THE PROPER ETIQUETTE FOR WEDDING INVITATIONS
A bride's first marraige - wedding invitation issued by Bride's
parents (this is the standard form)
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adam Chase
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Lou
to
Mr. Gerald Henry Hugh
on Saturday, the twentieth of March
at two o'clock in the afternoon
First Congregationalist Church
104 Main Street
Gary , Indiana
When the Brides Ceremony will be a formal Nuptial Mass
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adam Chase
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Lou
to
Mr. Gerald Hugh
on Saturday, the twentieth of March
at a ten o'clock Nuptial Mass
Saint Joseph 's Cathedral
121 Main Street
Boston , Massachusetts
OR
Nuptial Mass (Note the use of "and" rather than "to")
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adam Chase
request the honour of your presence
at the Nuptial Mass uniting their daughter
Mary Lou
and
Mr. Gerald Hugh
on Saturday, the twentieth of March
in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
at a ten o'clock in the morning
Saint Joseph 's Cathedral
121 Main Street
Boston , Massachusetts
Invitation Issued by Bride and Groom's Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Jullian Alfred Dexter
and
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mason Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Invitation Issued by the Groom's Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Barry Benjamin Moor
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Brenda Delcroix
to their son Mr. Michael Evan Moor
Invitation Issued by Bride and Groom
Miss Louisa Marie Parker
and
Mr. Harold Jorgen Buczko
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
Invitation Issued by Friends
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Randolph Jacobson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Julia Anne Smith
to
Mr. Kevin Richard Arnoldson
Invitation Issued by Adult Children
Matthew Manning Smith
Daniel Joseph Smith
Angela Smith Richardson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their mother (parents)
Josephine Manning Smith
to
Brent Harold Darnell
WEDDING INVITATIONS FOR SECOND MARRIAGES
The divorcee uses a combination of married and maiden name
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Ralph Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Smith Johnson
However, if the bride is a widow
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Ralph Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Smith Johnson
Invitation Issued by Divorced Parents
Mrs. Virginia Nelson Wright
Mr.Thomas Ethan Wright
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Louse Wright
Bride's Divorced, Not-Remarried Mother Issues Invitation
The mother uses a combination of her married and maiden
name
Mrs. Virginia Nelson Wright
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise Wright
Bride's Divorced, Not-Remarried Father Issues Invitation
Mr. Thomas Ethan Wright
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of his daughter
Mary Louise Wright
Mother and Stepfather Issue Invitation
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hugh Richardson, III
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise Wright
or
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hugh Richardson, III
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of Mrs. Richardson's daughter
Mary Louise Wright
or (only mother is inviting)
Mrs. Gerald Hugh Richardson, III
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise Wright
Divorced Father and Stepmother Issue Invitation
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ethan Wright
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of his daughter
Mary Louise Wright
or
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ethan Wright
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of Mr. Wright's daughter
Mary Louise Wright
Invitation Issued by More than Two Sets of Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ethan Wright
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Armstrong Baxter
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Johnson Richardson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children
WEDDING INVITATIONS WHEN ONE DECEASED PARENT
When the Living Parent has Not Remarried
Mrs. Thomas Ethan Wright
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise
When the Living Parent Has Remarried
Mr. and Mrs. John Ivan Koslov
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise Wright
or
Mr. and Mrs. John Ivan Koslov
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Louise Wright
(Obviously you should check with the bride for this one)
WEDDING INVITATIONS WHEN BOTH PARENTS ARE DECEASED
Invitation Issued by Older Brother or Sister
Miss Janice Su-Ling Yang
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her sister
Deborah An-Mei Yangor
or(if married)
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Walker
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her sister
Deborah An-Mei Yang Invitation Issued by Grandparents
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Windell McPhera
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their granddaughter
Susan Alexis McLory
DOUBLE WEDDINGS
When Brides are Sisters
(older bride mentioned first)
Mr. and Mrs. Steven George Jafee
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughters
Mary Helento Ronald Gates Gressakand
Karen Judithto Paul Dupre Ducat
When Brides are not Sisters
(older bride and family mentioned first)
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Thomas Wrightand
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Victor Buczko
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughters
Deborah Sally Wright
to
Mr. Micah Mordecai Smith
and Iris Ramsey Buczko
to
Paul Louis Saulsman
WEDDING INVITATIONS FOR MILITARY WEDDINGS
Officers above the rank of Lieutenant have their title
before their name
Major and Mrs. Gregory Richard Ford
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Felicia Ann
to
Captain Benjamin Bruce Thomas
United States Navy
Junior officers have their title on the same line a the
branch of service, but listed beforehand
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Richard Ford
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Felicia Ann
to
Benjamin Bruce Thomas
First Lieutenant , United States Army
A rank below that of Sergeant is not indicated
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Richard Ford
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Felicia Ann
to
Benjamin Bruce Thomas
United States Army
Addressing the Envelope
Basic rules of etiquette:
It is traditional to use the complete, formal name and address of your invited guests on the outer envelope of a double envelope set and on the outside of a single envelope. Do not use abbreviations other than "Mr." or "Mrs." Spell out Avenue, Road, and Street as well as the State name. See the "Basic Rules of Etiquette" section under "Wording your Wedding Invitation" above for more detail on how to write titles and suffixes. Include zip codes on the same line with the city and state.
The inner envelope of a double envelope set carries only the last name preceded by titles (Mr., Mrs., Doctor) of the primary person or couple being invited. There are no addresses. Invited children's first names appear under the parents' names. (Invited children over 18 or older still dwelling with their parents should receive separate invitations.) If you are allowing single people, who are not dating anyone in particular, to bring a guest, you would say so on this inner envelope by adding "and guest" to their title and surname. If you are using a single envelope, you must put this information on the outside of the single envelope by adding the children's names below the parents' names or the "and guest" line beside the single guest's name.
Remember! Before purchasing stamps, have one fully assembled invitation weighed at the post office to determine proper postage. Don't forget to purchase stamps for the respond envelopes as well.
Sample Addressing Formats Wording for (nearly) Every Situation
INVITATIONS WITH A SINGLE ENVELOPE
If you elect to use a single envelope with your invitation, here are some suggestions for addressing the outside of the single envelope.
Married Couples
Married couples living in the same house:
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith, junior
800 Park Avenue , 3C
New York , New York
10025
Married couples in which the woman has retained her maiden name or professional name-some experts say the woman's name appears first:
Ms. Elaine Austin Rogers
Mr. Edward Paris Whittemore
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach , California
94640
Others suggest the names be listed alphabetically:
Ms. Judy Paris
Mr. Benjamin Jeffery Straton
etc.
Mr. Bernard Dawson
Ms. Anne Fisk
Unmarried Couples
Unmarried couples living in the same house should be listed
alphabetically:
Ms. Elaine Alla
Ms. Susan Zaph
40 Sparrow Drive
Dallas , Texas
75341
Ms. Caroline Parker
Mr. David Randolph
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach , California
94640
Family Invitation
A family with young children:
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
Martha and Susan
800 Park Avenue , 3C
New York , New York
10025
It is considered correct to send a separate invitation to each child 18 years or older.
Single Individual with Guest
If you wish to encourage a single friend to invite a guest, find out the guest's name, especially if the couple is engaged, living in the same house, or seeing each other on an exclusive basis. If they live at different addresses, it is considerate to send an invitation to the guest directly. Otherwise address as follows:
Ms. Evelyn Phelps
Mr. John Wesley Eight
Beaver Dam Road
Seattle , Washington
98110
If you cannot obtain the name ahead of time, it is also correct to address:
Ms. Evelyn Phelps and guest
Mr. John Wesley and guest
INVITATIONS WITH DOUBLE ENVELOPES
If you elect to use two envelopes with your invitations, here are suggestions for addressing the inner and outer envelopes:
Married Couples
Married couples living in the same house:
Outer Envelope
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
800 Park Avenue , 3C
New York , New York
10025
Inner Envelope
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Married couples in which the woman has retained her maiden name or professional name-some experts say the woman's name appears first:
Outer Envelope
Ms. Elaine Austin Rogers
Mr. Edward Paris Whittemore
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach , California
94640
Inner Envelope
Ms. Rogers
Mr. Whittemore
Others suggest the names be listed alphabetically:
Outer Envelope
Mrs. Elaine Austin Dogers
Mr. Conrad Hemenway
Inner Envelope
Ms. Dogers
Mr. Hemenway etc.
Unmarried Couples
Unmarried couples living in the same house should be listed alphabetically:
Outer Envelope
Ms. Caroline Parker
Mr. David Randolph
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach , California
94640
Inner Envelope
Ms. Parker
Mr. Randolph
Family Invitation A family with young children:
Outer Envelope
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
Martha and Susan
800 Park Avenue , 3C
New York , New York
10025
Inner Envelope
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Martha and Susan (by seniority)
It is considered correct to send a separate invitation to each child 18 years or older. You may also use the title Master if the young man is under the age of 13.
Single Individual with Guest
If you wish to encourage a single friend to invite a guest, you should learn the name of the guest, especially if they are engaged, living in the same house, or seeing each other on an exclusive basis. If they live at different addresses, it is considerate to send an invitation to the guest directly. Otherwise address as follows:
Outer Envelope
Ms. Evelyn Phelps
Mr. John Wesley Eight
Beaver Dam Road
Seattle , Washington
98110
Inner Envelope
Ms. Phelps
Mr. Wesley
If you cannot obtain the name ahead of time, it is also correct to address:
Outer Envelope
Mr. Walter Robinson
126 Woodland Creek Drive
Dallas , Texas
75225
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