There are many elements to planning your wedding invitations and one of the last steps is addressing the envelopes so they are ready to be posted or handed to your guests.
Whether you handwrite your guest addresses or names on the envelopes or have your stationer print them for you (this is a FREE inclusion for all orders placed with White Cherry Invitations), you will still need to prepare your guest list accordingly.
The planning for your envelope addressing all starts at the time you confirm your final guest list for your wedding day. This could be done as early as 8-12 months before your wedding when you are sending out your save the date cards. Save the date cards are the first formal piece of stationery that is sent to your guests about your wedding.
There are a number of different stationery items you may choose to post to your guests, such as your save the date cards, the wedding invitations themselves and then the thank you cards.
Other items you might need to consider are the invitations to your bridal shower, hens or kitchen tea or even possibly postponement announcements or change the date cards.
TIP: When asking your guests for their addresses, ask if they will be at this address for the next 12 months so you know if you will need to update your guest list along the way.
In the below examples, the different titles for different genders are mentioned, taking into account their age, marital status or professions.
Where professions such as a Doctor or Professor are used, simply replace the Mr/Ms/Mrs/Miss/Mx title with Dr or Prof. If a couple are both Doctors, then use the title Doctors.
Please also note that Mx is a title that does not indicate gender. It is used by non-binary people as well as those who do not wish to imply a gender in their titles.
Single Male
Modern: John Smith
Traditional: Mr John Smith or Mr J Smith
Single Female
Ms is generally used when their marital status is not known and Miss is used for a female who is a child or under 18.
Modern: Mary Jones
Traditional: Miss/Ms Mary Jones or Miss/Ms M Jones
Single Person with a plus one
For the envelope, only include the name of the person you know as above. On the invitation itself, this is where you can include '& Guest' after their first name.
Married couple with the same surname
Modern: John & Mary Smith
Traditional: Mr & Mrs Smith or Mr John & Mrs Mary Smith or Mr & Mrs John Smith
Married couple with different surnames
Modern: John Smith & Mary Jones
Traditional: Mr John Smith & Mrs Mary Jones
Unmarried couple with different surnames
Very similar to the above, however Ms is used instead of Mrs
Modern: John Smith & Mary Jones
Traditional: Mr John Smith & Ms Mary Jones
Family
The children's names are only to be included on the invitation.
Modern: The Smith Family or The Smiths
Traditional: Mr & Mrs Smith & Family
Family with older children
If there are children invited from a friend or family members family and they don't live at home, then the child should receive their own invitation and be treated as a single person.
Invitation & envelope guest names are different
Guest names should include at least their first and last name on the envelope. Remember guest names on the envelopes will be different to how they are on the main invitation. For example, it is Adam & Mary on the invitation, however it would be Mr & Mrs Smith on the envelope. Or Mr Adam Smith & Ms Mary Jones on the envelope.
Ask for help
Ask your parents to help gather guest names and addresses, especially from those guests who they are inviting.
Your bridesmaid & groomsmen will know a lot of the guests you are inviting, so definitely ask them to help collect addresses if you need help.
Be careful who you ask
Make sure you know exactly who you are inviting before you ask for postal addresses. The notion of asking someone for their postal address generally implies you need to send them something exciting, especially if you have recently announced on social media that you are engaged.
And in saying this, don't use social media to post a general announcement asking for everyone's addresses. People will assume they are invited, when maybe they won't be.
Check Spelling
Facebook is your friend if you need to check the spelling of someone's name but you are too embarrassed to ask.
Country not needed
Remember, you only need to include the country when you are posting the invitation to another country.
Make sure the postie can read the address
If handwritten, ensure that the address is legible
Hi Name
Our wedding plans are underway and we are excited to be sending out our invitations to our guests.
So, we can build our guest list, can you please send through your
- full names and relevant titles (Mr/Ms/Mrs/Miss/Mx)
- full postal address (including suburb & postcode)
And in case we need to contact you along the way, can you please provide your
- mobile number
- email address
Thank you in advance, and be sure to keep an eye out on the letterbox in the near future!
This should go in the top left hand corner on the front of the envelope. However, it can go on the back flap too.
This should be read as follows
If undelivered, please return to:
Kylie & Steve or Kylie Marcs & Steve Higgins
1 Address Road
Sydney NSW 2000
(Country) if posting to international guest
I hope you found this helpful as you plan to address your guest envelopes for your wedding stationery. As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me (Belinda) directly on hello@whitecherryinvitations.com.au.
Until next time
Bel x
