Addressing Wedding Invitation Envelopes: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding invitations can be a tricky task, with many nuances to consider. From married couples with hyphenated last names to single people with plus ones, there are several scenarios to navigate when addressing your wedding invitation envelopes. The good news is that you have some flexibility in choosing between traditional and contemporary styles, and there are helpful guidelines to ensure you get it right.

Addressing envelopes for married couples

When addressing envelopes to married couples, there are a few different approaches you can take, depending on the couple's preferences and the level of formality you wish to convey. Here are some guidelines to help you with the task:

Formal Addressing:

• Traditional Approach: Use "Mr. and Mrs. [Husband's First Name] [Last Name]." For example, "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gaiman." This approach follows the traditional etiquette of addressing couples using the husband's name.
• Using Titles and Last Name: If you don't want to write the couple's first names, you can simply write their titles and the family name. For instance, "Mr. and Mrs. Cameron." This approach saves time when addressing multiple envelopes.
• Including Official Titles: If either or both individuals have official titles, such as military rank, graduate degree, or clergy membership, include them before listing their names. For example, "The Reverend and Mrs. Jordan" or "Lieutenant Beth March and Mr. Greg Wharton."
• Addressing a Couple with Hyphenated Last Name: When addressing a couple with a hyphenated last name, list each person's title and first name, along with their full name. For instance, "Mr. Matthew Vargas and Ms. Sofia Townsend-Vargas."

Informal Addressing:

• Using First and Last Names: For a more casual approach, you can forgo the titles and use the couple's first and last names. You can place either name first or arrange them alphabetically. For example, "Adam and Ruben Martinez" or "Olivia and Jackson Montgomery."
• Including "and Family": If you're addressing a married couple along with their household, you can write their first names and shared last name or different last names, followed by "and Family." For instance, "Ava and Mark Lee and Family" or "Ava Tan, Mark Lee, and Family."
• Addressing the Family: If you don't want to mention individual names, you can simply write the family name, such as "The Lee Family" or "The Tan-Lee Family."

General Tips:

• Name Placement: Place the couple's names in the centre of the envelope, leaving enough space to write their names on a single line.
• Address Format: On the line below the names, include the street address, city, state or province, and postal code. For international addresses, also include the country name.
• Return Address: Don't forget to include your return address in the upper left corner of the envelope to ensure the letter can be returned if undelivered.

Addressing envelopes for unmarried couples

When addressing wedding invitation envelopes to unmarried couples, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, it's important to use the correct titles and names for each person. Use "Mr." for men and "Ms." for women. If you are unsure about a guest's gender or prefer to use a gender-neutral title, you can use the abbreviation "Mx." It is also recommended to write out the given and surnames of your guests on the envelope.

For unmarried couples living at the same address, list both names on one line, separated by "and." You can also use two lines if the names are too long. Start with the person you are closest to or list the names alphabetically if you are equally close to both. Here are some examples:

Contemporary: Ed and Kara

Traditional: Mr Ed Parsons and Ms Kara Porter

Contemporary: Carlos and Maria

Traditional: Mr and Mrs Hamilton or Mr & Mrs Carlos Hamilton

If you are only using an outer envelope, you can include a short note with your invitation to clarify who is invited. For example, "Dear Ed and Kara, you are both welcome to bring a guest to the wedding. Please let me know. Best, [your name]."

Remember to double-check the spelling of your guests' names and addresses before addressing the envelopes. It is also a good idea to order extra envelopes in case of mistakes.

Addressing envelopes for single people

When addressing a wedding invitation envelope to a single person, it's important to use their preferred title and full name. Here are some examples of how to address envelopes to single people, with outer and inner envelopes:

For a Single Male Guest:

Outer envelope: Mr. Joel Harrison

Inner envelope: Mr. Harrison, Joel, or JH

For a Single Female Guest:

Outer envelope: Ms. Ali Johnson

Inner envelope: Ms. Johnson

For a Single Non-Binary Guest:

Outer envelope: Mx. Sam Li

Inner envelope: Sam Li

For a Single Person with a Plus One:

Outer envelope: Ms. Lillie Ellis

Inner envelope: Ms. Ellis and guest or Lillie & guest

For a Single Person with a Title:

Outer envelope: Doctor Erica Smiles or Dr. Erica Smiles

Inner envelope: Erica, Dr. Smiles or ES

It's worth noting that the inner envelope is more informal, so you can leave out some elements of the formal name format used on the outer envelope. You can use just the person's title and last name or even their first name only.

Addressing envelopes for families

When addressing wedding invitation envelopes to families, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, decide whether you want to be specific about which family members are invited. If you want to keep it general, simply address the envelope to the whole family or include "and family" or "and children" after the parents' names.

If you want to specify which family members are invited, write the names of each invited family member in list form, starting with the parent or parents' names, followed by the names of the children in order of age. For girls under 18, you can use "Miss" as a title, while boys don't need a title until they're 16, at which point they can be addressed as "Mr.".

Outer envelope (formal): "The Thompson Family" or "Mr. and Mrs. Alan Thompson" or "Mr. Alan Thompson and Mrs. Emily Thompson"

Inner envelope (informal): "Alan, Emily, Roger, Chance, Miss Jennifer, and Miss Lily"

Outer envelope (formal): "Mr. and Mrs. Anthony James and Family"

Inner envelope (informal): "Anthony and Sara James and Family"

If the children are 18 or older, they should receive their own invitations, unless they still live at home with their parents. In this case, you can follow the family format as shown above.

Addressing envelopes for people with titles

When addressing wedding invitation envelopes, there are specific etiquette rules to follow, but these can vary depending on the couple's marital status, gender, and titles. Here are some guidelines for addressing envelopes for people with titles:

Doctors

For married doctors, it is proper to use "The Doctors" on the outer envelope, which can be spelled out or abbreviated.

Outer envelope: "The Doctors Gabriel Roy and Alina Roy" or "Drs. Gabriel Roy and Alina Roy"

Inner envelope: "The Doctors Roy" or "Drs. Roy"

If one spouse has a different last name, their name is usually listed first.

Outer envelope: "Doctor Matthew Smith and Doctor Angela Griggs-Smith"

Inner envelope: "Dr. Smith and Dr. Griggs-Smith" or "Matthew and Angela"

Military Personnel

Use their military title followed by their name and "US Navy" or another appropriate branch.

Outer envelope: "Lieutenant Jonathan Kelly, US Navy and Mrs. Jane Kelly"

Inner envelope: "Lieutenant Kelly, US Navy and Mrs. Kelly"

If both spouses have military titles:

Outer envelope: "Captains Jane and Jonathan Kelly, US Navy"

Inner envelope: "The Captains Kelly"

Lawyers

Use "Esquire" or "Esq." after their name.

Outer envelope: "Michelle Brown, Esq. and Mr. John Brown"

Inner envelope: "Mr. and Mrs. Brown"

Judges

Use "The Honorable" before their name.

Outer envelope: "The Honorable Gina Rodriguez and Mx. Alice Rodriguez"

Inner envelope: "Judge Rodriguez and Mx. Rodriguez"

Other Titles

If your guest has another distinguished title (e.g., reverend), apply similar rules as for military personnel.

Outer envelope: "The Honorable Josephine Wood and Mr. Jonathan Wood"

Inner envelope: "Judge Wood and Mr. Wood"

Remember to double-check the preferred titles and names of your guests before addressing the envelopes.

Frequently asked questions