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

A Married Couple

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

 

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

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).

 

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