Formatting & Etiquette


Envelope Addressing

In order to address your envelopes, I need your list to be formatted in a specific way to minimize mistakes. If your list is submitted without adhering to the following format, it will be returned to you for reformatting. The estimated time of completion begins once your list is properly formatted and approved. I can format your list for you for an additional fee of $125+.

Please have your list in a Word or Pages document without borders or columns. Each address should have line breaks exactly how you would write it on an envelope.
Please have all abbreviations spelled out fully if that is how you wish for it to be written.
Many envelopes may not fit more than 3 or 4 lines of text and will be adjusted as I see best if your formatting preference doesn’t fit.

If you have specific etiquette questions, please let me know.

 

Format and Spelling Examples:

Mr. & Mrs. Fabian Grant
and Family
810 West Broad Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102


Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo Arley
Abigail, Hailey, and Benjamin
Three Mulholland Drive
Bethesda, MD
20894


Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Turner
Nine South Gerard Avenue
Apartment Seven
Philadelphia, PA 19110 


Mr. Trent Reznor and guest
8321 Beaumont Ave., Apt 3
Los Angeles, California 93822


Mssrs. Christoper and Thomas Radnor
32 Naples Drive
Rochester New York
14602


Etiquette Tips

  1. Formal invitations have words written out fully — i.e., names, states, street types (boulevard)

  2. If your invitations lean casual, you can address them more casually if you like, but formal invitations should be most formally addressed (see above)

  3. Spelling out the guests’ full name or using a nickname (i.e., Abigail vs. Abbey) is a personal choice but should be consistent throughout your list

  4. Street numbers 1-10 should be written out but 10+ can be in digit format

  5. If you know the name of the guest, use their name instead of "& Guest" wherever possible

  6. Guests over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation, even if they live at home

  7. Omit names of children altogether if you are planning an adult-only reception

  8. “and Family” may appear on an outer invitation envelope but not the inner (if used), where each persons’ name is written instead

  9. Commas come before suffixes like Jr. but not before roman numerals

  10. To include both married couples’ first names on the invitation, write “Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Joyce Smith” or omit all honorifics entirely, “John and Joyce Smith."


Honorific Tips

Mr. = Male/Male-identifying, married or single
Mrs. = Female/Female-identifying, married
Ms. = Female/Female-identifying, single or unsure of marital/relationship status
Miss. = Female/Female-identifying, under 18
Mx. = Gender neutral, any age or status

For same sex married couples with the same last names, I suggest using “Mssrs.” or “Mrs.” — i.e., Mrs. Sandra and Dalyana Smith

If you’re unsure of the guests’ preferred pronouns, you can always omit the honorific altogether or use “Mx.”

"Ms." is not used with a husband's name

Ms or Ms. is both appropriate, with or without period


Seating Chart Tips

A Seating Chart is typically a large display, like on a piece of acrylic or mirror. Depending on how many guests you have, there’s two main sorting choices to make… but they may or may not work for your guest list.

  1. List guests by PARTY or by PERSON

    By Party — Most common! This option saves sign space and costs less // “Mr. and Mrs. Sam Smith” uses up only one line of space (right, mirror)

    By Person — this option uses more sign space // splitting into “Mr. Sam Smith” and “Mrs. Samantha Smith” takes up two lines on your seating chart

  2. Sort guests Alphabetically or By Table

    For guest lists over 100 parties or people, I recommend listing everyone Alphabetically (right, mirror). This prevents a crowd of people struggling to find their name in a dimly lit room!

    For smaller weddings, feel free to group your seating chart by Table (right, painted acrylic) if that’s what you like best. We will always assume your guest list is to be listed Alphabetically unless otherwise indicated.

  3. Adding Florals, Headers, etc.

    Make sure we know to account for additional space to add headers or any special decorative elements you have in mind, especially if we are providing the material.