The Right Way to Address Your Wedding Invitations

If you're approaching the eight-week mark ahead of your wedding date, you're likely getting ready to cross one major to-do of your list: It's time to mail your wedding invitations. Before you can pop your carefully packed, weighed, and stamped stationery suites into the mail, however, you need to make sure that you've addressed each guest properly—and no, we're not talking about double-checking their mailing address (though, that's important too!). There's actually some nuance to writing out your attendees' names, which depends on their relationship status, honorific titles, whether or not they're getting a plus-one, and more.

It gets a little more complicated: How you'd address an exterior envelope (the one that the post office sees) slightly differs from how you'd address an interior envelope (which many stationery suites now include). And now that we've got you thinking, you might have a few more questions, like which person's name should you write first if you're inviting a couple? Or, how can you best navigate inviting an entire family, including children? While the world of wedding invitation etiquette can be a slippery slope, don't fret: We're here to make the process as simple as possible.

To help, we've put together a foolproof guide to addressing your wedding invitations, so you can get it right for absolutely everyone on your list.

Addressing Wedding Invitations to a Married Couple With the Same Last Name

For a heterosexual couple, use "Mr." and "Mrs." and spell out the husband's first and last name. For a same-sex couple, either name can go first.

• Outer envelope: "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Warren"
• Inner envelope: "Mr. and Mrs. Warren" or "Thomas and Michelle"

Many modern women may have a strong aversion to having their name left out and lumped in with their husbands. If the couple is sensitive to this:

• Outer envelope: "Mr. Thomas Warren and Mrs. Michelle Warren"
• Inner envelope: "Mr. Warren and Mrs. Warren" or "Thomas and Michelle"

Addressing Wedding Invitations to a Married Couple With Different Last Names

For a heterosexual couple, write their names on the same line with the woman's name first; if the combined names are too long to fit on one line, list them separately.

• Outer envelope: "Ms. Maria Stevens and Mr. David Estevez"
• Inner envelope: "Ms. Stevens and Mr. Estevez" or "Maria and David"

Addressing Wedding Invitations to a Married Couple With One Hyphenated Last Name

In the case of a spouse who has chosen to hyphenate their last name, invitations should be addressed using the following:

• Outer envelope: "Mr. Marcus Craft and Mr. Brian Crosby-Craft"
• Inner envelope: "Mr. Craft and Mr. Crosby-Craft" or "Marcus and Brian"

Addressing Wedding Invitations to an Unmarried Couple

Invitations to a couple who are unmarried but live at the same address are addressed to both people on one line. List the person whom you are closest to first.

• Outer envelope: "Mr. Stanley Kim and Ms. Amanda Rhee"
• Inner envelope: "Mr. Kim and Ms. Rhee" or "Stanley and Amanda"

Addressing a Wedding Invitation to a Single Female

Use "Ms." if she is over age 18. If she is younger, then "Miss" is the acceptable choice; it should be spelled out, not abbreviated as an initial.

• Outer envelope: "Ms. Stephanie Chen" or "Miss Stephanie Chen" (if she is younger than 18)
• Inner envelope: "Ms. Chen" or "Miss Chen" or "Stephanie"

If a single female has been given a plus one, you don't need to indicate this on the outer envelope; reserve "and guest" language to the inner envelope only.

• Outer envelope: "Ms. Stephanie Chen"
• Inner envelope: "Ms. Chen and guest" or "Stephanie and guest"

Addressing a Wedding Invitation to a Single Male

Use "Mr." if he is over 18. Otherwise, no title is necessary.

• Outer envelope: "Mr. James Montgomery"
• Inner envelope: "Mr. Montgomery" or "James"

If a single male has been offered a plus one, don't indicate this on the outer envelope; reserve "and guest" language for the inner envelope only.

• Outer envelope: "Mr. James Montgomery"
• Inner envelope: "Ms. Montgomery and guest" or "James and guest"

Addressing Wedding Invitations to a Married Couple When One Person Is a Doctor

If the combined names are too long to fit on one line, list them separately. Spell out "doctor" on the outer envelope, and abbreviate it on the inner.

• Outer envelope: "Doctor Tami Takata and Ms. Christina Smith"
• Inner envelope: "Dr. Takata and Ms. Smith" or "Tami and Christina"

Addressing Wedding Invitations to a Married Couple When Both People Are Doctors

In the case of married doctors, it is proper to use: "The Doctors."

• Outer envelope: "The Doctors Smith" or "Drs. Matthew and Angela Smith"
• Inner envelope: "The Doctors Smith" or "Matthew and Angela"

In the case of married doctors and one has chosen to hyphenate, note the example below. If both titles don't fit on one line, indent the second line.

• Outer envelope: "Doctor Matthew Smith and Doctor Angela Griggs-Smith"
• Inner envelope: "Dr. Smith and Dr. Griggs-Smith" or "Matthew and Angela"

Addressing Wedding Invitations to a Couple With Other Distinguished Titles

Apply the same rules for military personnel, judges, reverends, etc., that you use for doctors. If both titles don't fit on one line, indent the second line. And remember that whichever half of the couple "outranks" the other (say, a doctor, member of the military, or some other profession that includes a title) goes first, regardless of gender.

• Outer envelope: "The Honorable Josephine Wood and Mr. Jonathan Wood" or "Captains Josephine and Jonathan Wood, US Navy"
• Inner envelope: "Judge Wood and Mr. Wood" or "The Captains Wood"

Addressing Wedding Invitations to a Family, Including Children

When inviting an entire family, the family name or the parents' names should be listed alone, and everyone can be included on the inside.

• Outer envelope: "The Thompson Family" or "Mr. and Mrs. Alan Thompson" or "Mr. Alan Thompson and Mrs. Emily Thompson"
• Inner Envelope: "Alan, Emily, Roger, Chance, Miss Jennifer, and Miss Lily"

Addressing Wedding Invitations for a Casual Wedding

You might be wondering, "What if my wedding isn't going to be that formal? Do I still have to make the wedding invitations formal?" Well, when it comes to addressing wedding invitations for a more casual event, we understand the temptation to just use first names, or first and last names without titles. While this isn't traditional, if the vibe is really backyard barbecue or picnic in the park, you may be able to get away with it.

But this is definitely the right time to use more formal wording for older or more conservative guests—they may not notice that you were being particularly respectful, but they definitely will if they feel that you were too informal!