Wedding Invitations & Paper

Wedding invitation addressing a single with family and a guest

How do I address the wedding invitation of an unwed someone to include both a guest and their family (children)? For example, I have a single mother friend who recently started dating someone and I want her to feel free to bring him and her kids. I don't want to address it to him too. I just want her to have the option to bring a guest (even if it's not him) and her kids.

Thanks so much!!

Re: Wedding invitation addressing a single with family and a guest

  • Address the invitation to:

    Ms. Jane Doe
    Miss Susan Doe
    Mr. John Doe

    Add an insert with the note "You are invited to bring one guest."
    httpiimgurcomTCCjW0wjpg
  • Does this person consider herself to be in a relationship with this guy? If so you should really invite him by name. By just adding a note saying she can bring a guest opens the door to her to bring whoever she wants, not just this guy she has started seeing.

  • I think OP wants to let her bring whoever she wants.

    Ms. Jane Doe and Guest

    Miss Susan Doe

    Mr. John Doe

    However, I would call her and ask if she'd like to bring this guy. If she does want to, then it would be:

    Ms. Jane Doe and Mr. Joe Smith

    Miss Susan Doe

    Mr. John Doe

    (Technically Joe Smith should go on the second line, but I think it looks weird with the kids)

  • Thanks ladies!!
  • CMGragainCMGragain member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2013
    kdg7357 said:

    Ms. Jane Doe and Mr. Joe Smith

    Miss Susan Doe

    Mr. John Doe


    This is incorrect.  It makes it appear that Jane Doe and John Smith are a married couple.  I do not like "and guest" on the outer envelope.



    httpiimgurcomTCCjW0wjpg
  • I'd put:

    Ms. Jane Doe
    Name of Ms. Jane Doe's guest
    Miss Susan Doe
    Mr. John Doe

    If any of the kids is 18 or over, though, send them their own invitation.
  • Right, @CMGragain. As I noted in my response, what I wrote is not technically correct, and that the guest should go on the second line. I just think it looks weird b/c the kids are on there too. It makes him look like a kid and he's not. That is just how I would do it, so he doesn't look like one of the kids.

    Also, not everyone uses inner envelopes. I just think they are a waste, but to each their own. If you don't have an inner envelope, you need to indicate who is invited on the outer envelope.

    I also feel that getting the etiquette perfect on addressing invites, assuming no gross faux pas, is not super vital. I just got an invite to the soon to be "Mr. and Mrs. HisLastName" from one of my friends. I thought it was super cute. This is a know your crowd thing. If you are unsure, stick to etiquette, which is what PP wrote or "and guest" after her name (on inner envelope if you have one or on outer if you don't).

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