ADDRESSING ETIQUETTE
Remember: Traditional addressing reflects the formality of the event - not the level of formality of a friendship.
Name Lines
Formal invitation etiquette calls for FULL names, including titles and middle names.
Right: Mr. and Mrs. William Robert Smith, junior
Wrong: Mr. and Mrs. Billy Smith, Jr.
Even Worse: Billy & Sue Smith
Street Lines
Everything is spelled out, except the actual house number: Street, Drive, Avenue, Boulevard, Parkway, Road, Circle, Court, etc. Also North, South, East, Northeast, Southwest, etc. should be spelled out.
Right: 127 West Twenty-second Street
Wrong: 127 W. 22nd Street
With an Apartment Number
Right: 156 South Magnolia Avenue, Apartment 2B
Wrong: 156 S. Magnolia Avenue, Apt. 2B
City, State, ZIP
Spell it ALL out: North Carolina, South Dakota, Saint Louis, District of Columbia
Right: Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316
Wrong: Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
FORMS OF ADDRESS
Couples with Different Last Names
This includes couples living together and wives who've kept their maiden names. These names are presented on separate lines and can be listed in one of several ways: alphabetically by last name, woman's name first or put the person to whom you are closest first. The most commonly used is to list the woman's name first.
Example
Outer:
Ms. Elizabeth Anne Smith
Mr. James Justin Williams
123 Stone Brook Drive
Birmingham, Alabama 35242
Inner:
Ms. Smith and Mr. Williams
Inner:
Ms. Smith and Mr. Williams
Ms. or Miss
The title Ms. is proper for any woman over the age of 21, which is no longer considered suitable only for the business world; this title is used socially well.
Both Doctors
Example
Outer:
The Doctors Donaldson
402 Auburn Avenue
Atlanta, Georgia 30310
Inner:
The Doctors Donaldson
When She's a Doctor and He's Not (Same Last Name)
First and foremost, NEVER put Mr. and Doctor Meredith May Corman. List the woman first - as follows:
Example
Outer:
Doctor Meredith May Corman and Mr. Danial Clay Corman
1884 Kimberly Drive
Birmingham, AL 36830
Inner:
Doctor Corman and Mr. Corman
Inner:
Judge and Mrs. Baggett
Doctor Corman and Mr. Corman
Widows
A widow's invitation should be addressed to Mrs. James Franklin Johnson, not Mrs. Jane Donaldson Johnson.
Here's why: Mrs. refers to the Mistress/Wife of a male. The title Mrs. should always come in front of a mans name. A woman cannot be her own wife (as in Mistress/Wife of Jane - that makes no sense); she is the Mistress/Wife of James, a title she keeps forever, unless she remarries.
Divorced Women
Divorced women who still maintain their married surname often prefer to go by Ms.
And Guest
You probably have single people on your guest list, and giving them the opportunity to bring a date is a wonderful gesture. The word "guest" is lowercase.
Example
Outer:
Mr. Brooks McAlister Branch
123 East Main Street
Destin, Florida 35220
Inner:
Mr. Branch and guest
Judge
Example
Outer:
The Honorable and Mrs. Terry Max Baggett
567 Clifton Street
Charleston, South Carolina 27601
Inner:
Judge and Mrs. Baggett
Mayor
Example
Outer:
The Honorable Terry Max Baggett and Mrs. Baggett
207 Kimberly Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30726
Inner:
The Mayor of Atlanta and Mrs. Baggett
Master and Misses
If a guest has only one child, then the envelope can look unbalances with just the child's first name on a line all by itself. In this case, a title and last name for the child can look more balanced. For infant boys through age 8, the proper title is Master. Boys age 8-16, there is no title. For boys 16 and up, the proper title is Mr. The proper title for little girls is Miss.
HINTS
Always spell out Doctor, Reverend, Colonel, Lieutenant...etc.
The designations "Attorney" and "esquire" are not used on social invitations.
For a formal invitation designations such as junior and senior are separated by a comma and are not capitalized - example: Mr. and Mrs. Graham McIntyre Smith, junior.
A comma does not separate designations such as II and III - example: Mr. and Mrs. Graham McIntyre Smith III.
The designations "Attorney" and "esquire" are not used on social invitations.
For a formal invitation designations such as junior and senior are separated by a comma and are not capitalized - example: Mr. and Mrs. Graham McIntyre Smith, junior.
A comma does not separate designations such as II and III - example: Mr. and Mrs. Graham McIntyre Smith III.
ASSEMBLING ENVELOPES
Assemble in size order. Start with the invitation and then
stack the enclosure cards on top (not inside) in the following order if possible. The
reception card goes first (face-up); then the reply envelope, (face-down); slip the reply card face-up
beneath the flap of the reply envelope; then if used, the at home card, direction card,
accommodation card and lastly the pew card. Place the stack in the inner envelope with the
folded edge of the invitation at the bottom of the envelope. (The right-hand side of the
invitation should be closest to the flap.) The copy faces the back of the envelope. You
should be able to remove the invitation with your right hand and be able to read it with
out turning it. With double envelopes, the inner envelope containing the
invitation and enclosures goes into the larger outer envelope. The unsealed flap should be
at the top, but facing away from the recipient. When the outer envelope is opened, the
names on the front of the inner envelope should face the recipient.
TISSUES
Tissues can either be left in or removed, they were once
used to prevent smudging. If you are using them, they should be placed directly on top of
each card to which they correspond.
MAILING WEDDING INVITATIONS
Mail
invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding.
