In the old days, addressing a wedding invitation to a couple was fairly straightforward. You put the full name of the man preceded by “Mr. and Mrs.” as in “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.” While this format still works with certain couples, it does not address all the variations in living arrangements available today. The following are the best wedding ideas for addressing modern invitations.
For couples with the same last name, the name of the woman goes first. The same is true for couples with different last names. However, to indicate they are in a committed relationship, put both their names on the same line. Titles are optional. The following are some examples:
- Mary and Daniel Chin
- Ms. Mary Roberts and Mr. Daniel Chin
- Mrs. Anita Cortes and Dr. Howard Benton
For same-sex couples, names are alphabetized by last name. If they have the same last name, then names are alphabetized by first name. Titles are also optional. The following are some examples:
- Lisa Gelman and Cheryl Wellington
- Andrew Valdez-Carr and Tom Valdez-Carr
- Mrs. Donna Harris and Mrs. Barbara Lee
People who are NOT in a committed relationship, such as siblings or roommates, have their names on separate lines. The previously mentioned rules for order apply. For example, Arthur and Linda are brother and sister who have a roommate named Terrell. Because they all share a house, one invitation is addressed to all of them.
- Linda Petrie
- Terrell Gertson
- Arthur Petrie
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