How to Address Wedding Invitations (Paper & Digital)
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Address a wedding invitation to exactly the people you're inviting, using the names they use. A married couple is "Mr. and Mrs. Elias Khoury" or "Elias and Maya Khoury". A family is "The Khoury Family" only if the children are invited too. A single guest with a plus-one is "Ms. Lara Nassar and Guest". If someone's name isn't on the invitation, they aren't invited. That's why getting the names right matters so much.
Below are the common cases in English and Arabic, plus how it works when each guest gets a personalized digital invitation instead of an envelope.
Quick guide: who's invited and how to write it
| Who's invited | Formal (English) | Relaxed (English) | Arabic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Married couple, same surname | Mr. and Mrs. Elias Khoury | Elias and Maya Khoury | السيد إيلي خوري وعقيلته |
| Married couple, different surnames | Mr. Elias Khoury and Ms. Maya Haddad | Elias Khoury and Maya Haddad | السيد إيلي خوري والسيدة مايا حداد |
| Unmarried couple living together | Mr. Rami Saad and Ms. Lara Nassar (one line each) | Rami Saad and Lara Nassar | السيد رامي سعد والآنسة لارا نصّار |
| Family, children invited | Mr. and Mrs. Elias Khoury and Family | The Khoury Family | السيد إيلي خوري وعائلته الكريمة |
| Single guest | Ms. Lara Nassar | Lara Nassar | الآنسة لارا نصّار |
| Single guest with a plus-one | Ms. Lara Nassar and Guest | Lara Nassar + 1 | الآنسة لارا نصّار ومرافق |
| A doctor | Dr. Maya Haddad and Mr. Elias Khoury | Maya and Elias | الدكتورة مايا حداد وزوجها |
| Widowed guest | Mrs. Elias Khoury (traditional) or Mrs. Maya Khoury | Maya Khoury | السيدة مايا خوري |
Married couples
The traditional form is "Mr. and Mrs." followed by the husband's full name: "Mr. and Mrs. Elias Khoury". Many couples now prefer both first names: "Elias and Maya Khoury". If you don't know their preference, the second option is safe and warm.
If they kept different surnames, write both full names on one line: "Mr. Elias Khoury and Ms. Maya Haddad".
Families with children
Use "and Family" or "The Khoury Family" only when the children are invited. If only the parents are invited, address it to the parents alone and don't mention the children.
Children over 18 living at home traditionally receive their own invitation. With digital invitations this is easy: each adult child can get their own personal link.
Plus-ones
If a single guest may bring someone, write "and Guest". If you know the partner's name, use it: guests feel more welcome when they're named. If there's no plus-one, write only the guest's name. The invitation (and, on a digital invitation, the RSVP form) should make the number of seats clear.
Doctors, titles and formal guests
- Doctors: "Dr. Maya Haddad and Mr. Elias Khoury". If both are doctors: "The Doctors Khoury" or "Dr. Elias Khoury and Dr. Maya Khoury".
- Clergy, officials and elders: use their full title. When in doubt, ask the family how they're usually addressed.
- Arabic honorifics: use السيد (Mr.), السيدة (Mrs./Ms.) and الآنسة (Miss), الدكتور / الدكتورة (Dr.), and for very formal invitations حضرة السيد … المحترم.
Addressing invitations in Arabic
The most common formal forms in Lebanon and the Gulf are:
- السيد … وعقيلته: Mr. … and his wife
- السيد … وعائلته الكريمة: Mr. … and his family
- السيد والسيدة …: Mr. and Mrs. … (more modern)
- العائلة الكريمة: for a whole household
Write the name the way the guest writes it, and double-check spellings of family names that have several common forms. Names are the one thing on an invitation that guests always notice.
Envelopes: outer and inner
For paper invitations with two envelopes:
- Outer envelope: full formal names and address ("Mr. and Mrs. Elias Khoury").
- Inner envelope: more personal, listing everyone invited ("Elias and Maya, Karim and Nour").
Most modern invitations use a single envelope. In that case, use the formal style.
Personalized digital invitations: the name is the greeting
On a digital invitation, the name does the job of the envelope. Each guest receives their own link that greets them by name: "Dear Elias & Maya, we'd love you to celebrate with us." Because the link is personal:
- the RSVP shows exactly how many seats that guest has, so there's no confusion about plus-ones or children;
- each adult child can receive their own invitation in seconds;
- you can choose the greeting per guest, formal for elders and first names for friends, in Arabic, English or both.
With Cedar Invites personalized links, you add each guest once and they receive their own invitation on WhatsApp, addressed exactly the way you'd write it on an envelope. Replies come back to your RSVP dashboard, seat count included.
Keep reading: What to include in a wedding invitation (+ Arabic wording) · When to send wedding invitations