Tips on Addressing Wedding Invitations

The sooner you start addressing your wedding invitations the better. The most organized brides will have their wedding invitations in hand at three months prior to the wedding. The easiest way to get this daunting task done is to organize a lunch or dinner party with your bridesmaids and get those girls to help out. Don't put undue stress on yourself or your mother and try to do it all yourself.

Typically you will have two envelopes to address when it comes to your wedding invitation ensemble. There usually is the inner envelope and the outer envelope. The outer envelope has the name and address of a particular guest or guests.

The inner envelope contains all the enclosures. The inner envelope would have the name or names of the guests you're inviting to the ceremony and reception. There is no address on the inner envelope.

As soon as you sit down to start writing these envelopes out, things get complicated. Here are guidelines for how to address the inner and outer envelopes for common name situations. Remember, the inner envelope will not have an address. The outer envelope has the name and address.

(1)Single Man named Adam Smith. Inner envelope: Mr. Smith. Outer envelope: Mr. Adam Smith

(2)Young Boy named Adam Smith. Inner envelope: Master Smith. Outer envelope: Master Adam Smith

(3)Single Woman or Girl named Jennifer Brown. Inner envelope: Miss Brown or Ms. Brown. Outer envelope: Miss Jennifer Brown or Ms. Jennifer Brown

(4)Single Woman and a Guest (let us use: Jennifer Brown and Adam Smith). Inner envelope on two lines: Miss Brown, Mr. Smith or Miss Brown, And Guest. Outer envelope: Miss Jennifer Brown

(5)Single Man and a Guest (let us use: Adam Smith and Jennifer Brown again). Inner envelope on two lines: Mr. Smith, Miss Brown or Mr. Smith, And Guest. Outer envelope: Mr. Adam Smith

(6)Widow named Beverly Carter (assume her deceased husband's name is Gary Carter). Inner envelope: Mrs. Carter. Outer envelope: Mrs. Gary Carter.

(7)Divorcee named Beverly Carter. Her maiden name was Jones. Inner envelope: Mrs. Carter. Outer envelope would be Mrs. Jones Carter (a combination of the maiden name and former husband's last name).

(8)Unmarried couple that lives together (let's use Adam Smith and Jennifer Brown). Inner envelope: Miss Brown and Mr. Smith (go alphabetically by last name). Outer envelope in two lines: Miss Jennifer Brown, Mr. Adam Smith.

(9)Husband and Wife with same last name (let's use Greg Green and Sally Green). Inner envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Green. Outer envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Greg Green.

(10)Husband and Wife with different last names (let's use Gregg Green and Sally Hill). Inner envelope: Ms. Hill and Mr. Green (wife's name goes first). Outer envelope on two lines: Ms. Sally Hill, Mr. Greg Green.

(11)Husband and Wife from example 9 also have 3 kids: Alice, Betsy and Mark. Inner envelope on two lines: Mr. and Mrs. Green, Alice, Betsy and Mark (kids go on line two in order of age). Outer envelope just has the husband and wife: Mr. and Mrs. Greg Green.

These are situations you are bound to run into when addressing your wedding invitations. Once you get the hang of it, it will be easy. You should assemble your guest list and their addresses in an Excel spreadsheet. Make a column for inner and outer envelopes. This way if you take the time to figure it out prior to addressing the envelopes, you and your bridesmaids won't screw up envelope after envelope. You won't have to think at all. You and your bridesmaids could even be drinking margaritas and be fine. Just not too many. Be organized and you'll be fine.