Most people think addressing envelopes for a special event – even a wedding – is no big deal, but it is!
When your guests receive your invitation, they get the first glimpse of the most important day or your life! Whether your wedding ceremony and celebration are traditional or contemporary, this ‘introduction’ to your celebration should be elegant. Under no circumstances should you use labels on your envelopes.
Envelope Etiquette
Married Couples with different last names are addressed:
Ms. Sharon Smith and Mr. James Jones
Ms. can refer to any adult woman, regardless of her marital status just as Mr. is for a man. She is only ‘Mrs. Smith’ if her husband’s last name is Smith.
Unmarried Couples living together are addressed:
Ms. Sharon Smith
Mr. James Jones
Placing their names on one line with ‘and’ connotes marriage. Exceptions are sometimes made for couples who have been together many years and/or have children together.
Widows are addressed with their husband’s first name:
Mrs. James Jones
Divorced women are addressed with their own first name:
Mrs. Mary Jones
Addressing Guidelines
- Use full names and formal titles.
- Do not use symbols.
- Always spell out the words “and” “Apartment”
- # should be “number”
- P.O. Box should be “Post Office Box”
- Middle names are not usually included.
An exception is made when an individual goes by his/her middle name, as: “Mr. S. Frederick Van Zandt” - Use figures only when writing house numbers, apartment numbers, Post Office Box numbers, and zip codes.
- Zip codes need to only be 5-digits. The extra 4 digits are for bulk mailing purposes, which wouldn’t apply to wedding envelopes.
- Street names that are numbers should be written out: “1747 Thirty-Fourth Avenue.”
- House numbers twelve and under and those divisible by ten – up to 90 should be written out: “Six Locust Drive” or “Forty Walnut Street.”
- Write out the words, “street,” “boulevard,” “avenue,” etc.
- Do not abbreviate state names.
- Do not use “and Family” or “and Guest” on the outer envelope
Thank you to Evette from Pretty Writing for this important planning advice. Additional information can be found on her web site.
