Nimanto

Guide

How to address wedding invitations

By Nimanto · · 5 min read

The short answer

Address a wedding invitation to the people you are inviting, by name, in the form they use themselves. A married couple shares one line, an unmarried couple gets a line each, children are named under their parents, and a single guest with a plus-one is told so on the invitation. A digital invitation addresses each guest by their personal link.

The rule behind every address line

Whoever is named is invited, and nobody else. That is why addressing matters more than any other line: it is how guests learn whether their children or partner are included. Use the names people go by, spell them the way they spell them, and give each household its own invitation.

Before you write a single address, settle the guest list by household: who is invited, whether children are, and who gets a plus-one. The address line then simply states that decision.

Titles are optional today. A formal, traditional wedding uses Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr. and the rest; a relaxed wedding uses first and last names. Pick one style and keep it for every guest.

On a digital invitation the address is the personal link: each guest opens an invitation that greets them by name and lists exactly who in their household is invited. Nimanto makes one per household, so the question of who is included is answered before the guest asks. How personal links work.

How to address a married couple

A married couple who share a surname go on one line: Mr. and Mrs. James Carter, or, more usually now, James and Priya Carter. A couple with different surnames are named in full on the same line, joined by "and". Either name may come first; put the person you know better first.

Mr. and Mrs. James Carter

James and Priya Carter

Ms. Priya Reddy and Mr. James Carter

If one partner holds a title they use socially, such as Dr., put that person first: Dr. Priya Reddy and Mr. James Carter. Two doctors are The Doctors Carter, or Drs. Priya and James Carter.

How to address an unmarried couple

An unmarried couple who live together are named on one invitation, each in full, on separate lines or joined by "and". Do not write "and guest" for a partner whose name you know: naming them says you see them as part of the household.

Ms. Aisha Khan

Mr. Daniel Moore

Aisha Khan and Daniel Moore

A couple who live apart may each get their own invitation, both naming the other as their guest, or one invitation if that is simpler. Either is correct; the point is that both people are named somewhere.

How to address a family with children

Name the parents on the first line and the children on the next, oldest first, by first name only. Children over eighteen who live at home traditionally get their own invitation. If children are not invited, name only the parents; the absence says it, and the FAQ on this page has a gentle line to add.

Mr. and Mrs. David Bennett

Lily and Max

"The Bennett Family" is the relaxed form and invites everyone under that roof, so use it only when you mean every child.

On a digital invitation, list the children under the parents in the household's personal link, and the reply card then asks how many of those named are coming. Plus-ones and children on invitations.

How to address a single guest, with or without a plus-one

A single guest is named in full. If they may bring someone, add "and Guest" after their name, or, if you know the person's name, use it instead. If they may not, name only them; a plus-one is never implied.

Ms. Elena Rossi and Guest

Ms. Elena Rossi

Address a widow by her own name (Mrs. Margaret Hale, or Margaret Hale), not her late husband's, unless she has told you she prefers the older form.

A guest whose pronouns or title you are unsure of gets their full name with no title. That is always correct and never a slight.

Indian and South Asian wedding invitations

An Indian wedding invitation is often addressed to the whole family ("Sharma Parivar", "The Reddy family") and honours elders by name with "ji" or "garu" where the family uses it. A separate line, "with family", invites the household. Name the eldest first, then the rest.

Shri Ramesh and Smt. Lakshmi Sharma ji, with family

Reddy garu and family

Where guests are invited to some functions and not others, say which: the personal link on Nimanto lists only the functions each household is invited to, so the haldi stays small without a word of explanation. Writing an Indian wedding invitation.

Outer and inner envelopes, and what digital invitations do instead

Printed invitations traditionally carry two addresses: the outer envelope with the formal names and postal address, the inner envelope with the family names of everyone invited, down to the children. A digital invitation collapses both into one personal link that greets the household by name.

If you are printing, return addresses go on the back flap of the outer envelope, and hand-written or calligraphed names are a courtesy, not a rule.

If you are sending on WhatsApp or by text, the message that carries the link is the outer envelope: a line with the guest's name, then the link. Sending invitations on WhatsApp.

Questions people ask

How do I address an invitation when children are not invited?

Name only the adults, on both the envelope and the personal link, and add one line near the reply card: "We have reserved two seats in your honour" or "We ask that this be an adults-only celebration". Guests understand the first; the second leaves no room for doubt. Never write "no children" on the address itself.

Should I write "and guest" or the partner's name?

Use the name whenever you know it. "And guest" is for a single guest who may bring anyone. If you learn a partner's name after sending, a digital invitation lets you add it to the household link without a reprint.

How do I address an invitation to a doctor or a judge?

Put the title holder first: Dr. Sarah Bennett and Mr. David Bennett. Two doctors are The Doctors Bennett or Drs. Sarah and David Bennett. A judge is The Honourable Rachel Stone and Mr. Michael Stone. Military rank goes in place of the title in the same way.

How do you address a digital wedding invitation?

By making one link per household. The guest opens an invitation with their names on it and the reply card lists only the people invited under their roof. The message that carries the link is the envelope: a line with the guest's name and the link under it.

What if I do not know a guest's partner's or children's names?

Ask. A quick message to the guest, or to a mutual friend, is far better than a wrong name on a wedding invitation. If you cannot find out in time, name the guest and "and family" for a household, or "and guest" for a partner.