Follow these etiquette tips to create the perfect list for your next event!

A typed, alphabetical and/or numbered list is requested. Please make sure your lettering is large enough for clarity.

The ideal list, to avoid confusion, has one column down each page in this order:

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Green

120 Northwest First Avenue

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304

Words that are spelled out entirely help a great deal in centering on the envelope.

Make sure all names are preceded by Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, Master or their appropriate title.

The person with the title should always appear first:

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Green

Dr. Carin Green and Mr. Thomas Green

Married doctors will be either:

Dr. Carin Green and Dr. Thomas Green

The Doctors Green

Married couples with different last names will appear on one line, if room allows, and will always be joined by “and”.

Couples not married will appear on two separate lines without “and”.  They may be listed one of three ways:

The closer friend first

The female first

Names alphabetically

Please make it obvious who the children are on the list.  The term “and Family” is not proper.  Children are listed by age, oldest first.  Children over 16 should get their own invitation.  Young girls are “Miss”.  Boys under 13 are “Master, over 13, “Mr.”.  Girls who follow each other by age will be:

Misses Samantha and Eden Green

Boys will be either:

Masters John and David Green

Messrs. Steven and Brian Green

Children of different sexes mixed up by age are best done:

Samantha, John and Eden Green

If your list is printed in all capital letters, please make it clear which letters should be lower case, e.g. MACDONALD might be MacDonald or Macdonald.  Names like DELANO could also be DeLano.

Make spaces obvious, for example, Maryann or Mary Ann?

It is greatly appreciated if foreign or unusual names are clear.  Add precise accent marks where applicable.

If you use abbreviations, make them clear, for example is Cr. Short for “Circle” or “Court”?

Apartment numbers can sometimes be confused with streets, for example one address might be 14 C Lake Avenue, and another 15 E Park Place.  Is the second one Apt. 15 E or is it 15 East Park Place?

Middle initials should not be used.  If you do not know what the middle initial stands for, just leave it out altogether.

Be very clear (if you are having inner envelopes lettered) as to what the last name is, for example Mr. John Van Root. Is the middle name “Van” or is his last name “Van Root”?

The term “and Guest” or “ and Escort” is proper.  However, it is more respectful if you can find out the name of the guest.

When using the title “Honorable” and spouse, it will be lettered:

The Honorable James Jones and Mrs. Jones

The Honorable Agnes Jones and Mr. Jones

When you have an inner envelope and it is lettered for an “Honorable” guest, please specify why he or she has that title.  The inner envelope would then read, for example Judge and Mrs. Jones.

Women widowed within the past two or three years should be:

Mrs. James Jones

Beyond that time she may prefer to start using:

Mrs. (or Ms.) Jane Jones

Please check your list for errors.  If possible, have the list proofread by someone else.

Keep a copy of the list for yourself.