Your wedding invitations are formal invitations and must be written with great care. The invitations hold the power of the first impression of your wedding. So give the task its time, start early and do not rush it.

Here are some guidelines to help you with the task;

Always address persons by their correct title.  For example Mr., Miss or Mrs.

Ms. is the correct title to use when a woman’s marriage status does not need to be disclosed. Ms. is ideal when addressing a widow or a divorcee. Nicknames and abbreviations should not be used. Below is a list of courtesy titles most commonly used.

In this example the guest’s name is Kevin Borg and his wife is Mary Borg.  In some cases we use Mary’s maiden surname, Falzon, as an example of a woman who kept her maiden surname.

Inv and Env stand for Invitation and Envelope respectively.

Please Note: This information is for general guidelines only. Please consult your wedding invitations’ supplier / printer in case of difficulty.

 

Married Couple

Inv: Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Borg
Env: Mrs. K. Borg

(Whilst the above format is the correct way of addressing any invitation envelope according to proper etiquette, many persons are not used to it. You might prefer to use the more common format –
Env: Mr and Mrs. K Borg)

 

Married Couple and their Children

Inv: Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Borg and Family
Env: Mrs. K. Borg

 

Married Couple – Wife kept her maiden surname

Inv: Mr Kevin Borg and Mrs Mary Falzon
Env: Mrs. M. Falzon

 

Husband is a doctor (MD)

Inv: Doctor Kevin Borg &  Mrs. Borg
Env: Mrs. K. Borg

 

Wife is a doctor (MD)

Inv: Mr.Kevin Borg and Doctor Mary Borg
Env: Doctor Mary Borg

 

Wife is a doctor (MD) – kept maiden surname

Inv: Mr.Kevin Borg and Doctor Mary Falzon
Env: Doctor Mary Falzon

 

Husband is a Lawyer

Inv: Dr. Kevin Borg &  Mrs. Borg
Env: Mrs. K. Borg

 

Wife is a Lawyer

Inv: Mr.Kevin Borg and Dr.Mary Borg
Env: Dr. Mary Borg

 

Wife is a Lawyer – kept maiden surname

Inv: Mr.Kevin Borg and Dr.Mary Falzon BA LLD
Env: Dr. Mary Falzon

 

Married couple, both Doctors

Inv: Drs. Kevin and Mary Borg
or
Inv: Dr. Kevin Borg and Dr.Mary Borg
Env: Dr. Mary Borg

 

Married couple, both Doctors (kept maiden surname)

Inv: Drs. Kevin and Mary Borg
or
Inv: Dr. Kevin Borg and Dr. Mary Falzon
Env: Dr. Mary Falzon

 

Husband is a Judge

Inv: The Hon. Mr. Justice Kevin Borg & Mrs. Borg
Env: Mrs. K Borg  (Mrs. M. Falzon if she kept her maiden surname)

 

Husband is a Lieutenant

Inv: Lieutenant Kevin Borg and Mrs. Borg
or
Inv: Lieutenant and Mrs. Kevin Borg

Env: Mrs. K. Borg (Mrs. Mary Falzon if she kept her maiden surname)

 

Wife is a Lieutenant

Inv: Mr. Kevin Borg and Lieutenant Mary Borg
Env: Lieutenant Mary Borg (Lieutenant Mary Falzon if she kept her maiden surname)

 

Husband is a Major

Inv: Major Kevin Borg and Mrs. Borg
or
Inv: Major and Mrs. Kevin Borg
Env: Mrs. Kevin Borg (Mrs. Mary Falzon if she kept her maiden surname)

 

Wife is a Major

Inv: Mr. Kevin Borg and Mayor Mary Borg
Env: Mayor Mary Borg (Mayor Mary Falzon if she kept her maiden surname)

 

Unmarried couple living together

Inv: Miss Mary Falzon, Mr. Kevin Borg
Env: Miss Mary Falzon

 

Divorced female (kept maiden surname)

Inv: Ms. Mary Borg
Env: Ms. Mary Borg

 

Divorced female (reclaimed maiden surname)

Inv: Ms. Mary Falzon
Env: Ms. Mary Falzon

 

Woman is a widow

Inv: Mrs. Mary Borg
Env: Mrs. Mary Borg

 

Unmarried female (and boyfriend/guest)

Inv: Miss Mary Falzon
or
Inv: Miss Mary Falzon and boyfriend
or
Inv: Miss Mary Falzon and guest

Env: Miss Mary Falzon

 

Sisters living together

Inv: Ms. Mary Falzon and Ms. Anna Falzon
Env: Misses Mary and Anna Falzon (use ‘Messrs’ instead of ‘Misses’ for males)

 

Sisters living together, one is a widow

Inv: Mrs Mary Borg and Ms Anna Falzon
Env: Misses Mary and Anna Falzon

 

Friends living together

Inv: Miss Mary Borg and Miss Anna Falzon
Env: Misses Mary and Anna Falzon (use ‘Messrs’ instead of ‘Misses’ for males)

 

Clergy male

Inv: Fr. Kevin Borg
Env: The Rev. Kevin Borg

 

Teenage girl under 18 years

Inv: Mary Falzon or Miss Mary Falzon
Env: Miss Mary Falzon

 

Teenage boy under 18 years

Inv: Kevin Borg or Master Kevin Borg
Env: Master Kevin Borg

 

‘Children’ over 18 years:

Inv: Mr. Kevin Borg (or Miss Mary Falzon)
Env: Mr. Kevin Borg (or Miss Mary Falzon)
(a separate invitation should be sent to children over 18 years old even if they still live with their parents)

---