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Gone are the days when invitations for a married couple would use the husband’s name to address both, i.e., “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.” Conventions have relaxed for writing out both names on an envelope.
Informal vs. Formal Invitations
When sending any correspondence to any couple -- unmarried, married, or married but using different surnames -- always write both their names on the same line:
John Doe and Jane Smith
It is an outdated rule that the husband’s name should always come first. Modern etiquette dictates that first name order is arbitrary, so you may choose to list them alphabetically or by the order of the partner with whom you’re more familiar. Both examples are correct:
John and Jane Doe Jane and John Doe
When addressing a formal invitation, use titles. This will require separating the two names:
Ms. Jane Doe and Mr. John Doe
Rankings
If either partner has a professional, political or military title, that spouse “outranks” the other, so put his or her name first:
The Honorable Jane Doe and Mr. John Doe Dr. John Doe and Ms. Jane Doe
If both spouses have the same title, any of the three following examples are correct:
The Doctors Doe Drs. Jane Doe and John Doe Dr. John Doe and Dr. Jane Doe
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