How to Address a US Representative and His Wife?

Dear Robert,
My first cousin Dana is married to a U.S. Congressman from South Carolina. I want to send them a thank-you note. I’m considering the following as the first line on my envelope:
              The Honorable Joe and Dana Baxter
Is this correct? His name seems formal. Her’s — not so much!
 — Jeff Williams, Mayor Pro Tem, Laurel, Texas

Dear Jeff,
The most formal way is to NOT break up the official person’s name and to give it a line by itself … so … most formally on the outside envelope it would be:
          The Honorable Joe Baxter
and Mrs. Baxter
(Address)
OR a little bit less formally…
        The Honorable Joe Baxter and Mrs. Baxter
           (Address)
That’s the way the White House would send out the envelope. Being a US Representative is after all … a big deal. He’s entitled to his whole name, all together.
Women who use the same last name as their husbands don’t get their first name in a joint form of address: If she used a different last name she’s be “and Ms. Dana Williams”
And I’d not suggest you use “Mrs. Dana Baxter” since most traditionally that would be a form used in joint address to indicate they were divorced.
Then on the inside … where it’s personal … you would use her given name.
     Dear Joe and Dana,
— Robert Hickey     www.formsofaddress.info

Advertisements