Q&A for How to Address Formal Envelopes

Return to Full Article

Coming soon

Add New Question

Question

How do you address an envelope to a high-ranking person?

Tami Claytor
Etiquette Coach
Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification.

Tami Claytor

Etiquette Coach

Expert Answer

Include the person's formal title with their name. For example, if you're sending it to the President, you'd say "President John Smith" rather than "Mr. John Smith."

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0
Question

What if both spouses are doctors?

Community Answer

You could still address them as Mr. and Mrs., but it's also probably okay to simply put "Drs." followed by their names.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 5
Question

My husband is a junior. How would we be addressed?

Community Answer

"Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, Jr.," "Mary and John Smith, Jr.," "John Smith, Jr. and Mary Smith" would all be fine.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 4
Question

How can I address single women on an envelope?

Community Answer

"Ms. So-and-so" is fine.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 2
Question

How do I address an envelope to a child using c/o?

Community Answer

Write the child's name, then under that put c/o (the person's name to whose address you are sending it).

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1
Question

How do I address a letter to a female married PhD, not a medical doctor?

Community Answer

Address it to: Mr. John and Dr. Jane Doe; or, Mr. Doe and Dr. Doe.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 5
Question

I am writing to a father and son with same first name. Do I say: "Dear John and John"?

Community Answer

Say their last names. If you were to write a letter and their last names are the same, if their last names were Doe, you'd say: "Dear Does.." If they have different last names, you know what to do.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 2
Question

How do you address when using fist names? Male first and then female? Chris and Michelle?

VermontGal

Top Answerer

Traditionally, the male was addressed first, then female. This is now a defunct rule and considered a rather dated and sexist practice, at least in the United States. You can sidestep the whole issue by saying "The Garcia Family", "The Garcias" if all the Garcias in a household are invited, or just go by a rule of going alphabetically.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
Question

Does it matter whether you use cursive or print?

Donagan

Top Answerer

No, although the Postal Service would prefer that you print in all-capital letters (because they are most easily readable).

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0