Envelope Etiquette

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? Just ask!