Welcome to Issue 7 of my Wedding Invitation Guide.
This time we're talking about addressing wedding invitation envelopes.
Friendly Advice Be sure to give yourself plenty of time for addressing all of your wedding invitations. The last thing you need is to get stressed about writing out your invitations. My husband and I had a big wedding so it took me quite a while to do all the addressing. If I had it to do over, I would have given myself more time by ordering my invitations sooner.
Traditionally, all wedding invitations come with two envelopes--inner and outer. Both envelopes should be addressed in handwriting versus being typed. The handwritting should be in black or blue ink and both envelopes should be in the same handwriting.
INNER ENVELOPES
Used primarily with formal wedding invitations, the ungummed inner envelope is simply addressed "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". First names and address are omitted. These are also the envelopes that will contain a colored lining if that is your choice for an additional cost.
When addressing wedding invitation envelopes, all family members should be included, however it is best NOT to use the words "and family." Instead, list all guests' names keeping in mind that names of children may be spelled out (for example, "Molly and Tristan") and written below the parents' names in order of age. Also, couples who are dating should each receive an invitation instead of writing "and guest" on the envelope. It is up to you to find out each guest's name.
You may address children, close friends and relatives informally on your inner envelopes. For relatives, addressing them as "Uncle Fred," "Grandma Smith" or "Grandpa" are all acceptable. However, you need to consider who is issuing the wedding invitations by how the wording reads. For example, if the bride's parents are inviting the guests, they would not refer to the uncle of the bride as "Uncle Fred."
Middle names may be eliminated or written in full.
After addressing the wedding invitation inner envelope, insert it along with all accompanying enclosure items into the outer envelope.
Wedding invitation assembling will be covered in detail in Issue 8.
OUTER ENVELOPES
Addressing wedding invitation outer envelopes should be done WITHOUT using abbreviations with the exception of non-professional titles (Mr., Mrs., Jr., Esq., etc.). Professional titles, such as Doctor, should be spelled out.
With the exception of "One," all house numbers are written in figure form and no commas are used when separating digits in house numbers. Apartment, suite, rural route numbers and zip codes are written in figure form. If you are unsure of a ZIP code, visit the U.S. Postal Service's website, www.usps.com, where you can easily look up ZIP codes.
Do not use symbols; spell out the word "and".
Write out state names as well as the words "Street," "Boulevard", "Avenue", "Trail", etc.
When both the inner and outer envelopes have been addressed, the inner is inserted along with all accompanying enclosure items into the outer envelope. Invitation assembling will be covered in detail in Issue 8.
SAMPLE WORDINGS for when you and the groom have already eloped or are planning to be married privately and then having a reception later for family and friends.
We've Eloped!
for further details
you must attend a
Dinner celebration in our honor
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE
NAMES
Mr. and Mrs. NAMES
You don't need a ticket
or an advance reservation,
just make waves
to our wedding celebration.
BRIDE
and
GROOM
will be married on
DATE
LOCATION
Please join them for a reception
when they return
DATE at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE
For many, many more samples of wedding invitation wording,
visit our Sample Verse area.
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