How to Address Engagement Invitations

An engagement party is an exciting way to announce your intentions to marry and celebrate with friends and family. Just as with wedding invitations, engagement invitations should use a slightly formal tone. Even if the party is about having fun, following etiquette is always advised.

Announcing your engagement to friends and family should be a happy occasion. Addressing the invitations properly will set the tone for the event and show those attending that you are serious. There are some simple etiquette guidelines you should follow.

• Make a list first. It's easy to accidentally skip over a name or two when you're caught up in the moment. Take the time to make a list of everyone you want to invite. If you need to invite fewer people you can work from the original list to dwindle it down. Don't invite anyone that you aren't planning on inviting to the wedding.


• Use formal names for the address. Mr. and Mrs. should be present for all married couples. Traditionally it's the man's name that is used. For example: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Jones. It's considered tacky to use the 'and family' tag on a formal invitation. The names should all be written out. So a family with 2 children would be addressed as: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Jones, John and Suzy. If an adult child is living at the same address they should receive their own invitation. Remember to use the proper titles. A doctor would be addressed as Dr. and Mrs. Jones. If both are doctors it would be addressed as The Doctors Jones.


• If you have a single person on the list and want to allow them to bring a guest, ask them ahead of time for the planned guests name and address. They should receive their own invitation to the engagement party as well.


• Don't use abbreviations in the addresses. Street, drive, road and other suffixes should be spelled out. Also spell out the full name of the city and state.