Wedding Etiquette and Tips
Wedding Invitation Addressing
For additional information please see the topic list to your left.
Please choose a situation below:
- Outer Envelope Addressing
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Your guests’ names and addresses should be written on the front flap. The text is usually centered. When addressing your invitations, no abbreviations should be used. This means both state and street names should be written out. PO box should be written as Postal Office Box. The apartment number should still be given when applicable. It should be written out completely, and a comma such as “Apartment, 251”, should separate the number.
The address of whomever issued the invitations belongs on the back flap. So the brides’ parents issued the wedding invitations their address is used as the return address. On wedding invitations, the return address is printed on the back flap to prevent it from looking too commercial. The return address does not typically include names, but address only. The return address should also be spelled out using no abbreviations.
- Inner Envelope Addressing
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If including an inner envelope, the name of your guests is centered on the front of the envelope. The names of all guests invited to attend should be written, including children. Only guest titles and surnames are used on the inner envelope. When writing children’s names, if they are under the age of eighteen, only their first name is written. Their names appear on a line beneath their parents’ names.
- Married Couple
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Inner Envelope
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Outer EnvelopeMr. and Mrs. John Smith
with Children under EighteenInner EnvelopeMr. and Mrs. Smith
Mike and AshleyOuter EnvelopeMr. and Mrs. John Smith
with Daughters over Eighteen at HomeInner EnvelopeThe Misses Smith
Outer EnvelopeThe Misses Smith
or
Miss Ashley Smith
Miss Amber Smith
with Sons under Eighteen at HomeInner EnvelopeThe Messrs. Smith
Outer EnvelopeThe Messrs. Smith
or
Mr. Andrew Smith
Mr. Ryan Smith
with Son and Daughter over Eighteen at HomeInner EnvelopeMiss Smith
Mr. Smith
Outer EnvelopeMiss Amber Smith
Mr. Andrew Smith
with Maiden Name MaintainedInner EnvelopeMs. Briggs
and Mr. Smith
Outer EnvelopeMs. Allison Briggs
and Mr. John Smith
with DoctorInner EnvelopeDoctor and Mrs. Smith
Outer EnvelopeDoctor and Mrs. John Smith
- Cohabiting Couple
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Inner Envelope
Miss Briggs
Mr. Smith
or
Ms. Briggs
Mr. SmithOuter EnvelopeMiss Allison Briggs
Mr. Alan Smith
or
Ms. Allison Briggs
Mr. Alan Smith - Divorced Woman
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Inner Envelope
Mrs. Smith
or
Ms. SmithOuter EnvelopeMrs. Allison Briggs Smith
or
Ms. Allison Briggs SmithUsing Maiden NameInner EnvelopeMs. Briggs
Outer EnvelopeMs. Allison Briggs
- Widow
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Inner Envelope
Mrs. Smith
Outer EnvelopeMrs. John Smith
- Single Woman
-
Inner Envelope
Miss Briggs
or
Ms. BriggsOuter EnvelopeMiss Allison Briggs
or
Ms. Allison Briggswith GuestInner EnvelopeMiss Briggs and escort
or
Miss Briggs and guest
or
Ms. Briggs and escort
or
Ms. Briggs and guestOuter EnvelopeMiss Allison Briggs
or
Ms. Allison Briggs - Single Man
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Inner Envelope
Mr. Smith
Outer EnvelopeMr. John Smith
with GuestInner EnvelopeMr. Smith and guest
Outer EnvelopeMr. John Smith
