How to Address Bridal Shower Envelopes

Co-authored by Tami Claytor

Last Updated: December 14, 2022 References

Bridal showers are fun, often formal events for the bride to be and her friends and family. If you’re planning a bridal shower for someone, you’ll be responsible for labelling and addressing the invitation envelopes. With the right materials and formatting, shower envelopes can turn from something boring into a beautiful and personalized work of art.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing Your Materials

1
Use an ink pen or a felt tip marker. A shower is a personal and intimate event, and the invitations should reflect that. So write out the names and addresses on the envelopes rather than printing them from the computer.^{[1]
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Research source} Use black or dark blue ink since other colors may be difficult for postal workers to read.
2
Choose someone who has attractive and clear handwriting. Discuss and compare writing among the hostesses (if there are others besides you) to determine who has the nicest handwriting. Pick someone who can write in even, neat print or cursive.
- If you don’t trust your own handwriting, or that of the other hostesses, hire a calligrapher. You can provide them with the names and addresses of your guests, and they will inscribe them on the envelopes. Cost will depend on your area, and how many invitations you are mailing.
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3
Use one envelope per recipient. Anyone over the age of 13 should receive their own invitation.^{[2]
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Research source} Address a separate invitation in a separate envelope to each person you are inviting, even if two or more of them live in the same household.
4
Buy extra envelopes. Mistakes happen, whether you misspell a name, or smudge the ink as you’re writing. Rather than crossing something out, you should start over with a fresh envelope, so make sure to have a few extras on hand.
5
Clean your work surface. The last thing you want is to get a stain on the envelopes you spent so long addressing. Wipe down your desk or table with a damp cloth and then wipe it again with a dry cloth. Be sure there’s no remaining moisture on the surface before you set down your envelopes.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Formatting the Names

1
Include any social or professional titles. For example, write “Mrs. Jane Smith” or “Dr. Jane Smith.” Use “Mrs.” for married or widowed women and “Miss” for ladies under 18 years of age. “Ms.” can be used for single and divorced women as well as women who are married but kept their maiden names.^{[3]
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- Traditionally, only women are invited to bridal showers. However, if you invite a man, write "Mr." before his name.
- Some examples of other professional titles are “Lieutenant,” “Reverend,” or “The Honorable” (for judges).
2
Address married women by their given names. It used to be common to address a married woman using her husband’s name (“Mrs. John Smith”). However, it has become more common now to simply address a married woman using her given first name and married last name (“Mrs. Jane Smith”). If you prefer the traditional method, you may still use this, but your guests may view this as too old-fashioned.^{[4]
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3
Use full formal names. Write both the first and last name of the addressee, but omit the middle name. Don’t put any nicknames or shortened versions of names on the envelope. For example, even if everyone calls the bride’s aunt “Pat,” the invitation should still be addressed to “Mrs. Patricia Jones.”
4
Address couples on the same envelope. If you’re inviting any couples, this is the only exception to the “one person per invitation” rule. Both people may receive the same invitation. Nowadays, it doesn’t matter which name comes first - the man’s or the woman’s.^{[5]
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- Address married couples as “Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Jane Smith” or “Ms. Jane Smith and Mr. John Smith” if you know she prefers to go by “Ms.” You can also use “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith” if you prefer to be more traditional.
- The only time when name order matters is when one person “outranks” the other, such as if one is a doctor.^{[6]
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  Research source} For example, “Doctor Jane Smith and Mr. John Smith.”

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Formatting the Address

1
Write the street address in a straight line under the name. It doesn’t have to align perfectly with the guest’s name above it. You can play around with the design and have the name and address align to the same left indent, align to the same right indent, or have each line be centered on the envelope. Just plan ahead for this since different addresses will be different lengths and require different amounts of space.
2
Write house and apartment numbers in numeric form. For ease of delivery, avoid spelling out the numbers in the address. For example, write "5 Oak Lane" rather than "Five Oak Lane"
3
Write out the street names in full. Do not abbreviate any words in the street name, including directions like “North” and “South” and words such as Street, Avenue, Boulevard, Road, etc.^{[7]
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4
Spell out the full city and state name. Do not abbreviate the state. For example, you would write "15 East Main Street, Buffalo, New York."
5
Place the zip code under or after the state. Use the numeric form for the zip code (i.e. 40001) and determine where you’d like to put it. In the U.S. it can be placed immediately after the state or just below it.^{[8]
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6
Print the return address on the back flap of the envelope. It should be centered and written in the same ink that is used on the front of the envelope. The return address should be the same on every envelope so that you can more easily keep track of all the responses.

Community Q&A

Question

Is it inappropriate to send one invite to a mother and her three married daughters at the mother's address?

Community Answer

This has a caveat attached, because if you do not know the addresses of the daughters or have access to it, this would be fine. If you are being cheap, and you could find out these details, then I would suggest not snubbing the guests. When you do choose to attach the names to the mother's address, use a "c/o" (care of) format.
Question

What about addressing to multiple women at one address?

Community Answer

If the women share a last name, simply write, "To the __ Family," or "To Mrs, Ms, and Miss __" (depending on marital status, NOT age. Mrs is married, Ms is unsure or divorced, Miss is a maiden). If they each have individual names, address it to "The Ladies of" and add the address. You may also use a "c/o" and write "To: Mary, Anne, and Sara, (either age or alphabetical order) c/o Sarah Jones (the head of the household)."
Question

I am hosting a bridal tea. Do I put my address on the back of the envelope or should I put the address of the girl I am giving the shower for?

Community Answer

If you are handling the RSVPs, your address goes on the envelope. If there is any reason for a gift to be sent, include her personal address in the registry details.