Q&A for How to Address Formal Envelopes

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  • 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.
    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."
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Question
    How can I address single women on an envelope?
    Community Answer
    "Ms. So-and-so" is fine.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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).
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