Fiancée or Fiancé, Mrs and Mrs: Words for Two Women Getting Married

A woman engaged to a woman is called a fiancée, spelled with two e's, and both women in the couple use the same word. The Oxford Learner's Dictionaries define fiancée as the woman that somebody is engaged to, and fiancé, with one e, as the man that somebody is engaged to. So each partner can say my fiancée, and together you are fiancées. The two words sound the same in English, so the difference only shows in writing. If you cannot type the accent mark, fiancee without the accent is still clear to readers. Some couples prefer my partner or my future wife, which are also correct, avoid the spelling question and work well in speeches and vows.

The words fiancé and fiancée sound the same in English, so nobody can hear which one you mean when you speak. The Oxford Learner's Dictionaries give both words the same pronunciation, which is close to fee-ON-say. The extra e at the end of fiancée only shows up in writing, on cards, invitations, emails and social media posts. This is why many people mix up the two spellings when they write about a female couple. When you write about your own engagement, use fiancée for each woman and fiancées for the two of you together. Check the spelling on anything printed, such as invitations, place cards or a cake topper, before you approve the final proof from the printer.

Two married women can each use Mrs, Ms or no title at all, and the two wives do not need to match. The Oxford Learner's Dictionaries define Mrs as a title that comes before a married woman's family name. Oxford defines Ms as a title for a woman that can be used when you do not want to state whether she is married. So Mrs tells people you are married, and Ms keeps that detail private. Some couples choose Mrs and Mrs to show the marriage on cards and envelopes, while others keep Ms because they used it for years before the wedding. Tell friends and family your choice, and put it on your wedding website so guests address cards the way you prefer.

The title Mx is used by people who do not wish to say what gender they are, according to the Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. Oxford dates the word to the 1970s and says it comes from the M in Mr, Mrs and Ms, plus an x. Mx goes before a family name, in the same place as Mrs or Ms, for example Mx Taylor. A wife who is non-binary may prefer Mx, while her spouse uses Mrs or Ms. WeddingWire's invitation guide shows a mixed pair written as Mx Blake Ellison and Mr Drew Tran, and the same pattern works with Mrs or Ms. Ask each person which title they use before you print anything, and never guess a title from a first name alone.

On a wedding invitation, write two brides' names in the order that suits your hosts or your own habit, joined by the word and. Wedding planner Mindy Weiss writes that if one set of parents is hosting the wedding, their child's name should go first. If both families or the couple themselves are hosting, she says alphabetical order works, or the order people already use when they say your names. She also suggests adding a word before the names, such as brides Holly and Jane, partners Holly and Jane, or spouses Holly and Jane. Use full first names on the invitation, and keep the same order on the wedding website, the programme, the guest book and any signs on the day.

Guests can address an envelope to two married women with both names on one line, using the forms in WeddingWire's invitation guide. If the women share a last name, WeddingWire gives Mrs Suzanne and Mrs Deborah Jones, or the formal The Mesdames Suzanne and Deborah Jones. It says a less formal choice is Mrs and Mrs before the shared surname. If the women have different last names, WeddingWire gives Ms Lisa Chan and Ms Angelica Green, written on one line with the word and between the two names. When you are unsure whose name to write first, WeddingWire says to go alphabetically. If the couple has told you which titles they use, follow their choice over any etiquette guide, because their own wishes come first.

Yes, in British Columbia both wives can take each other's last name, or a combination of both names. The provincial government's page on names after marriage says either spouse can assume the other's surname or a combination of both. The combination can be in any order, joined by a hyphen or a space, so you can each pick the order you like. The page says you do not need a legal change of name to use these surnames, and you can switch back to your birth surname at any time. It also says to wait for the official marriage certificate, because the paper signed at the ceremony is not an ID document for banks and other offices. Decide on the name before you order engraving that includes it.

Yes, you can engrave Mrs and Mrs inside your rings, and it is short enough to fit inside most bands with a date. You can write it as Mrs & Mrs, using the ampersand symbol to save space inside a narrow band. You can add the wedding date, your initials, or your new shared surname if you chose one. If one wife uses Ms or Mx, engrave the titles each of you actually uses, such as Mrs & Mx. Hand engraving at Vanhess takes a day once the ring is made and sized. Engraved pieces cannot be returned, so write the exact words, spacing and symbols on paper and check them twice with your fiancée before you place the order.