Wedding addressing etiquette is one thing that has changed quite a bit through the years. It used to be, for a formal occasion there was an inner envelope and and outer envelope. The dual envelopes aren’t the norm anymore, however this can make addressing the envelopes a little harder.
Addressing your envelopes might seem like the easiest part of your invitations, but if you’re like me when I got married and don’t have any experience in this area it’s easy to miss the obvious.
You might be thinking “does it really matter who the envelope is addressed to” but I can tell you from my own personal experience that it does. I made a big mistake on my invitation envelopes, and I’m sharing with you so you don’t make the same mistake.
The Lesson
I designed my invitations and got them stuffed, sealed, stamped, and away they went.
A few days later my mom calls me.
"Aunt Kelli wants to know if your cousins are invited."
"Uncle Pat called too wants to know if his kids are invited."
"Of course they are!" I responded. Why does everyone keep asking that?
It was because I accidentally left off TWO WORDS that nearly wreaked havoc among my large guestlist. Those words AND FAMILY”
Think about it, the envelope is the only place on your invitation set where the guests names are listed. It’s the only way for them to know who is invited.
Now in case you've missed the lesson here: Address your envelopes specifically to those you're intending to invite.
The Examples
Invite the whole family:
Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Family
Invite only parents
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Invite only parents and 1 of their children
Mr. & Mrs. Smith & Emma
Invite single friend
Ms. Ellie Jackson
Invite single friend and a plus one
Ms. Ellie Jackson and Guest
The Etiquette
The etiquette around how you address your guests typically depends on the level of formality of the wedding you’re hosting.
If it’s a formal affair then you’ll want to use proper pronouns: Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
But for a more laid back wedding you might use less rigid structure: John & Cathy Smith.
Sometimes your level of formality lies between the two and you may opt to use: “The Smith Family”
No matter which option you choose, keep it consistent and double check that the envelopes make it clear who in the household is being invited!