All about Envelope Addressing

There is a lot to know about addressing your envelopes.  You can be formal or informal with your addressing.  You can also get creative with your formatting, but don’t get too creative or the post office won’t deliver.

For save the dates you can choose to be formal or informal with the addressing, it is up to you.  Generally, save the dates are informal and invitations are formal.  But not in call cases.

When deciding the format of addressing- formal or more casual- should follow the theme of your wedding.  If you are having a black tie affair in a ballroom you should follow all addressing etiquette for a formal affair.  If you are having a more cocktail attire wedding you can choose to be more casual in your addressing.  If you are having a rustic wedding you can choose to be pretty casual.  Ultimately it is your choice but it is a good idea to be in line with the theme and style of your wedding.
Here are some examples:

Formal wording (Using formal names and spelling out all words. No nicknames for guests): 

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Smith
1234 Southwest Main Street
Anywhere, Oregon 97520

Informal/less casual than formal(Nicknames and abbreviations are ok):

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Smith
1234 SW Main St
Anywhere, OR 97520

Very casual (Just following basic addressing rules that the post office requires):

Chris & Jenny Smith
1234 SW Main St
Anywhere, OR 97520

You will notice that not only is the writing for the names different but also the addresses themselves.  A formal address will have everything spelled out.  There is no right or wrong choice.  There are just ones that may fit your wedding better than the others.  If you are working with a stationer that offers guest addressing they can help with which format to use.  Or you can always reach out and I can help with addressing or give you guidance.

Note about non-heterosexual couples: If you have guests that are members of the LGBTQ community you may have questions related to that. You would follow the same formality choice as your other invitations but there would be changes in the names.   Here are some examples of how to address the names:

Same-sex couple (whether they identify as male or female):

Mr. Christopher Smith and Mr. Jeffrey Davis
Mr. Chris Smith & Mr. Jeff Davis
Chris Smith & Jeff Davis

Gender fluid, queer, or does not identify as one gender:

Mx. Jamie Barnes and Ms. Jennifer Evans
Mx. Jamie Barnes & Ms. Jenny Evans
Jamie Barnes & Jenny Evans

Envelope addressing can be a stressful part of wedding planning.  From the hand cramps to the etiquette to the formatting, it can all be a source of stress.  Most stationers offer guest addressing.  Discuss the options with your stationer or reach out to me for more guidance and options.

Keywords: wedding invitations, save the dates, guest addressing

Questions?