Your wedding invitation is your first chance to make an impression, so you want to make sure that it is a great one! Just as there is traditional wedding invitation wording, there is also a form to follow when it comes to addressing the envelopes for the invitations. For every situation, there is a proper way to write out the address. This handy primer covers what every bride should know about how to address a wedding invitation envelope.
Even the most informal wedding is still a special occasion, and the invitations should reflect that. It does not matter if your style is to wear bridal jewelry which is a family heirloom for a grand wedding at "the club" or if your wedding is more like simple handcrafted bridal jewelry worn for a wedding in a state park. Either way, it is important to take care when addressing the wedding invitation envelopes.
The first tip is to either hire a calligrapher or to learn calligraphy on your own. The hasty scribble you use to jot down your grocery list is not elegant enough for the invitations! Calligraphy, by the way, may sound very formal and fancy, but there are also styles which are modern and unique. For an extra added detail, think about ordering custom postage stamps.
Everything on a wedding invitation should be spelled out, with the exception of "Mr.", "Mrs." and "Dr.". This includes words like Street, Drive, and Avenue, as well as the city and state. Military titles should always be spelled out in full, so you would use "Captain", not "Cpt." and "Lieutenant", not "Lt.". Also write out words such as apartment, rather than using the abbreviation "apt." or #. Since the word apartment is long, you can use it on a separate line underneath the street address, if needed.
A wedding invitation addressed to a married couple would read as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Tate / 306 Talbot Circle / Stamford, Connecticut / 06907. Notice that the zip code has its own line underneath the city and state. It looks best when it is set slightly off to the right so that it lines up near the end of the state name.
A married couple with two different names should be addressed thusly: Ms. Katherine Howard and Mr. Henry Tate. The name of the woman goes first, and be sure to use her full name, even if she goes by Kay, Katie, or Kathy normally. Sometimes the time spent discovering the full names of your friends can be one of the toughest parts of addressing the invitation envelopes. If putting both names on the same line makes it very long, it is acceptable to write each name on its own line, omitting the "and".
An unmarried couple living together will have their wedding invitation addressed this way: Miss (or Ms.) Rachel Hill / Mr. Thomas Sessions / etc... The names will each have their own line, and the proper order is alphabetical by last name. The same applies to same sex couples who live together. For couples who live separately, avoid using "and guest", and find out the name of your guest's significant other. He or she should receive their own invitation, either at their home, or at the home of your primary invitee.
With this information in hand, you should be ready to address your wedding invitations in a manner that is timeless and elegant. When your guests receive them in the mail, they will make an excellent first impression, and get them excited about your wedding!
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