We’ve said it before and we'll say it again:
invitations are the first taste your guests will receive of your event, wedding or otherwise. Because they have the ability to communicate much more than the details of the occasion through formatting, wording, and style, making sure to properly address your invitations can be crucial to setting an appropriate tone. Properly addressing the envelope will reflect the formality of the event and ensure you are giving the proper respect to your guests.
When addressing correspondence for a formal event:
If the guests are married
Mr. and Mrs. John Robert Doe
or
Mr. and Mrs. John Doe
Couples with different last names, but live together
Ms. Jane Clark and Mr. John Doe
*Use one line
If the guest is a man:
Mr. John Doe
If the guest is a woman (unmarried)
Ms. Jane Clark
or
Miss Jane Clark (for girls under 18)
If the guest is a woman (married):
Mrs. Jane Doe
Your guest, plus a guest
Mr. John Doe and guest
or
Mrs. Jane Clark and guest
*Note guest is not capitalized
If one of the guests is a doctor
Dr. Jane Doe and Mr. John Doe
or
Dr. John Doe and Mrs. Jane Doe
If both guests are doctors
The Doctors Doe
For Families
Mr. and Mrs. John Robert Doe
James Doe
Julie Doe
or
Mr. and Mrs. John Robert Doe and Family
*It is best to take the time to find out the names of the invited children so they can be listed on the invitation. If that is impossible or improbable, use the latter format.
Tips:
With the exception of house numbers, everything should be spelled out, including street names, directional headings, and states.
When addressing correspondence for an informal event:
If the guests are married
John and Jane Doe
If the guests are not married, but live together
John Doe and Jane Clark
If the guest is a man
John Doe
If the guest is a woman
Jane Doe
Your guest, plus a guest
John Doe and guest
For families"
The Doe Family
Phew! Who knew sending someone an invitation could be such an etiquette adventure? Have more questions or want to get more information about Ivory House Creative's envelope addressing?