How to Address Wedding Invitations | Tips By Elegant Wedding Invites
Wedding invitation tips,  Wedding invitation Wording,  Wedding Stationery Etiquette
Your big wedding day is approaching and you’ve received your wedding invitations, they are assembled and that guests list is ready, now it’s time to address them. Determining the proper way to address your wedding invitation envelopes can be a tricky process; while it seems complicated at first, there are simple rules you can follow to get this job done correctly. Here we offer some templates based on your invites mailing in 1 envelope or 2 envelopes.
Mailing Invitations in the Outer Envelope Only
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson
A Married Couple with Different Last Names
Mr. Robert Everson and Mrs. Jennifer Power
A Married Couple where the Woman has Hyphenated her Last Name
Mr. Robert Everson and Mrs. Jennifer Power-Everson
An Unmarried Couple Living Together
Mr. Robert Everson
Ms. Jennifer Power
A Same-Sex Couple
If the couple is married and shares the same last name, list the names on the same line:
Mr. Rob Brown and Mr. Carl Brown
If they are married but kept their own last names:
Mrs. Celine Elgin and Mrs. Jennifer Power
If they are unmarried, list them alphabetically by last name:
Ms. Celine Elgin and Ms. Jennifer Power
A Married Woman Doctor or Two Married Doctors
If a woman uses her maiden name professionally and socially:
Dr. Jennifer Power and Mr. Robert Everson
If she uses her husband’s name socially:
Dr. Jennifer and Mr. Robert Everson
If both parties are doctors:
The Doctors Jennifer and Robert Everson
An Unmarried Couple Living Together
As with a married couple, both names should be included on the envelopes, but in this case, each name gets its own line.
Mr. Robert Everson
Ms. Jennifer Power
A Widow
Traditionally, a widow retains her husband’s name until she remarries. Some widows prefer to use their own first name as well. In this case, it is best to ask what she prefers.
Mrs. Robert Everson
or
Mrs. Jennifer Everson
Children under 18 and Families
Younger guests should be included on the outer envelope by listing their names in order of age from the oldest to the youngest on the line below their parent(‘s) name(s). If you do not know all the child/children’s name(s), you may use “and Family”.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson
Miss Carolyn, Master Bobby, and Miss Gail
or
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson
Carolyn, Bobby, and Gail
or
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson
and Family
Children 18 and Older
At age 18, children are considered legal adults and they should receive their own invitations regardless of whether or not they live with their parent(s).
Ms. Kelly Abraham
or
Mr. Bill Weasley
Single Guest that is allowed to bring a Date
Mr. Robert Everson and Guest
Mailing Invitations with An Inner and Outer Envelope
A Married Couple
On the outer envelope:
Mr. Robert and Mrs. Jennifer Everson
Or
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson
On the inner envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. Everson
Or
Robert and Jennifer
A Married Couple with Different Last Names
On the outer envelope:
Mr. Robert Everson and Mrs. Jennifer Power
On the inner envelope:
Mr. Everson and Mrs. Power
Or
Robert and Jennifer
A Married Couple where the Woman has Hyphenated her Last Name
On the outer envelope:
Mr. Robert Everson and Mrs. Jennifer Power-Everson
On the inner envelope:
Mr. Everson and Mrs. Power-Everson
or
Robert and Jennifer
An Unmarried Couple Living Together
On the outer envelope:
Mr. Robert Everson
Ms. Jennifer Power
On the inner envelope:
Mr. Everson
Ms. Power
or
Robert and Jennifer
A Same-Sex Couple
If the couple is married and shares the same last name
On the outer envelope:
Mr. Rob Brown and Mr. Carl Brown
On the inner envelope
Mr. and Mr. Brown
or
Rob and Carl
If they are married but kept their own last names
On the outer envelope:
Mrs. Celine Elgin and Mrs. Jennifer Power
On the inner envelope:
Mrs. Elgin and Mrs. Power
or
Celine and Jennifer
If they are unmarried, list them alphabetically by last name
On the outer envelope:
Ms. Celine Elgin
Ms. Jennifer Power
On the inner envelope:
Ms. Elgin and Ms. Power
or
Celine and Jennifer
A Widow
On the outer envelope:
Mrs. Robert Everson
or
Mrs. Jennifer Everson
On the inner envelope:
Mrs. Everson
or
Jennifer
A Married Woman Doctor or Two Married Doctors
If a woman uses her maiden name professionally and socially
On the outer envelope:
Dr. Jennifer Power and Mr. Robert Everson
On the inner envelope:
Dr. Power and Mr. Everson
or
Jennifer and Robert
If she uses her husband’s name socially.
On the outer envelope:
Dr. Jennifer and Mr. Robert Everson
On the inner envelope:
Dr. Everson and Mr. Everson
or
Jennifer and Robert
If both parties are doctors.
On the outer envelope:
The Doctors Jennifer and Robert Everson
On the inner envelope:
The Doctors Everson
Jennifer and Robert
Children under 18 and Families
Children under 18 should be included on the inner envelope only by listing their names in order of age from the oldest to the youngest on the line below their parent(‘s) name(s). If you do not know all the child/children’s name(s), you may use “and Family”.
On the outer envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson
On the inner envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson
Miss Carolyn, Master Bobby, and Miss Gail
or
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson or Robert and Jennifer
Carolyn, Bobby, and Gail
or
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Everson or Robert and Jennifer
and Family
Note: If you don’t include each child’s name, you’re implying that children are not invited, but some guests still mistakenly assume their children are welcome. If you’re concerned this will happen with your guests, you can complete the “Number attending” portion of the response card and all the guest has to do is fill in their name and check “accepts” or “regrets”…this puts you in control of the total count you are allowing. You can also get the help of your parents or a close family friend to spread the word that the wedding will be adults only and add the message to your wedding website. In the end, you may have to follow up with guests who don’t get the message via phone to politely explain that you are having an adult only reception.
Children 18 and Older
At age 18, children are considered legal adults and they should receive their own invitations regardless of whether or not they live with their parent(s).
On the outer envelope:
Ms. Kelly Abraham
or
Mr. Bill Weasley
On the inner envelope:
Ms. Abraham or Mr. Weasley
Kelly or Bill
Single Guest that is allowed to bring a Date
On the outer envelope:
Mr. Robert Everson
On the inner envelope:
Mr. Everson and Guest
or
Robert and Guest