You’re getting married! First of all, congratulations! If we could guess, you’re browsing through Save the Date designs and wedding invitations as we speak. Once you’ve landed on your favorite designs, though, the next step is to address them! So naturally, now’s a pretty good time to learn how to correctly use formal titles when addressing your wedding stationery.
In today’s post, we’re here to deliver a useful guide on the different titles needed for formal addressing, what they mean, and when to use them. While it may seem a little daunting at first, we can assure you that once you’ve learned the basics, you’ll remember this forever! This skill will come in handy for any other formal letters or invitations you need to send out in the future, too. Alright, let’s get started!
Miss vs Ms vs Mrs
You’re probably already aware that there are 3 different types of titles used to address those who identify as women. Trying to tell the difference between them can be a little confusing at first! Don’t worry, though. If you take a look at our guide below, we’ll explain.
Miss
This title is used to address those who identify as women who are not married.
Ms.
This title can be used to address anyone who identifies as a woman, whether they are married or unmarried. It’s also appropriate to use if you might be unsure of someone’s marital status.
Mrs.
This title is used to address those who identify as women who are currently married, or who were married before, i.e. those who are widowed or divorced.
Gender-Neutral Terms
Another important title to learn is a suitable gender-neutral term you can use for any non-binary guests, those who use they/them pronouns, or simply for anyone who prefers to be addressed by a nongendered title. The most popular gender-neutral title is ‘Mx.’, which has been used as an alternative to gendered honorifics since the 1970s. It’s good to keep an alternate title like this in mind to always remain as inclusive as possible.
Other Important Titles to Remember
We’ve covered the true basics, but there may be a few more formal titles worth learning for any guests that may be judges, doctors, or military personnel, as these professions entail a special honorific title. We’ll quickly dive into these below, so you’ll be prepared for it all!
Judges
If the guest is a judge, it’s proper etiquette to address them as ‘The Honorable [Full Name]’ when writing your invitations.
Doctors
If your guest is a medical doctor or has obtained a non-medical doctorate such as a Ph.D, you should address them as ‘Doctor [Full Name].’
Military Personnel
For any guests who are military personnel, take some extra time to ensure that you’re using the correct titles, such as ‘Lieutenant Colonel [Full Name]’ or ‘Captain [Full Name],’ as these can vastly differ in rankings and meanings in the military system.
Zazzle’s Guest Addressing Service
Once you’ve gotten familiar with the titles you might need to use when sending out your wedding stationery, the next step is to finally address your envelopes! If you’d prefer to write the names and addresses of your recipients the old-fashioned way, go for it! Sometimes, there’s nothing as satisfying as putting pen to paper.
However, if you’d prefer to have that process taken care of in a fast and efficient way, we’ve got you covered! Our guest addressing service can help you save hours of time, and probably some smudged ink or those annoying hand cramps. Simply give us the names and addresses you need, and we’ll print them clearly and beautifully on your envelope order before shipping it out! This easy-to-use service is highly recommended for any stressed-out wedding planners, as it offers you a little moment to breathe during an otherwise pretty time-consuming process. We know the sheer (and often overwhelming) amount of admin work pulling off a wedding can take, so that’s why we created this awesome service.
Zazzle Connections
Plus, with our newest feature, Zazzle Connections, you can save addresses on your account for future use, making addressing even easier. If you’d like to find out more, click here!
And with that, you’ve reached the end of our post today. We hope this guide can aid you in your wedding stationery journey, and even become a point of reference for any formal title queries you may have in the future! Be sure to check out or article “How to Address Wedding Invitation Envelopes” for even more fantastic tips.
Ella is a content specialist from Cork, Ireland. Her passions include spending time with her two energetic dogs, fashion, photography, and trying new vegan food!
