How to Address an Invitation & Include the Family
Invitations can sometimes be unclear as to exactly who is invited to the event. Many formal events, such as weddings, do not extend invitations to children, so you need to be specific if the children are invited. A general invitation to the whole family can be unclear because it does not specify whether, for example, the grandmother who is visiting from out of town that weekend is invited. The best way to include all family members when addressing an invitation is to write each of their names on the invitation.
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Instructions
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Address the outer envelope to the adults in the family. For example, the first line might read "Mr. and Mrs. Walter Anderson."
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Write the names of unmarried parents residing together on separate lines on the outer envelope. For example, the first line would read "Mr. Walter Anderson", and the second line would read "Ms. Sarah Jones."
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Address the inner envelope with the names of the adults on the first line. If you know the couple well, use their first names, as in "Walter and Sarah." If you do not know them well, "Mr. and Mrs. Anderson" is appropriate.
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Write the first names of the children on the second line of the inner envelope. The names should be in order of age, with the oldest child's name appearing first. For example, the second line might read "Nathan, Paul and Tabitha." Include the last name as well if you used the last name on the above line listing the parents.
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Address a separate invitation to children over the age of 18, even if they are still living at home. If siblings over the age of 18 live at the same address, include all their names on the same invitation. The outer envelope should list each young adult's name on a separate line, while the inner envelope should list the first names of the invitees on a single line.
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Tips & Warnings
If your invitations do not have inner envelopes, write the names of the children on the line below the parents' names on the outer envelope. In this case, include the last name at the end of the line. For example, the second line would say, ""Nathan, Paul and Tabitha Anderson."
If you do not know the names of the children, find them out. If you cannot, you could write "and Family" at the end of the first line of the inner envelope. However, be aware that this is not strictly proper etiquette.
