Instructions for Filling Out Wedding Reply Envelopes: The process of creating wedding invitations comes with following many rules of etiquette. For beginners handling this task, making sure every detail is correctly part of the invitation is often a complex task. This is especially the case for the return address, which frequently causes bewilderment for a lot of people.
In case you don’t know, the return address on the wedding invitation envelope is the address on where the guest can respond to their rsvp. Usually, it is the address of the wedding host or the address of the couple if they are already living together. Sometimes, the return address is also used for sending the gift to the couples.
There are some etiquettes which you need to follow while writing the return address in the wedding invitation. In the below part of the article, we will let you know the correct procedure of writing the return address on the wedding invitation envelopes.
How to Address Return Envelopes for Wedding
In the above, we have discussed what is the return address. In this part of the article, we will discuss where to write the return address and how to write the address along with the other formalities. Let check them one by one to avoid any mistakes while mentioning the return address.
Where to Write the Return Address
The best place to write the return address is on the back flap of your wedding invitation. This is the most common way to write it. When it comes to the response envelopes, you should write the return address on the front side of the envelopes. Sometimes, you might require using double envelopes. In such a case, you need to only write the return address on the back flap of the outer envelope. That means there is no need to write it on an inner envelope.
While writing the return address, it is recommended to write the address manually. That means you should handwrite the wedding invitation and it is traditional etiquette to do so. However, nowadays, a lot of couples prefer to print it to avoid the waste of time and effort. So, it is also okay if you don’t want to invest time in the repeated task. If you prepare to print, make sure to do this at the correct place.
Whose Address to Write
It can be a bit confusing to decide whose address to write on the wedding invitation envelope as the return address. Well, don’t worry, below we will clear this up for you. As we mentioned earlier, the address of the wedding host is written on the wedding invitations envelope as the return address. So, based on who is hosting the wedding, you should write his/her address on the invitation.
You should write both in rsvp and wedding invitation envelopes as the host will collect the gift sent by the guest for the couples. They will also collect the rsvp response from the guest from their mailing address. This allows the host to plan the wedding accordingly.
While the wedding invitation host is normally the parents or the bride and groom, sometimes it can be the bride and groom themselves. In some cases, the bride and groom might live together before the marriage. In such a case, you might use their shared address. If they are not living together, the couple should discuss between themselves and share the responsibility.
Whose Name to Write on Return Address
While writing the return address on the wedding invitation envelope, you typically don’t require writing any name. But if you want to include a name, there is no issue with that. If you want to include the name, it should be the name of the host. Although it is not necessary to write the name for the wedding invitation, it is compulsory for the rsvp to write a name.
While writing a name on the wedding invitation, make sure that you are putting it first. Then you can write the street address of the return address. In the third line, you will write the county/town and state name with the posting code. The posting code is important. Make sure that you are writing it correctly. If the host is a family, you can write the name like this Mr. and Mrs. John Smith then the address. Here is an example:
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
15 Park Street
County, New York 15566
When to Send the Invitation
Sending the wedding invitation at the right time is very important. If you send it too early, the guest might forget it and might fail to join the wedding. On the other hand, if you send it too late, the guest might fail to reply to the rsvp in the right time. That is why it is very important to send it at the right time. Make sure that you are sending the wedding invitation at least six to eight weeks earlier than the date.
On the other hand, you should send the “save the date cards” around a year prior to the wedding date. It can be a bit faster if your wedding is in planning in quick order. Then, you need to send the wedding destination to the guest at least three months in advance of the wedding.
Return Address in the Save the Date
The save the dates are not something mandatory like the wedding invitation cards or the rsvp. But a lot of couples still want to send them. Do you need to add a return address on the save the dates cards? Yes, you should as per the recommendation of the postal service. This helps to return the card to you in case it fails to reach the preferred guest. You can take proper action to send it in other ways. To save the dates, you need to add the address in the front left corner of the envelope.
Conclusion
As we discussed above, the return address is something very important for the wedding invitation and rsvp. We hope this article will help you to understand how to write it.
