ADDRESSING THE ENVELOPES
When addressing your invitation envelopes use your most elegant penmanship
Address your envelopes according to the following etiquette
the O U T E R E N V E L O P E
- Titles such as Doctor, Reverend, Captain, etc. are not abbreviated unless lack of space necessitates it
- Mister and Misses should be abbreviated (Mr. and Mrs.)
- Do not use initials or nicknames; use full names
- If an unmarried couple is living in the same house their names should be on separate lines, woman are always listed first
- Do not add "and family"; children's names are listed on the inner envelope
- Write out the word "and"; do not use symbols
- Suffixes are all properly proceeded by a comma, including Roman numerals
- Junior and senior can be spelled out (junior or senior - not capitalized) or abbreviated (Jr. or Sr. - capitalized) use whichever style you prefer
- When addressing the outer envelope write out Street, Avenue, or Boulevard
- Completely spell out the state name
- North and South is written in full if it proceeds the street name (123 South Main Street); a comma is added after the street name and an abbreviation is used if it comes after the address (123 Cherry Street, N.W.)
the I N N E R E N V E L O P E
- Exclude the first names of the recipients
- Write the first names of children to be invited below in order of age, oldest first
- Children over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation
- Omit children's names if they are not on the guest list
- If an invitation to a single guest extends to an unknown escort, address the inner envelope with your friend's name followed by "and guest" (guest should not be capitalized, it is not a proper noun)
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Use the following formats:
MARRIED COUPLE
Outer Envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Davis
3511 South Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. Davis
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MARRIED COUPLE
(with children under 18 living at home)
Outer Envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Davis
3511 Burton Lane, S.E.
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. Davis
Abby and Joseph
----------------------------------------------------------
SISTERS
(same residence over 18 years)
Outer Envelope:
Misses Abby and Anne Davis
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
The Misses Davis
----------------------------------------------------------
MARRIED COUPLE (both are doctors)
Outer Envelope:
The Doctors Davis
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
The Doctors Davis
----------------------------------------------------------
UNMARRIED COUPLE (same household)
Outer Envelope:
Ms. Michele Janson
Mr. Steven Davis
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
Ms. Janson
Mr. Davis
----------------------------------------------------------
DIVORCED WOMAN
(maiden name or first name followed by
married name)
Outer Envelope:
Mrs. Janson Davis
or
Ms. Michelle Davis
Inner Envelope:
Mrs. Davis
or
Ms. Davis
----------------------------------------------------------
CATHOLIC PRIEST
Outer Envelope:
The Reverend Father Joel Schevers
Inner Envelope:
Father Schevers
MARRIED COUPLE
(with children under 18, outer envelope only)
Single Envelope:
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Davis
Abby and Joseph
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
----------------------------------------------------------
OVER 18 LIVING WITH PARENTS
Outer Envelope:
Miss (or Ms.) Abby Davis
Mr. Joseph Davis
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
Miss (or Ms.) Davis
Mr. Davis
----------------------------------------------------------
BROTHERS
(same residence over 18 years)
Outer Envelope:
Messrs. Joseph and Steven Davis
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
The Messrs. Davis
----------------------------------------------------------
MARRIED COUPLE (woman is a doctor)
Outer Envelope:
Doctor Michele Janson Davis
Mr. Steven Davis
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
Doctor and Mr. Davis
----------------------------------------------------------
SINGLE PERSON (with unknown guest)
Outer Envelope:
Ms. Michele Janson
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
Ms. Janson and guest
----------------------------------------------------------
WIDOW
Outer Envelope:
Mrs. Steven Davis
3511 Burton Lane
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333
Inner Envelope:
Mrs. Davis
----------------------------------------------------------
RABBI
Outer Envelope:
Rabbi David Mark Feldman
Inner Envelope:
Rabbi Feldman
----------------------------------------------------------
PROTESTANT MINISTER
Outer Envelope:
The Reverend Lucinda Laird
Inner Envelope:
Reverend Laird
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