general stationery etiquette

If you are like most people, you will waste a lot of time wondering about the proper way to address a female friend of yours who is a doctor, married and has kept her maiden name. When it comes to printed stationery, proper etiquette is very important. We have included some basic guidelines to help you impress your friends and family.

NAMING
• No abbreviations with the exception of non-professional titles (Mr., Mrs., Jr., etc.) should be used. Professional titles such as Doctor should be spelled out:

correct: Doctor Eric Chen
incorrect: Dr. Eric Chen

• When titles are used, the husband's title always comes first:

examples:
Doctor and Mrs. William Joseph Alvarado -or- Judge and Mrs. David Howard Merriwether

• Middles name should be spelled out completely.

correct: Michael Daniel Green
incorrect: Michael D. Green

• Avoid using Ms. in social stationery. It is typically more appropriate for business.

UNMARRIED CHILDREN
• Children who are over 18 should receive their own invitation or announcement.

ABBREVIATIONS
• In general, avoid using abbreviations. Always spell out commonly abbreviated words such as street, months, days of the week, etc. Also, be sure to spell out all contractions (e.g., don't should be do not). You do not want your recipients to think you were in a rush when writing your announcement or invitation.

correct:
Saturday, November 27, 2004
half past eight o'clock in the evening
153 South Pacchetti Avenue
Mountain View, California

incorrect:
Nov. 27, 2004
8:30 pm
153 S. Pacchetti Ave.
Mountain View, CA

GIFTS
• Never mention the names of stores where you are registered on the invitation or announcement. This is considered tacky. Allow your friends to ask you if you are registered. In some occasions, it will not be obvious to recipients whether they should bring or send a gift. It is acceptable to explicitly decline gifts on an invitation or announcement. (As a rule of thumb, if you do not specifically ask your recipients not to bring a gift, your recipients will generally assume a gift will be accepted.)

• Wording for declining presents should be printed at the bottom of your card in discreet print. Suggestions:

examples:
May your good wishes be your only gift to us
May the presence of your company be your only gift to us
No gifts please

STUFFING ENVELOPES
• The printed side of the announcement or invitation should be the first side the recipient sees when she opens the envelope.

ADDRESSING
Ink:
• Envelopes should be addressed with black or dark blue ink
Name:
• No abbreviations with the exception of non-professional titles (Mr., Mrs., Jr., etc.) should be used when addressing
• Professional titles such as Doctor should be spelled out
• Avoid using symbols for "and"
Address:
• All house numbers are written in numeral form except for "one," which is spelled out
• Apartment, suite, and zip codes are written in numeral form
• Avoid using state abbreviations
• Avoid abbreviating the common words like "Street," "Boulevard," "Avenue"
Return Address:
• Printed on the back flap of the envelope
• Centered and in the same color ink that you are using for the invitation or announcement
• Name or names are excluded from the return address

text by Tiny Prints - Birth announcements & Baby shower invitations