Envelope Addressing 101
Addressing envelopes can be one of the most frustrating wedding tasks! There are so many rules and you don’t want to offend anyone! Most of us learned these rules in elementary school but have never had a refresher course!
It’s hard to cover all the etiquette for every scenario that you might come across when addressing envelopes, but hopefully these tips and examples can help guide you during the process! Because, lets be real, wedding planning is stressful enough!
THE DO’S AND DON’TS
TIPS + GENERAL GUIDELINES
Be consistent! You might not realize it but the tone of your envelope addressing sets the tone for your entire wedding.
Spell out all street names, apartment, cities, states and countries
Spell out Doctor(s) and individuals with distinguished titles (also list them first!)
Send separate invitations to children over 18 and living at home
Send separate invitations to all adults living in one home who are not romantically
Include the name of your guest’s date, if you know it.
Non-married couples names are on two separate lines
MRS. VS MS. VS. MISS
Mrs. is for a Married woman
Ms. is for an Unmarried woman
Miss is for an Unmarried woman under 18
Divorced Female - Exception to the rule…
(because there always has to be one)
If she has kept her married name then it is best practice to use Mrs.
If she uses her maiden name then it is best practice to use Ms.
LET’S BREAK IT DOWN BY SCENARIO
SINGLE PERSON
Mr. John Smith
SINGLE + GUEST
(if you don’t know the guest name)
Mr. John Smith
and Guest
MARRIED COUPLE
(same last name)
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
or
Mr. John and Mrs. Jane Smith
or
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
or
John and Jane Smith
Married Couple
(different last names or hyphenated last name)
Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Morgan Jones
or
Mr. Smith and Mrs. Jones
or
John Smith and Morgan Jones
or
Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Morgan Jones-Smith
Hello!
I’m Bailey. I love the little details in life, candy coffee, and all things wedding - and that’s exactly what you’ll find here! A little bit of personal, a whole lot of detail, and absolutely everything wedding!
Let’s be friends!
UNMARRIED COUPLE LIVING TOGETHER
(list the person you are closest to first)
Mr. John Smith and
Ms. Morgan Jones
or
Mr. Smith and
Ms. Jones
or
John Smith and
Morgan Jones
FAMILIES
(everyone over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation)
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
and Family
or
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
James, Sarah, and Corey
or
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
Mr. James, Miss Sarah, and Miss Corey
or
The Smith Family
I hope this guide was still helpful and answered some of your questions! Remember, there a several styles when addressing your envelopes, so pick what is true to you and most accurately sets the tone for your wedding day!
If you have more lingering questions, reach out to me directly at bailey@loveferndesignstudio.com! Or, if this still sounds like too much work – I’d be happy to address them for you, just head on over to my contact page and send me your inquiry! Hope to hear from you soon!
Don’t forget to download the Envelope Addressing 101 Guide to have on hand when it’s time to start addressing your envelopes!
Cheers,
Bailey