Proper Addressing of Wedding Invitations
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Proper Addressing Overview

Most classic wedding invitations have an outer and inner envelope. The outer has the recipient’s street address, a return address, and postage. The inner envelope has less information and should be addressed as if you were hand delivering it. With contemporary invitations becoming more popular by the day, it is not uncommon for invitations to only include one outer envelope. You will need to read each individual product description carefully to determine whether the invitation you have selected includes both outer and inner envelopes, or outer envelopes only.

Traditional etiquette says to “abbreviate nothing, hand address everything!” Writing out “Northwest Two Hundred Nineteenth Street” is tiring and could even delay the delivery of your invitation by a day or two. The United States Post Office would rather you write “NW 219th Street” and for you to use state abbreviations (“CA” instead of “California.”). Hand addressing certainly takes a lot of time, so this may be a good opportunity to get some of your friends and family involved with helping out, IF they have nice handwriting!

MyGatsby.com also offers computerized calligraphy on certain outer envelopes in our Envelopments Mix ‘n Match series for your guest’s addresses. We can print it to perfectly match your invitation and enclosure ensemble. It is an absolutely stunning look to complete your invitation. Remember, it is the first impression your guests will have of your special day when they open their mailbox and find your invitation waiting for them. It will also save you time and prevent mistakes from happening.

The Return Address

The return address is printed on the envelope flap and should be the address of those hosting the event. If it is a wedding and the bride's parents are hosting, then it should be the bride's parents' address - names are not commonly used with a formal return address. Please note, guests who are unable to attend or who wish to send their gift before or after your wedding date will use this address to send packages.

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Courtesy of MyGatsby.com wedding invitations