Your wedding invitation envelopes should never be an afterthought. You will want to put just as much time into addressing your envelopes as you put into personalizing and assembling all your wedding stationery.

Before You Begin to Address Your Envelopes

A little advice – don’t simply dive right in. You’ll want to ask yourself a few questions before beginning the process of adding your guest’s names to those perfectly blank envelopes.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process.

1. First: Think About the Formality of Your Wedding

A formal wedding calls for formal addressing of the invitations that follow traditional etiquette rules. But informal wording is perfectly fine for a casual wedding.

See below for examples of envelope addressing for all sorts of situations.

2. And Then: Choose Who Will Address the Envelopes

The formality of your wedding may also determine how you address the envelopes.

An Extra Formal Wedding: Hire a calligrapher or talented lettering artist for an ultra-sophisticated look.

A Traditional to Casual Wedding: When you order your wedding invitations through us, we can professionally print your envelopes as well. They look awesome and the time savings is invaluable.

An Extra Casual Wedding: Many couples will address the envelopes themselves or enlist some help. Remember though, whoever handwrites the addresses needs to have good handwriting.

3. Don’t Forget: Check if You Have Inner and Outer Envelopes

Some invitations come with just an outer mailing envelope and some come with an inner envelope and outer mailing envelope. The inner envelope is slightly smaller with an un-gummed flap and it’s used for indicating exactly who is invited to the wedding.

See examples for addressing both the inner and outer envelopes below.

4. And Finally: Test Your Writing Utensils

Make sure you order extra envelopes with your wedding invitations, and use at least one of those extra envelopes to test the pen you’ll be using.

Choose the color and thickness you like best, make sure the pen doesn’t bleed through the paper and buy at least two of that same writing utensil. If you’re using paint pens or gel pens, these can dry out quickly, so buy several.

Now get writing! Check out the guidelines below for addressing your invitations formally or informally.

Standard Addressing Etiquette Rules:

1. Do not spell out the state. U.S. Postal Service prefers two-letter abbreviations
2. Address envelopes to both members of a married couple, husband traditionally goes first.
3. Address envelopes to unmarried couples with each of their names on a separate line. List the family member or closest friend first.
4. Send separate invitations to children over 18.
5. Write “and Guest” if a guest is allowed.

Additional Formal Addressing Etiquette Rules:

1. Use formal names (no nicknames).
2 Middle names aren't necessary, but must be spelled out if used (no initials).
3. Spell out all words such as Apartment, Avenue, Street, etc.
4. Abbreviate Mr., Mrs., Ms. and Jr.
5. Write out professional titles such as Doctor or Professor.
6. Avoid using “and family” on formal invitations.

Wedding Envelope Address Examples

Examples of How to Address Inner Envelopes

Remember, your wedding invitation is slipped inside your inner envelope, which is then slipped inside the outer envelope (this is sometimes called also called the mailing envelope).

Your inner envelope should simply display the names of the guests who are invited to your wedding. Often, this isn’t much different than the outer envelope. But, this does give you a way to make it clear if children are or are not invited. If they are (or even if some are) invited, list their names on the inner envelope. If they are not invited, leave them off.

Single Guest
Formal:
Ms. Anderson

Informal:
Samantha or Aunt Samantha

Single Guest Plus Date
Formal:
Ms. Anderson and Guest

Informal:
Samantha and Guest

Married Couple
Formal:
Mr. and Mrs. James

Informal:
Anthony and Sara

Married Couple with Different Names
Formal:
Ms. Sara Trent
Mr. Anthony James

Informal:
Anthony and Sara

Unmarried Couple at Same Address
Formal:
Ms. Sara Trent
Mr. Anthony James

Informal:
Sara and Anthony

A Family with Children
Formal:
Mr. and Mrs. James
Clay, Jonathon and Mildred

Informal:
Anthony and Sara
Clay, Jonathon and Mildred

Examples of How to Address Outer Envelopes

Single Guest
Formal:
Ms. Samantha Anderson
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, California 28495

Informal:
Sam Anderson
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, CA 28495

Single Guest Plus Date
Formal: (remember, you can invite “and guest” on the inner envelope)
Ms. Anderson
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, California 28495

Informal:
Sam Anderson and Guest (the “and Guest” can go on the inner envelope instead, if you have one)
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, CA 28495

Married Couple
Formal:
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony James
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, California 28495

Informal:
Anthony and Sara James
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, CA 28495

Unmarried Couple at Same Address
Formal:
Ms. Sara Trent
Mr. Anthony James
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, California 28495

Informal:
Sara and Anthony
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, CA 28495

A Family with Children
Formal (remember, the children’s names go on the inner envelope)
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony James
56 North Ridge Drive
Hartinger, CA 28495

Informal:
Anthony and Sara James and Family 56 North Ridge Drive Hartinger, CA 28495

We hope you found this addressing advice and examples helpful! Give us a shout if you need any help as you choose and personalize your wedding invitations and more! xoxo