Wedding Invitation Etiquette For San Antonio
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.)
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
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
When titles are used, the husband’s 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
Two envelopes or one?
In bygone days when invitations were hand-delivered, an outer envelope was used to keep the invitation envelope clean for a more impressive presentation to the guest. Whether or not you opt for double envelopes is your decision. If you order double envelopes and you also choose envelope linings, the inner envelope will be lined.
Lined Inner Envelope
For selections that include an inner envelope, a lovely envelope liner adds that special elegant touch. You can select a liner that brings out the beauty of your invitation for a slight additional cost.
Envelope Return Address
Having a return address on your envelope not only looks nicer but it saves you time from writing it yourself
If you are ordering double envelope sets, this address is on the flap of the outer, larger envelope.
Make sure you order additional envelopes in case you make mistakes while addressing!
Tissues
Tissues were originally put on top of the invitation to prevent the old, slow drying inks from smudging. Today it is no longer necessary, but some still prefer the traditional look of tissues.
Reception Card
Reception cards are included when the reception is held at a different site than the ceremony or if you have different guest lists for the ceremony and the reception. The reception card wording either reflects the wording of your invitation or simply reads, “Reception immediately following the ceremony” with the location as follows:
Reception Immediately following the ceremony
The Dominion Country Club
San Antonio, Texas
Map and Directions cards
Preprinted enclosure cards providing directions to the ceremony and the reception site can be exceptionally helpful to your guests, especially those coming from out-of-town. Photocopied directions blemish the beauty of your beautiful invitation ensemble and are often very difficult to read.
Accommodation cards
Your guests will appreciate the convenience of a preprinted card that lists recommended hotels in your area, along with the phone numbers, or if there is a block of rooms set aside for guests.
Within-the-ribbon cards
A tradition to designate special seating for select guests. The guests receiving these cards present them to the ushers, who will escort them to this special seating (usually in the front) that has been sectioned off by ribbon.
Engagement announcements
These are the formal announcements of your engagement.
Gift received cards
Preprinted cards acknowledging that a gift was received may be sent ahead (never instead of) personally written thank you notes. This allows the newlyweds to wait until after their honeymoon to thank their guests more personally.
Menu Cards
Menu cards provided at the reception describe the dishes you have selected–a nice touch.
Place Cards
If you are planning assigned seating at your reception, put a place card handwritten with each person’s name at the place you have designated.
Programs
Guests appreciate an outline to follow along with at the ceremony. It also makes a nice memento of the event.
Save-the-date cards
Sent at least six months to a year before the wedding date and are invaluable if you plan to invite long-distance guests.
Wedding Announcements
Announcements let you share your news with friends, distant relatives and colleagues that are not invited to the wedding. They should never be sent to those who have received an invitation to the ceremony or reception and should be mailed right after the wedding, never before.
Highly formal: Mrs. Carl Heath Jones
Informal (ladies first): Sally and Carl Jones
Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Carl Heath Jones
Woman Kept Maiden Name (ladies first): Sally Leigh McPerson and Carl Heath Jones
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