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Etiquette : Addressing Envelopes

Addressing Envelopes

Envelopes are addressed using the same etiquette that is used on invitations. Because they are seen only by their recipients, less traditional etiquette is occasionally used, especially with women’s names and titles. “Ms.,” for example, may be used when addressing envelopes even though it is not properly used on invitations. As with the majority of our etiquette guidelines, the following is taken from Crane’s Wedding Blue Book.

Outer Envelope Only (no Inner exists)	Outer Envelope (if there is an Inner)	Inner Envelope

Married Couple
Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Clayton

Married Couple with Children under Eighteen Living at Home
Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton Marvin and Heather	Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton Marvin and Heather

Married Couple in Which Woman Kept Maiden Name
Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett and Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett and Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Ms. Pritchett and Mr. Clayton

Married Couple in Which Man is a Doctor
Doctor and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Doctor and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Doctor and Mrs. Clayton

Married Couple in Which Both are Doctors
Doctor and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton or The Doctors Clayton or Doctor Christine Pritchett Clayton and Doctor Troy Maxwell Clayton	Doctor and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton or The Doctors Clayton or Doctor Christine Pritchett Clayton and Doctor Troy Maxwell Clayton	Doctor and Mrs. Clayton or The Doctors Clayton

Married Couple in Which Woman is a Doctor
Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton or Doctor Christine Pritchett Clayton and Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton or Doctor Christine Pritchett Clayton and Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Clayton or Doctor Clayton and Mr. Clayton

Married Couple in Which Man is a Judge
The Honorable and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	The Honorable and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Judge and Mrs. Clayton

Married Couple in Which Woman is a Judge
Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton or The Honorable Christine Pritchett Clayton and Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Tory Maxwell Clayton or The Honorable Christine Pritchett Clayton and Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Clayton or Judge Clayton And Mr. Clayton

Married Couple in Which one or both are Lawyers
Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. and Mrs. Clayton

Unmarried Couple Living Together
Miss/Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Miss/Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Miss/Ms. Pritchett Mr. Clayton

Divorced Woman
Mrs./Ms. Christine Pritchett Clayton	Mrs./Ms. Christine Pritchett Clayton	Mrs./Ms. Clayton

Divorced Woman Who Has Resumed Using Maiden Name
Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett	Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett	Ms. Pritchett

Widow
Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mrs. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mrs. Clayton

Single Woman (children over 18, living at home with parents receive their own invitation)
Miss/Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett	Miss/Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett	Miss/Ms. Pritchett

Single Woman and Date
Miss/Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett and guest or Miss/Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett and escort	Miss/Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett and guest or Miss/Ms. Christine Anne Pritchett and escort	Miss/Ms. Pritchett and guest or Miss/Ms. Pritchett and escort

Single Man (children over 18, living at home with parents receive their own invitation)
Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. Clayton

Single Man and Date
Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton and guest	Mr. Troy Maxwell Clayton	Mr. Clayton and guest

Military Titles
Please refer to Crane’s Wedding Blue Book

Q It seems impersonal to put Mrs. William Harold Jones on my Grandmother’s inner envelope. Can I break etiquette in this case?

A Well of course, you can break etiquette as it should never be adhered to at the cost of damaging a relationship. Intimate relatives may be addressed on the inner envelope as “Grandma” or “Aunt Kate and Uncle Fred.”

Q We are sending wedding invitations to a couple with two children. Do we use “and family” on the envelope(s)?

A No. Wedding invitations are sent to the adult members of the household. In your case, the outside envelope is addressed to the parents who receive the invitations on behalf of their children. Their children’s names (not “and family”), if you wish to invite them, are written on the inside envelope on a line beneath the names of their parents.

Q We are sending invitations to a “junior.” Do we use “junior”?

A If “junior” is a part of the man’s names, you would include it (or “Jr.”) on the outside envelope. It is not necessary to repeat it on the inside envelope unless both “junior” and “senior” are living at the same address.