The following are frequently used tips and guidelines for addressing your guests on your correspondence: 

  • Do not use abbreviations other than “Mr.” or “Mrs.” 
  • Spell out Avenue, Road, and Street as well as the State name. 
  • Include zip codes on the same line with the city and state.
  • The inner envelope of a double envelope set carries only the last name preceded by titles (Mr., Mrs., Doctor) of the primary person or couple being invited. 
  • Invited children’s first names appear under the parents’ names. 
  • If you are allowing single people, who are not dating anyone in particular, to bring a guest, you would say so on this inner envelope by adding “and guest” to their title and surname. (If you are using a single envelope, you put this information on the outside of the single envelope by adding the children’s names below the parents’ names or the “and guest” line beside the single guest’s name.)

ADDRESSING ETIQUETTE WHEN USING ONE ENVELOPE

Married Couples

Married couples living in the same house:

Mr. and Mrs. George Smith, junior
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York 10025

Married couples in which the woman has retained her maiden name or professional name – some experts say the woman’s name appears first as follows:

Ms. Elaine Austin Rogers
Mr. Edward Paris Whittemore
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California 94640

Others suggest the names be listed alphabetically by last name as follows:

Ms. Judy Paris
Mr. Benjamin Jeffery Straton

Unmarried couples

Ms. Elaine Alla
Ms. Susan Zaph
40 Sparrow Drive
Dallas, Texas 75341

Ms. Caroline Parker
Mr. David Randolph
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California 94640

Family Invitation

A family with young children:

Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
Martha and Susan
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York 10025 

Single Individual with Guest

If you wish to encourage a single friend to invite a guest, find out the guest’s name, especially if the couple is engaged, living in the same house, or seeing each other on an exclusive basis. If they live at different addresses, it is considerate to send an invitation to the guest directly. Otherwise address as follows:

Ms. Evelyn Phelps
Mr. John Wesley Eight
Beaver Dam Road
Seattle, Washington 98110

*If you cannot obtain the name ahead of time, it is also correct to address as follows:

Ms. Evelyn Phelps and guest

ADDRESSING ETIQUETTE WHEN USING TWO ENVELOPES

Married Couples

Outer Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York 10025

Inner Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Married couples in which the woman has retained her maiden name or professional name–some experts say the woman’s name appears first as follows:

Outer Envelope

Ms. Elaine Austin Rogers
Mr. Edward Paris Whittemore
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California 94640

Inner Envelope

Ms. Rogers
Mr. Whittemore

Others suggest the names be listed alphabetically:

Outer Envelope

Mrs. Elaine Austin Dogers
Mr. Conrad Hemenway
etc.

Inner Envelope

Ms. Dogers
Mr. Hemenway etc. 

Unmarried Couples

Outer Envelope

Ms. Caroline Parker
Mr. David Randolph
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California 94640

Inner Envelope

Ms. Parker
Mr. Randolph

Family Invitations

Outer Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
Martha and Susan
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York 10025

Inner Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Martha and Susan

Single Individual with Guest

If you wish to encourage a single friend to invite a guest, you should learn the name of the guest, especially if they are engaged, living in the same house, or seeing each other on an exclusive basis. If they live at different addresses, it is considerate to send an invitation to the guest directly. Otherwise address as follows:

Outer Envelope

Ms. Evelyn Phelps
Mr. John Wesley Eight
Beaver Dam Road
Seattle, Washington 98110

Inner Envelope

Ms. Phelps
Mr. Wesley

*If you cannot obtain the name ahead of time, it is also correct to address as follows:

Outer Envelope

Mr. Walter Robinson
126 Woodland Creek Drive
Dallas, Texas 75225

Inner Envelope

Mr. Robinson and guest

Common Grammar Mistakes to Consider When Addressing Envelopes

  • When titles are used, the husbands title always comes first. Without title, the wife’s name should come first.
    • Doctor and Mrs. Warren T. Wilson
    • Judge and Mrs. Warren T. Wilson
    • Mr. and Mrs. Warren T. Wilson 
  • With children’s names added, the father’s name should come first, then the wife’s name,
    • followed by the children’s names listed according to age (oldest first).
    • The John Hopkins Family
    • John, Teri, Lee and Anna Hopkins
  • A comma should always precede the use of suffixes (Jr., III, Sr., etc.)
    • Warren T. Wilson, Sr.
    • Warren T. Wilson, junior
    • John Lee Hopkins, III
  • The proper use of fiancée or fiancé.
    • The woman who is engaged to be married is the fiancée.
    • The man who is engaged to be married is the fiancé.
  • Use of Plurals– When names end in “s”, “x”, “z”, “ch” or “sh”, add an “es” at the end.
    • Adams = Adamses
    • Wilcox = Wilcoxes
    • Menendez = Menendezes
  • Only use an apostrophe to show ownership, never to form a plural.Such as when names end in “o” or “y”, add an “s” on the end.
    • Garbo = Garbos
    • Henry = Henrys
    • Happy Holidays from The Halls – is proper (not The Hall’s)
  • In many cases, the plural form of a name is not desirable.
    • The word “Family” may look and sound better.
    • The Jones Family