Mr. Reyes".
If the unmarried couple does not live together, it is best to send a separate invitation to each person. However, if you are only sending one invitation, make sure to include the significant other's name on the inner envelope.
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How to address a single male or female
When addressing a single male or female on a wedding invitation, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are some detailed instructions to ensure your invitations are properly addressed:
Use the appropriate title based on the guest's marital status and age. For a single male guest over the age of 18, use "Mr." followed by his full name. For a single female guest, use "Ms." if she is over 18, and "Miss" if she is under 18.
Full Names:
Write out the guest's full name, including their middle name if desired, especially for a more formal wedding. Avoid using initials or nicknames unless specifically requested by the guest.
Guest Options:
If you are allowing a single guest to bring a plus-one, you can indicate this by adding "and guest" on the inner envelope or invitation. If you know the name of the guest, it is more appropriate to write their name out, for example, "Miss Clara Oswald and Dr. John Smith."
Address Information:
Write the guest's address below their name on the outer envelope. Avoid using abbreviations and spell out full street names and state names. Ensure you have accurate and up-to-date address information to prevent any delivery issues.
Return Address:
Don't forget to include your return address in the upper left corner of the outer envelope. This is crucial in case any invitations are returned to you.
Inner Envelope:
The inner envelope is more informal, and you have the option to use only last names or first names. For example, "Ms. Johnson" or "Ali." If there is a plus-one, you can simply write "and guest" on the inner envelope.
Remember to double-check all the information and consider handwriting the invitations for a thoughtful touch.
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Frequently asked questions
For a heterosexual couple, use "Mr." and "Mrs." and spell out the husband's first and last name. For a same-sex couple, either name can go first.
Outer envelope: "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Warren"
Inner envelope: "Mr. and Mrs. Warren" or "Thomas and Michelle"
For a heterosexual couple, write their names on the same line with the woman's name first; if the combined names are too long to fit on one line, list them separately.
Outer envelope: "Ms. Maria Stevens and Mr. David Estevez"
Inner envelope: "Ms. Stevens and Mr. Estevez" or "Maria and David"
If the combined names are too long to fit on one line, list them separately. Spell out "doctor" on the outer envelope, and abbreviate it on the inner.
Outer envelope: "Doctor Tami Takata and Ms. Christina Smith"
Inner envelope: "Dr. Takata and Ms. Smith" or "Tami and Christina"
