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How To Address Invitations

0 comments / Posted on by Gina Jelladian

The convenience of ordering invitations is taken to the next level with our personalized envelope addressing service. At RSVP Style, we can do traditional hand calligraphy, or printed addressing for each guest’s envelope - adding some swag with each invitation delivered!

With our provided template, you never need to scrounge through an old address book or torn envelopes again!

 

Download Our Envelope Addressing Template!

Notes for best use of the RSVP Style Envelope Addressing Template:

  1. Be sure to spell everything out. Envelopes always look nicer without abbreviations!
    1. {ie. “Street” instead of “St.”, “North” instead of “N.”, and “California” instead of “CA”
  2. Be sure to use proper nouns!
    1. {ie. “Mr. Jeffrey Peters" instead of Mr. jeffrey peters}
  3. If you are including a guest, the suffix should follow the recipient’s last name in Column C.
    1. {ie. Miller and Guest}
  4. Column D is intended for additional guest names of significant other’s or children. This column could be applied for a couple who is unmarried, but is living together.
  5. When inviting a whole family, use “The” as the title. {ie. The Charles Stevens Family}

Whether you’re hosting a simple or formal occasion, good etiquette is always in fashion!

There are many nuances to note when addressing a couple, family and professionals. Use this guideline as a reference for properly addressing guest envelopes!

Addressing a Couple

  • Married, she uses her husband’s name socially
    Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stevens

NOTE: Traditionally, a woman’s name preceded a man’s on an envelope address, and his first and surname were not separated (Jane and Charles Stevens). Nowadays, the order of the names—whether his name or hers comes first—does not matter and either way is acceptable. The exception is when one member of the couple ‘outranks’ the other—the one with the higher rank is always listed first.

  • Married, she prefers Ms.
    Mr. Charles Stevens and Ms. Jane Stevens
    Ms. Jane Stevens and Mr. Charles Stevens

*Do not link Ms. to the husband’s name: Mr. and Ms. John Kelly is incorrect

  • Married, informal address
    Jane and Charles Stevens
    Charles and Jane Stevens
  • Married, she uses maiden name
    Mr. Charles Stevens and Ms. Jane Stevens
    Ms. Jane Stevens and Mr. Charles Stevens
  • If you can’t fit the names on one line:
    Mr. Charles Stevens
    and Ms. Jane Stevens

*Note the indent, either name may be used first

  • Unmarried, living together
    Mr. Charles Stevens & Ms. Jane Stevens
  • A woman who outranks her husband: elected office, military rank
    The Honorable Jane Stevens and Mr. Charles Stevens
  • If you can’t fit both names on one line:
    The Honorable Jane Stevens
    and Mr. Charles Stevens
  • A woman who outranks her husband: professional or educational degree
    Dr. Jane Stevens and Mr. Charles Stevens
  • Both are doctors (PhD or medical) and use the same last name
    The Doctors Stevens (omit first names)
    Drs. Jane and Charles Stevens / Drs. Charles and Jane Stevens
    Dr. Charles Stevens and Dr. Jane Stevens / Dr. Jane Stevens and Dr. Charles Stevens
  • Both are doctors (PhD or medical), she uses her maiden name
    Dr. Jane Johnson and Dr. Charles Stevens
    Dr. Charles Stevens and Dr. Jane Johnson
  • Business Woman
    Ms. is the default form of address, unless you know positively that a woman wishes to be addressed as Mrs.
  • Professional designations—use only for business
    Jane Kelly, CPA

*Note: Do not use Ms. or Mr. if using a professional designation.
Socially, drop the professional designation and use Mr., Ms., or Mrs., Ms. Jane Stevens

*The information regarding etiquette was from Emily Post.

 

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