Hi, I searched the posts for answers to my questions but didn't find them, so I apologize if this has already been answered. I've typed below what I think is the correct way to formally address invitation envelopes (only an outer envelope, no inner):
1. married couple where wife is doctor: Mr. John and Doctor Jane Smith?
2. married couple where husband is doctor: Doctor John and Mrs. Jane Smith?
3. Both are doctors but have different last names: Doctors John Smith and Jane Doe?
4. Both are doctors (dentists) but wife has hyphenated last name: Doctors John Smith and Jane Doe-Smith?
5. Couple is unmarried, live in different addresses/different cities: can we just send one invitation to the person we are closer with and address it to both (as if they lived together)?
6. Same sex couple that does not live together: Same answer as #5, I assume? Which would also be the same addressing for same sex couples that live together?
7. If we want to be modern and formal, is it correct or incorrect to say Mr. John and Mrs. Jane Smith?
Please let me know what you think....thanks very much!!!!
One through four are fine. Good job. You would want to send an invitation to both members of the couple on number five because they live at different addresses, unless one is your friend and the other is not. Same answer for number six. If they lived together, you would write one name on top of the other listed alphabetically. Number seven is fine. Good thinking.
Last question--with the married couple, the man's name goes first. It comes from the Mr. and Mrs. format. If you are addressing people who are not married, such as brothers and sisters, you list the names alphabetically.
Rebecca, thanks so much for your reply! Can you just confirm one thing - in the married couple, wife-kept-maiden-name scenario, would it be Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Jane Doe or Mr. John Smith and Ms. Jane Doe?
Invitation addressing
