Addressing Invitations Do's and Don'ts

· Do address all wedding invitation envelopes by hang or have them done by a calligrapher or calligraphy machine. Never use a computer to print your labels.

· Do spell out all street names and states.

· Do address the invitation to both members of a married couple, such as Mr. And Mrs. Reginald Lawrence. Political correctness and preferences aside, traditional etiquette claims that Mrs. Penelope Lawrence is Incorrect.

· So send one invitation to couples living together, and address it to both of them with each name appearing on a separate line.

Mr. Reginald Lawrence
Ms. Penelope Howington

· Do list a woman with a military or professional title on a separate line, above her husband’s name, on the outer envelope. The ranking title-professional, military, or social-always goes first. On the inner envelope, you would still use her title, but she and her husband would be listed on the same line, her name first.

Outer: Doctor Diane Bartlett
Mr. David Bartlett

Inner: Doctor Bartlett and Mr. Bartlett

· Do send a separate invitation to children over sixteen years of age. If there is more than one child over sixteen years of age, one invitation may be sent to the two of them, listing their names alphabetically.
· Do list the names of children who are invited to the wedding under their parents names on the inner envelope.

Mr. And Mrs. Jones
Carol and Michael

· Don’t write “and family.”

· Don’t write “and guest.” Take the time to find out the name of the guest’s significant other, or don’t invite them.

· Don’t abbreviate.