Traditional form
Mr. and Mrs. David Alvarez
1428 Juniper Street
Portland, Oregon 97214
Inner envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez
Wedding invitations · envelopes
How to Address Wedding Invitations
Write each guest's full name with their title, then the street, city and state, with words like Street and Apartment spelled out on a formal envelope. Name everyone who is invited: anyone not named is understood not to be. The formatter below does the wording for you, and every case is written out further down.
Free tool
Wedding invitation address formatter
Choose who the envelope is for and type their names. You'll see every correct way to word it, on an envelope drawn to scale. Add guests to a list, then download them all as envelopes, labels or a spreadsheet.
Who is this envelope for?
First person
Second person
Mailing address
Style
Type abbreviations if that’s quicker: “St” and “OR” are spelled out for you.
Your envelope, to scale
SampleCorrect ways to word it
Your guest list
Add guests one at a time, then print them all at once.
Typeface
Download
Type a guest and an address to turn these on.
Envelopes print one to a page at 5.25 x 7.25 in; pick that paper size and 100% scale. Labels fit Avery 5160 sheets. Print one on plain paper first and hold it behind the envelope or sheet to check it lines up.
Your return address
Sample output
What the envelope and label downloads look like
Every line in the PDFs stays editable, so you can fix a spelling without starting over. Need to print a blank sheet or a different label size? The address label maker and the return address label maker handle those.
The short version
The rules for addressing a wedding invitation
Addressing looks like a thicket of special cases, but most of them come from five habits. Customs vary by family, faith and region, so treat these as common practice, and let a guest’s own preference win over any of them.
- Use full names. No nicknames or initials on the outer envelope. Save the first names for the inner one.
- Put the title first. Mr., Mrs., Ms., Mx. and Dr. are abbreviated. The Honorable, The Reverend and military ranks are written out.
- List the higher title first. A doctor, judge or officer leads, whichever spouse it is. Otherwise, the order is yours.
- Spell out the address on a formal envelope. Street, Avenue, Apartment and the state name all get written in full. Abbreviations are fine on a casual one.
- Name exactly who is invited. Children and plus-ones are named or they aren’t coming, so the envelope does the explaining for you.
5 examples
How to address a married couple
The traditional form names one spouse in full behind “Mr. and Mrs.” Many couples prefer to see both first names. When one spouse uses Ms. or Mx., write each name out in full: “Mr. and Ms. John Kelly” is the one form the Emily Post Institute calls incorrect.
Both first names
Mr. Owen and Mrs. Claire Fletcher
36 Maple Ridge Road
Asheville, North Carolina 28804
Inner envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher
One spouse uses Ms.
Mr. Marcus Bell and Ms. Tessa Bell
71 Sycamore Avenue
Richmond, Virginia 23226
Inner envelope: Marcus and Tessa
No titles, less formal
Nadia and Sam Haddad
2204 Cherry Lane
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114
Inner envelope: Nadia and Sam
A name with Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Moore, Jr.
508 Dogwood Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31405
Inner envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Moore
3 examples
How to address a couple with different last names
Each person gets a full name, joined with “and.” The order is yours to choose unless one person holds a higher title, and a long pair breaks onto two lines before the “and.”
Each kept their own surname
Ms. Rachel Kim and Mr. Thomas Reyes
905 Linden Avenue
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
Inner envelope: Ms. Kim and Mr. Reyes
One hyphenated surname
Mr. Ian Doyle
and Ms. Maya Castillo-Doyle
19 Beacon Street
Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Inner envelope: Mr. Doyle and Ms. Castillo-Doyle
A long pair, on two lines
Ms. Josephine Abernathy
and Mr. Christopher Montgomery
640 Hillcrest Terrace
Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
Inner envelope: Ms. Abernathy and Mr. Montgomery
3 examples
How to address same-sex couples
The same rules apply: use the titles and surnames the couple use themselves, and put either name first, alphabetically or starting with the person you know best.
Two men, shared surname
Mr. Andrew Collins and Mr. James Collins
77 Harbor View Drive
San Diego, California 92106
Inner envelope: Andrew and James
Two women, different surnames
Ms. Leah Morgan and Ms. Priya Shah
210 Cedar Lane
Austin, Texas 78704
Inner envelope: Ms. Morgan and Ms. Shah
Two women who both use Mrs.
Mrs. Ruth Ellison and Mrs. Gwen Ellison
33 Orchard Place
Burlington, Vermont 05401
Inner envelope: Ruth and Gwen
2 examples
How to address an unmarried couple who live together
One invitation goes to the shared address. Guides differ on the layout: each name on its own line is the most common choice, and one line joined with “and” is also accepted. A couple who live apart can each get their own.
Each name on its own line
Ms. Hannah Brooks
Mr. Daniel Ortiz
4415 Elm Court, Apartment 3B
Denver, Colorado 80211
Inner envelope: Ms. Brooks and Mr. Ortiz
On one line
Mr. Luke Avery and Ms. Ines Duarte
120 Grove Street
Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
Inner envelope: Mr. Avery and Ms. Duarte
5 examples
How to address a family with children
Children who are invited are named, oldest first. With an inner envelope, their first names go there under the parents; with one envelope, they follow on the next line. “The Walsh Family” is read as everyone in the household, so use it only if you mean everyone.
Children on the inner envelope
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Walsh
18 Birchwood Circle
Naperville, Illinois 60540
Inner envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Walsh, Olivia, Liam and Nora
One envelope, children named
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Larsen
Eli and Rose
9 Pine Hollow Road
Duluth, Minnesota 55803
The whole household
The Nguyen Family
602 Willow Bend Road
Houston, Texas 77096
Inner envelope: The Nguyen Family
One parent and a child
Ms. Carmen Vega
254 Mission Boulevard
Fresno, California 93704
Inner envelope: Ms. Vega, Mateo
Adult child at home, own invitation
Ms. Sophia Walsh
18 Birchwood Circle
Naperville, Illinois 60540
Inner envelope: Ms. Walsh
Children 18 and older usually get their own invitation, even at their parents’ address.
3 examples
How to address a guest with a plus-one
One invitation goes to the guest you know. If you know the partner’s name, use it, which is warmer and makes the place card easier. If you don’t, “and Guest” works.
Unnamed, with an inner envelope
Mr. Jonathan Price
880 Lakeshore Boulevard, Unit 12
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Inner envelope: Mr. Price and Guest
Unnamed, one envelope
Ms. Grace Tan and Guest
31 Ivy Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Partner’s name known, lives elsewhere
Ms. Alicia Romero
47 Orchard Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02906
Inner envelope: Ms. Romero and Mr. Owens
5 examples
How to address doctors
A doctor’s title goes first, whichever spouse holds it. When both are doctors and share a surname, “The Doctors” is the most formal form and “Drs.” with both first names is the friendlier one. “Doctor” can be spelled out for a medical doctor; guides differ on academic doctors, so “Dr.” is the safe choice.
One doctor, spouse uses Mrs.
Dr. and Mrs. Perry Lund
11 College Avenue
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
Inner envelope: Dr. and Mrs. Lund
One doctor, spouse uses Mr.
Dr. Sarah Chen and Mr. Michael Chen
29 Garden Terrace
Pasadena, California 91105
Inner envelope: Dr. Chen and Mr. Chen
Both doctors, shared surname
The Doctors Patel
1150 Ridgeview Parkway
Columbus, Ohio 43221
Inner envelope: The Doctors Patel
Both doctors, first names
Drs. Elena and Paul Rossi
84 Lake Street
Rochester, Minnesota 55901
Inner envelope: The Doctors Rossi
Both doctors, different surnames
Dr. Amara Obi and Dr. Peter Lang
412 University Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21218
Inner envelope: Dr. Obi and Dr. Lang
5 examples
How to address judges, clergy and military officers
These titles lead the name and are written out. A judge is “The Honorable” on the outer envelope and “Judge” on the inner one. Officers are addressed by full rank, often with the branch after the name, and the higher rank goes first.
A judge and spouse
The Honorable Maria Lopez
and Mr. Daniel Lopez
6 Courthouse Square
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
Inner envelope: Judge Lopez and Mr. Lopez
A minister and spouse
The Reverend and Mrs. John Hayes
200 Church Street
Charleston, South Carolina 29401
Inner envelope: Reverend and Mrs. Hayes
A rabbi and spouse
Rabbi and Mrs. Noah Stein
58 Linden Lane
Skokie, Illinois 60076
Inner envelope: Rabbi and Mrs. Stein
An officer and spouse
Lieutenant Colonel Dana Brooks, U.S. Air Force
and Mr. Paul Brooks
3307 Falcon Ridge Drive
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80920
Inner envelope: Lieutenant Colonel Brooks and Mr. Brooks
Two officers
Major Ava Reed, U.S. Army
and Captain Tom Reed, U.S. Army
27 Sentry Way
Fayetteville, North Carolina 28303
Inner envelope: Major Reed and Captain Reed
Enter the higher rank first. The tool can’t compare ranks, so the order you type stands.
6 examples
How to address a single guest
Use the title the guest uses. Ms. suits any adult woman, Miss is usually for a girl under 18, and Mx. is a title anyone may use. A full name with no title is never wrong when you can’t find out.
A woman
Ms. Bianca Ferrara
305 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
Inner envelope: Ms. Ferrara
A guest who uses Mx.
Mx. Riley Jordan
515 Pine Street
Seattle, Washington 98101
Inner envelope: Mx. Jordan
A widow, traditional form
Mrs. Robert Hayes
12 Chestnut Hill Lane
Lexington, Kentucky 40502
Inner envelope: Mrs. Hayes
Many widows prefer their own first name: Mrs. Eleanor Hayes. Ask a family member if you can.
A divorced woman
Ms. Jane Whitaker
72 Summit Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55105
Inner envelope: Ms. Whitaker
Ms. with the surname she uses now; some women still prefer Mrs.
Title unknown
Taylor Grant
9 Meadowbrook Road
Burlington, Vermont 05401
Inner envelope: Taylor Grant
A girl under 18, on her own
Miss Clara Finch
16 Bay Road
Mobile, Alabama 36605
Inner envelope: Miss Finch
6 examples
How to write apartment numbers and street names
On a formal envelope, words like Street, Avenue, Apartment and the state name are spelled out, and the unit can stay on the street line. Abbreviations are fine on a casual envelope, and the Postal Service reads either.
Apartment number
Mr. Felix Grant
200 West 86th Street, Apartment 14C
New York, New York 10024
Inner envelope: Mr. Grant
North, South, East or West
Ms. Ivy Marsh
1500 North Lamar Boulevard
Oxford, Mississippi 38655
Inner envelope: Ms. Marsh
Post office box
Mr. Reed Calder
Post Office Box 118
Moab, Utah 84532
Inner envelope: Mr. Calder
Military address overseas
Captain Elise Carter, U.S. Navy
PSC 473 Box 12
FPO, AP 96349
Inner envelope: Captain Carter
APO, FPO and the AA, AE or AP code stay exactly as they are, so the mail gets routed.
Overseas
Ms. Freya Holm
14 Marine Parade
Brighton BN2 1TL
UNITED KINGDOM
Inner envelope: Ms. Holm
Abbreviated, for a casual envelope
Jess Moreno
88 Canyon Rd
Sedona, AZ 86336
Inner envelope: Jess Moreno
One envelope or two
Outer and inner envelopes, and addressing with only one
The outer envelope carries the postage, the full names and the mailing address. The inner envelope, a tradition from when the outer one could arrive travel-worn, carries names alone: “Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez,” or simply “David and Laura” for close family. It’s also where children’s names and “and Guest” usually go.
Most couples now skip the inner envelope, and that’s entirely correct. It only changes one thing: the outer envelope has to name everyone who is invited, so children follow on the next line and “and Guest” follows the name. The formatter moves them for you when the inner envelope box is off.
Whose address, and where
Return address on wedding invitations
Whose address. Traditionally it belongs to whoever is hosting, because that’s who the invitation comes from. In practice, use the address of whoever is keeping track of replies, whether that’s the couple or a parent. The reply envelope or RSVP postcard goes to the same place, and the save the dates can use it too.
Where it goes. The back flap is the traditional place, often with no names, just the address. The top-left corner of the front is where mail in general carries it, and it’s the safer choice if a piece has to come back, since sorting machines read the front. Either is accepted. The formatter can print it in the corner, or you can download return address labels for the flap.
Doing the actual writing
Handwriting, labels or printing on the envelope
Handwriting has always been the traditional choice, and it’s still the warmest one, though a hundred envelopes is a long evening; split the list with someone whose writing you like. Printing directly on the envelope looks closest to calligraphy and costs almost nothing. Labels are the quickest, and clear ones nearly disappear on white or ivory.
Whichever you choose, keep the address itself easy to read. A flowing script suits a name, but the numbers and street are what the Postal Service has to read, which is why the formatter’s script option sets only the names in script. Dark ink on a light envelope is the safe combination, and it’s worth addressing one test envelope before you start on the good ones.
Next step
When to Send Wedding Invitations
Enter your date for every mail-by date, the RSVP date and the final count.
Start →
Make the suite
Wedding Invitation Maker
75 free designs, each with a matching save the date, RSVP card and details card.
Start →
The words
Wedding Invitation Wording
Formal, casual, couple hosting, parents hosting, in memory, adults only and RSVP lines.
Open →
Everything else
Wedding Invitation Etiquette
What goes in the suite, RSVP cards, plus-ones and children, size, paper and postage.
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Frequently asked questions
What if I don't know a guest's title?
Ask. A quick text to the guest or a family member is better than guessing, and nobody minds being asked. If you can't ask, use Ms. for a woman whose marital status you don't know, or write the full name with no title, which is never wrong.
How do I get everyone's addresses?
Send one short message asking for the mailing address, how each person spells their name, and the title they use, a few weeks before the save the dates go out. A shared form or a parent who keeps the family address book both work. Settling spelling now saves reprinting later.
Do you address save the dates the same way?
Yes, with the same names and the same address, though a save the date has only the one envelope, so it names everyone you plan to invite. It's also a good test: anything that comes back undelivered tells you which address to fix before the invitations go out.
Is "and Family" correct on a wedding invitation?
It's common on casual invitations, but it leaves guests guessing how far "family" goes. Naming each child, or writing "The Walsh Family" when you truly mean the whole household, is clearer. Anyone not named is understood not to be invited.
Do wedding shower invitations follow the same rules?
They're less formal. First and last names with no titles are fine, and there's no inner envelope. The hosts' return address goes on the envelope, since replies go to them rather than to the couple.
Updated November 2026