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- When meeting with your stationer, keep in mind that different types of stock require varying amounts of time to obtain. Clarify how long your order will take to be filled.
- Finalize your guest list before ordering so you will know how many units you need.
- Double-check all spellings, dates, and addresses on your order. It is always wise to get someone new to review the material before you go to print.
- Order 25-50 more invitations than you think you will need, as well as extra envelopes in case of addressing errors.
- Take a completed, stuffed invitation to the post office for weighing in advance, to find out the exact postage.
- It is considered a thoughtful gesture to stamp the reply card envelopes.
- It is helpful to print all guests’ return addresses on labels and affix them individually to the reply cards as an easy method of confirming whose response it is, just in case the handwriting is impossible to decipher. Another efficient way of ensuring that you know who the sender is, is to write on the back of each reply card or envelope a shorthand coding unique to each guest.
- Invitations should be mailed four to six weeks in advance. Remember to add extra time for international mail.

- A separate invitation should be sent to every adult couple and single person on the list, including every family member over the age of eighteen still living at home. The expression “and family” should not be used. Children under the age of eighteen are only mentioned by name on the inside envelope; if there is no inside envelope, then by name on the outside.
- The word “and “ is spelled out.
- Only use abbreviations for Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Jr., and Sr.; everything else should be written out. Only use first-name initials if you are unsure of the full name.
- Each subsequent line of the address should preferably be further indented, though an address in block form (justified left) is also correct.
- Only the title(s) and surname, such as “Dr. and Mrs. Pinto” are printed, centered, on the inside envelope.
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Outside Envelope |
Outside Envelope |
Inside Envelope |
Married couple |
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Silver |
Mr. and Mrs. Silver |
Married couple
with young children |
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Silver |
Mr. and Mrs. Silver
Joshua and Emma |
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Family Members over 18
|
Two sisters |
Misses Jennifer and Ashley Geld |
The Misses Geld |
Two brothers |
Messrs. Jordon and Keith Geld |
The Messrs. Geld |
A brother and sister |
Mr. Keith and Ashley Geld |
Mr. and Miss Geld |
Couples |
Miss Sabrina Bell and
Mr. David Kohn |
Miss Sabrina Bell and
Mr. David Kohn |
Married Woman
using maiden name |
Mr. Stephen Braun and
Ms. Lea Michaels |
Mr. Braun and Ms. Michaels |
A widow |
Mrs. Jacob Winter |
Mrs. Winter |
A divorcée |
Ms. (or Mrs.) Debra Mann |
Ms. (or Mrs.) Mann |
Two doctors |
Drs. Abraham and Myriam Stein |
The Doctors Stein |

The names of both families appear as sponsors of the wedding, with the bride’s parents generally listed first, whether at the beginning or end of the invitation.

In addition to the actual invitation and the outside envelope, other printed pieces you might need include:
- Response card and stamped envelope
- Inside envelope
- Information about the aufruf (a celebration on the Sabbath before the wedding at which the groom is called to the Torah) may be printed on a separate card or on the back of the invitation
- Map to venue, if necessary
- Travel and accommodations information, if applicable
- Thank you cards (informals)
- Place cards
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