A Guide to Addressing Envelopes
Addressing your wedding invitations can be an overwhelming task. We’ve compiled this guide for you to take the stress out of planning for your invitations, and provide you with some examples. There is quite a bit of conflicting info out in the world regarding invitation etiquette, so when in doubt, we always refer back to Emily Post!
You may be wondering if following the rules of etiquette is still important. It absolutely is! Taking time to address your envelopes correctly clearly identifies who is invited to the wedding and helps you avoid awkward conversations down the line.
Many couples are now choosing to use a single outer envelope instead of the traditional, formal inner and outer envelope combination. In this guide, you’ll find examples for both!
HOW MANY INVITATIONS SHOULD I ORDER?
Because not every guest will need their own invitation, guest count and invitation quantity are two different numbers. In general, We recommend you order one invitation suite per household, but there are a few exceptions to this rule.
Traditional etiquette dictates the following exceptions to the “one per household” rule:
Children over 18 years old, who still live at home with their parents should receive their own invitation.
Unmarried couples who are not living together should each receive their own invitation if both partners are invited guests (no plus one).
Adult roommates should each receive their own invitation, so long as they are all invited guests (not someone’s plus one).
If your budget allows, plus one’s are a great way for your guests to feel more comfortable at your wedding. Etiquette indicates that if you know the name of your guest’s plus one, you should use it on the envelope, following the name of your guest. The words “and guest” can be written after your guest’s name if the plus one seat is open-ended.
HOW SHOULD I ADDRESS MY ENVELOPES?
MARRIED COUPLE
If you are hosting a formal wedding–i.e. black-tie, held in a place of worship, etc.–you'll want to address your envelopes formally as well.
Traditional, Formal Format:
Mr. and Mrs. William Smith
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
Often, many couples would like to include both the husband and wife’s name, however, most of the time, we see two examples that are incorrect:
If you’re doing this:
Mr. William and Mrs. Sarah Smith
Or this:
Mr. and Mrs. William and Sarah Smith
Both are incorrect! When in doubt, never separate a man’s first and last name.
Modern, Formal Format (Including Woman’s Name)
Mr. William Smith and Mrs. Sarah Smith
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
When possible, keep both names on one line. However, if it takes too much space, it is okay to list each name on its own line using the conjoining "and". If you are inviting their children, you may include their first names on the second line.
MARRIED COUPLE WITH DIFFERENT LAST NAMES
You can address this type of envelope the same as you would for a modern married couple.
Modern, Formal Format (in this case, use Ms. instead of Mrs.)
Mr. William Smith and Ms. Sarah Hudson
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
MARRIED COUPLE, WIFE HAS A HYPHENATED NAME
If a woman has chosen to keep her maiden name and hyphenate her married name, she can be addressed using "Ms." or "Mrs.".
How to address wedding invitation envelopes:
Mr. William Smith and Mrs. Sarah Hudson-Smith
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
UNMARRIED COUPLE LIVING TOGETHER:
This is the most common mistake we see with envelope addressing, and it’s so common that most people don’t even notice! When a couple is living together (not married), you do not use a conjoining “and” between their names. Their names are written on two separate lines, and you use the woman’s name first (as is appropriate for social correspondence).
Why no “and” between their names? Because it signifies marriage.
Unmarried, Living together:
Ms. Sarah Hudson
Mr. William Smith
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
WHEN THE WHOLE FAMILY IS INVITED
When the entire family is invited, this is a great opportunity to use double envelopes! Since many couples opt out of using the more formal inner and outer envelopes, we’ve included options for both.
Double Envelopes (Recommended):
Outer Envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. William Smith
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
Inner Envelope (which includes names of their children):
Mr. and Mrs. William Smith
Harry Smith
Elizabeth Smith
Single Envelopes (Less Formal):
Mr. and Mrs. William Smith
Harry and Elizabeth
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
INFORMAL ADDRESSING
If you are hosting an informal wedding – i.e. laid back, backyard barbecue, etc. – you can use a more casual formatting style. Informal addressing is generally not recommended for weddings, but here are two options.
Informal envelope addressing for a married couple:
William and Sarah Smith
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
Informal envelope addressing for a kid-friendly wedding:
The Smith Family
125 Elm Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27513
One last note on informal addressing: When addressing to families, never use an apostrophe with last names in addresses. When in doubt, just use “The Smith Family!”
Ready to address your envelopes? You can download a spreadsheet template here!