How to Address an Envelope for 8 Different Cases and Occasions

With instant communication through text, email, and phone, it can be easy to forget how to address an envelope — especially if the letter writer hasn’t addressed one in a while. While handwritten notes may seem outdated, they still carry the charm and a personal touch that a text message just can’t recreate.

Addressing an envelope is a small but important piece of etiquette when sending letters, announcements, or invitations. Knowing the difference between formal and informal and how to address an envelope for married versus unmarried couples can help prevent a potentially embarrassing situation and show courtesy to the receiver.

This article will show how to address an envelope depending on different occasions and recipients.

The Basic Elements to Include in a U.S. Mailing Address

A complete address for someone in the United States includes the recipient’s name, house number, street, apartment number if applicable, city, state, and ZIP code. Follow this format:

Mr. Robert Smith
1234 Main St., #56
City, State, ZIP code

Write the recipient’s name first. If it’s a personal, informal letter to a friend, just the first and last name is acceptable. When addressing formal correspondence, though, include titles like “Mr.” and “Mrs.” There might even be times when it’s appropriate to include titles for both formal and informal correspondences. When the recipient is a doctor, judge, military officer, or clergy member, use their titles. When in doubt, it’s never a bad idea to include titles when addressing an envelope.

Under the recipient’s name, include the full address. This includes the street number, street name, and apartment or suite number. Double-check for any transposed numbers, as this can delay delivery, or the recipient may never receive the letter at all.

Place the city, state, and ZIP code below the physical address. If unsure of the ZIP code, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has a helpful lookup tool. Search by address or city and state.

Now that this article has covered how to write an address on an envelope, let’s go over some different cases and how to address an envelope for each occasion.

How to Address an Envelope for 8 Different Cases and Occasions

People send letters, invitations, and other types of correspondence for a variety of reasons. Knowing how to fill out an envelope for specific occasions can help avoid committing an unfortunate letter-writing faux pas.

The next section covers some scenarios and how to fill out an envelope for each situation.

Addressing Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations are a longstanding tradition. In most cases, though, wedding invitations are treated as formal correspondence. So, when addressing recipients, use their full names rather than nicknames and avoid abbreviations, such as a middle initial or “St.” in place of “Street.”

When addressing an envelope for wedding invitations, there are rules of etiquette to keep in mind. Are the recipients a married couple, a widow, a divorced woman, or a family with children? Here are some common situations when addressing wedding invitations:

Addressing a couple

While it seems relatively simple, letter writers may have uncertainty about addressing an envelope for married, unmarried, or same-gender couples. Married couples who use their partner’s last name may appear like this.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith
Or
Ms. Julie and Ms. Stephanie Hughes
Or
Mr. and Mr. Eric Moore 

Not all couples share the same last name, though. In this instance, write out each person’s full name and include their title.

Mr. Robert Smith and Mrs. Annie Jones
Or
Ms. Madelyn Stowe and Ms. Ashley Wright 

For unmarried and same-gender couples, address the recipient similarly as above. It’s common to list the person known well first.

Miss Claire Roberts and Mr. Joel Williams
or
Miss Olivia McNeil and Miss Audry Lewis 

Addressing a widow

Traditionally, when addressing a widow, use “Mrs.” followed by the partner’s first and last name. However, it’s also appropriate to just use their first and last name.

Mrs. Robert Smith
or
Mrs. Annabelle Smith 

Addressing a divorced woman

The title “Ms.” is most commonly used when addressing a divorced woman. Include their first name and preferred last name — a maiden or married name.

Ms. Julia Rogers

Addressing a family with children

When inviting the entire family, including the children’s first names below the parents’ names. 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith
Marilyn, Emma, and Jack

Addressing Formal Business Invitations

Organizations host several events throughout the year. These may include black-tie functions, luncheons, and promotion or retirement celebrations.

Formal business invitations follow much of the same rules as wedding invitations. Spell out all names and avoid abbreviations. Be sure to use proper titles when filling out the envelope, and follow the rules previously mentioned for writing out names.

Addressing a Married Couple

Addressing a married couple depends on the type of correspondence. For formal letters and invitations, include titles and the partner’s first and last name. For informal occasions, such as holiday greeting cards, just the recipient names are appropriate.

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Green
or
Harold and Christy Green 

Addressing an Unmarried Couple at the Same Address

When in doubt, go the formal route. For personal letters and greetings, use their first and last name with or without titles.

                              Mr. Joel Hall and Miss Mary Spencer
or
Joel Hall and Mary Spencer

Addressing a Family

When addressing a family for personal correspondence, there are several ways to go about it. When in doubt, always resort to the formal style.

The Robert Smith Family
or
The Smith Family
or
The Smith’s 

Addressing Overseas Military Personnel

Addressing military personnel stationed overseas requires specific addressing standards to help ensure it arrives at the correct address.

Include the military title and the recipient’s first and last name. Below the name, place the unit and box number. The third and last line includes APO (Air/Army Post Office), the two-letter state code (AA, AE, or AP), and ZIP code. It’s important to follow these guidelines; otherwise, the correspondence may end up in the country’s mail system.

Sgt. Robert Smith
Unit 1234 Box 567
APO AE 12345

Addressing a Nonbinary Person or Couple

When addressing envelopes for formal occasions, it might be unclear how to address a nonbinary person or couple. Nonbinary or gender-fluid persons commonly refer to themselves as “they” and “them.” Use the title “Mx.” when addressing a formal correspondence.

For couples, write their names alphabetically. This creates a sense of equality with less focus on the male-centric tradition of being listed first.

Be thoughtful when using “Mx.” That is, use it in the appropriate circumstances. It can be helpful to ask guests which pronouns they prefer. For those who choose “they” or “them,” “Mx.” can be an appropriate choice.

Mx. Alex Humble
or
Mx. Alex Humble and Mr. Avery Morgan

If asking guests which pronoun is preferred seems intrusive, go a more informal route and avoid adding titles to the recipient names.

Addressing a Same-Sex Couple

Addressing personal letters is fairly straightforward. But for formal announcements and invitations, apply the rules of etiquette.

If married, include both names and titles on the same line separated by the word “and.” It may look like this:

Mrs. Claire Wood and Mrs. Natalie Jones

If unmarried, write each name on a separate line like this:

Miss Claire Wood
Miss Natalie Jones

How to Print on an Envelope

Rather than handwriting, many opt for printing addresses on envelopes. This can add a professional or sophisticated look to the envelope.

To print on an envelope, a program like Microsoft Word might be needed. Simply choose an envelope template and appropriate size. Load the envelopes into the printer and print.

What Size Envelope to Use

The size of the envelope depends on what’s intended to be mailed. The contents should fit snugly inside but with enough room to easily fill and remove. For example, a 5 x 7 envelope is good for invitations or even announcements.

There are a wide variety of special occasion envelopes. When choosing the size and shape, consider the occasion and additional postage fees for specialty envelopes from basic white to stylish square styles.

Make Sure the Envelope Goes With the Occasion

People send letters, invitations, and other types of correspondence for a variety of reasons. Knowing how to fill out an envelope for specific occasions can help avoid committing an unfortunate letter-writing faux pas.

The next section covers some scenarios and how to fill out an envelope for each situation.

Addressing Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations are a longstanding tradition. In most cases, though, wedding invitations are treated as formal correspondence. So, when addressing recipients, use their full names rather than nicknames and avoid abbreviations, such as a middle initial or “St.” in place of “Street.”

When addressing an envelope for wedding invitations, there are rules of etiquette to keep in mind. Are the recipients a married couple, a widow, a divorced woman, or a family with children? Here are some common situations when addressing wedding invitations:

Addressing a couple

While it seems relatively simple, letter writers may have uncertainty about addressing an envelope for married, unmarried, or same-gender couples. Married couples who use their partner’s last name may appear like this.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith
Or
Ms. Julie and Ms. Stephanie Hughes
Or
Mr. and Mr. Eric Moore 

Not all couples share the same last name, though. In this instance, write out each person’s full name and include their title.

Mr. Robert Smith and Mrs. Annie Jones
Or
Ms. Madelyn Stowe and Ms. Ashley Wright 

For unmarried and same-gender couples, address the recipient similarly as above. It’s common to list the person known well first.

Miss Claire Roberts and Mr. Joel Williams
or
Miss Olivia McNeil and Miss Audry Lewis 

Addressing a widow

Traditionally, when addressing a widow, use “Mrs.” followed by the partner’s first and last name. However, it’s also appropriate to just use their first and last name.

Mrs. Robert Smith
or
Mrs. Annabelle Smith 

Addressing a divorced woman

The title “Ms.” is most commonly used when addressing a divorced woman. Include their first name and preferred last name — a maiden or married name.

Ms. Julia Rogers

Addressing a family with children

When inviting the entire family, including the children’s first names below the parents’ names. 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith
Marilyn, Emma, and Jack

Addressing Formal Business Invitations

Organizations host several events throughout the year. These may include black-tie functions, luncheons, and promotion or retirement celebrations.

Formal business invitations follow much of the same rules as wedding invitations. Spell out all names and avoid abbreviations. Be sure to use proper titles when filling out the envelope, and follow the rules previously mentioned for writing out names.

Addressing a Married Couple

Addressing a married couple depends on the type of correspondence. For formal letters and invitations, include titles and the partner’s first and last name. For informal occasions, such as holiday greeting cards, just the recipient names are appropriate.

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Green
or
Harold and Christy Green 

Addressing an Unmarried Couple at the Same Address

When in doubt, go the formal route. For personal letters and greetings, use their first and last name with or without titles.

                              Mr. Joel Hall and Miss Mary Spencer
or
Joel Hall and Mary Spencer

Addressing a Family

When addressing a family for personal correspondence, there are several ways to go about it. When in doubt, always resort to the formal style.

The Robert Smith Family
or
The Smith Family
or
The Smith’s 

Addressing Overseas Military Personnel

Addressing military personnel stationed overseas requires specific addressing standards to help ensure it arrives at the correct address.

Include the military title and the recipient’s first and last name. Below the name, place the unit and box number. The third and last line includes APO (Air/Army Post Office), the two-letter state code (AA, AE, or AP), and ZIP code. It’s important to follow these guidelines; otherwise, the correspondence may end up in the country’s mail system.

Sgt. Robert Smith
Unit 1234 Box 567
APO AE 12345

Addressing a Nonbinary Person or Couple

When addressing envelopes for formal occasions, it might be unclear how to address a nonbinary person or couple. Nonbinary or gender-fluid persons commonly refer to themselves as “they” and “them.” Use the title “Mx.” when addressing a formal correspondence.

For couples, write their names alphabetically. This creates a sense of equality with less focus on the male-centric tradition of being listed first.

Be thoughtful when using “Mx.” That is, use it in the appropriate circumstances. It can be helpful to ask guests which pronouns they prefer. For those who choose “they” or “them,” “Mx.” can be an appropriate choice.

Mx. Alex Humble
or
Mx. Alex Humble and Mr. Avery Morgan

If asking guests which pronoun is preferred seems intrusive, go a more informal route and avoid adding titles to the recipient names.

Addressing a Same-Sex Couple

Addressing personal letters is fairly straightforward. But for formal announcements and invitations, apply the rules of etiquette.

If married, include both names and titles on the same line separated by the word “and.” It may look like this:

Mrs. Claire Wood and Mrs. Natalie Jones

If unmarried, write each name on a separate line like this:

Miss Claire Wood
Miss Natalie Jones

How to Print on an Envelope

Rather than handwriting, many opt for printing addresses on envelopes. This can add a professional or sophisticated look to the envelope.

To print on an envelope, a program like Microsoft Word might be needed. Simply choose an envelope template and appropriate size. Load the envelopes into the printer and print.

What Size Envelope to Use

The size of the envelope depends on what’s intended to be mailed. The contents should fit snugly inside but with enough room to easily fill and remove. For example, a 5 x 7 envelope is good for invitations or even announcements.

There are a wide variety of special occasion envelopes. When choosing the size and shape, consider the occasion and additional postage fees for specialty envelopes from basic white to stylish square styles.

Make Sure the Envelope Goes With the Occasion

When sending correspondences — whether a thank-you note, a personal greeting, or a wedding invitation — consider the occasion when choosing the envelope style. From manilla envelopes and padded envelopes to letter envelopes and even green envelopes, make a statement by using the right envelope for the right occasion.