Welcome to the ListLovely Wedding Invitation Etiquette Guide! This comprehensive resource is designed to help you navigate the nuances of addressing your wedding invitations with grace and precision. We lay out examples for every description of guest(s) and show you how to properly format each instance, covering a range of preferences from casual to formal.
While this guide offers detailed instructions, you might also appreciate our automated invitation formatting tool, designed to simplify this process for you.
We are always looking to improve and expand ListLovely! If you notice any scenarios we haven't covered, spot an error, or have suggestions for new rules, conditions, or features for our tool, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@listlovely.com. Furthermore, if you'd prefer a hands-off approach and would like your entire guest list formatted, please let us know here.
This guide focuses on traditional two-envelope invitations (Outer and Inner). If you choose to use a single envelope, the Outer envelope formatting guidelines are generally recommended. Each example begins with the most formal approach, assuming all guest information (titles, full names, suffixes) is available, followed by more contemporary options.
Married Couple - Same Last Name
Primary Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Partner Title : Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Smith
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Alan Smith, junior
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith
Casual: Mr. Michael and Mrs. Jennifer Smith
Inner Envelope
Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Smith
If you are very close with the couple:
Casual: Michael and Jennifer
Married Couple - Different Last Names
Primary Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Partner Title : Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Miller
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
Formal: Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior and Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Miller
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
More Casual: Mr. Michael Smith and Mrs. Jennifer Miller
Most Casual: Michael Smith and Jennifer Miller
Inner Envelope
Formal: Mr. Smith and Mrs. Miller
If you are very close with the couple:
Casual: Michael and Jennifer
Unmarried Couple
Notes: The primary difference with this descriptor is that the partners should be split out on a separate line in certain instances.
Primary Title : Miss Jennifer Lynn Miller
Partner Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
More Formal:
Line 1: Miss Jennifer Lynn Miller
Line 2: Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
Line 1: Miss Jennifer Miller
Line 2: Mr. Michael Smith
Alternatively, you can list both names on one line:
More Casual: Miss Jennifer Miller and Mr. Michael Smith
Most Casual: Jennifer Miller and Michael Smith
Inner Envelope
More Formal:
Line 1: Miss Miller
Line 2: Mr. Smith
If you are very close with the couple:
More Casual: Jennifer and Michael
Single Guest (Without a Plus One)
Primary Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
Formal: Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
Casual: Mr. Michael Smith
Inner Envelope
Formal: Mr. Smith
Casual: Michael
Single Guest (With a Plus One)
Primary Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
Formal: Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior and guest
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
Casual: Mr. Michael Smith and guest
Inner Envelope
Formal: Mr. Smith and guest
Casual: Michael and guest
Family
Primary Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Partner Title : Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Smith
Children: James, Mary, Anna
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Alan Smith, junior
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith
If the whole family is invited, you may also address just using the last name:
Casual: The Smith Family
Inner Envelope
More Formal:
Line 1: Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Line 2: James, Mary, and Anna
More Casual:
Line 1: Michael and Jennifer
Line 2: James, Mary, and Anna
Distinguished Titles
Medical Doctor (one) - Same Last Names
(Married Couple where one person is a doctor)
Primary Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Partner Title : Dr. Jennifer Lynn Smith
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
More Formal: Doctor Jennifer Lynn Smith and Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
More Formal: Doctor Jennifer Smith and Mr. Michael Smith
Most Casual: Dr. Jennifer and Mr. Michael Smith
Inner Envelope
Formal: Doctor and Mr. Smith
If you are very close with the couple:
Casual: Jennifer and Michael
Medical Doctor (both) - Same Last Names
(Married Couple where both people are doctors)
Primary Title : Dr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Partner Title : Dr. Jennifer Lynn Smith
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
More Formal: Doctor Michael Alan Smith, junior and Doctor Jennifer Lynn Smith
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
More Formal: Doctor Michael Smith and Doctor Jennifer Smith
More Casual: Dr. Michael Smith and Dr. Jennifer Smith
Inner Envelope
Standard: The Doctors Smith
Medical Doctor (one) - Different Last Names
Primary Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
Partner Title : Dr. Jennifer Lynn Miller
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
More Formal: Doctor Jennifer Lynn Miller and Mr. Michael Alan Smith, junior
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
More Casual: Dr. Jennifer Miller and Mr. Michael Smith
Inner Envelope
Formal: Doctor Miller and Mr. Smith
If you are very close with the couple:
Casual: Jennifer and Michael
Lawyer (one) - Same Last Names
(Married Couple where one person is a lawyer)
Primary Title : Mr. Michael Alan Smith, Esquire
Partner Title : Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Smith
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
More Formal: Michael Alan Smith, Esquire and Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Smith
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
More Casual: Michael Smith, Esquire and Mrs. Jennifer Smith
Inner Envelope
More Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Smith
If you are very close with the couple:
More Casual: Michael and Jennifer
Lawyers (both) - Same Last Names
(Married Couple where both people are lawyers)
Primary Title : Michael Alan Smith, junior, Esquire
Partner Title : Jennifer Lynn Smith, Esquire
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
More Formal: Michael Alan Smith, junior, Esquire and Jennifer Lynn Smith, Esquire
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
More Casual: Michael Smith, Esquire and Jennifer Smith, Esquire
Inner Envelope
More Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Smith
If you are very close with the couple:
More Casual: Michael and Jennifer
Judge (one) - Same Last Names
(Married Couple where one person is a judge)
Primary Title : Judge Michael Alan Smith, junior
Partner Title : Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Smith
Outer Envelope (or if using only One Envelope)
More Formal: The Honorable and Mrs. Michael Alan Smith, junior
If you would rather not display full names with suffixes:
More Casual: The Honorable Michael Smith and Mrs. Jennifer Smith
Inner Envelope
Standard: Judge and Mrs. Smith
Other Miscellaneous
For a guest that is a priest, the title “Father” should precede their full name.
Only spell out “Doctor” for a medical doctor. For non-medical doctors, always use the abbreviated “Dr.”