Miss, Mrs or Ms?
What is the main difference between Miss, Mrs or Ms?
Which of these should you use to address yourself or someone you know?
Men have it much easier than women do.
It will always be “Mr.” whether married, unmarried, older, or younger.
Now that you finally have that engagement ring on your finger and are officially married or planning to marry soon, it will soon be time for you to change your name and title.
What do you want to be addressed as?
Is it Miss? Or is it Mrs?
And what the hell is Ms?
Which one should you use, and should you be using titles?
Although many of us are all supposed to know what Miss, Ms., and Mrs. mean, it gets complicated as many do not know exactly when to use it.
We are here to clear this confusion and hopefully get you all sorted out.
If you are unsure when to use Mrs or Ms, we will share the obvious differences below.
Remember, it’s not mandatory to use these titles.
Most people use it simply as a sign to show respect.
But knowing how you would like to be addressed or how to address your guests is important.
So what is the difference between miss and ms exactly?
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In today’s post, we wanted to focus on clearly understanding:
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When to use Miss
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When to use Mrs or Ms
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The difference between Miss and Ms
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The difference between Ms and Mrs
You must know when to interchange these three titles as some people really and truly care about how they are addressed.
For example, I know a friend who wanted to be addressed as Mrs as soon as she got married.
This was extremely important to her; she almost always corrected someone when they made mistakes.
And others don’t care to say the least.
And you might even get people who will instantly correct you should you make an error.
Is it better to use Ms or Mrs?
Not sure?
Let’s all find out.
Before I get started, grab this Miss To Mrs bridal box subscription: must-have items for every bride-to-be!
The Difference between Miss, Mrs and Ms
Planning a wedding should be the most beautiful and enjoyable time of your life.
But it can also be stressful.
Knowing and understanding certain things can make the process less difficult and enjoyable for all involved.
One of those must-know things is how to address your female guests on our wedding invitations.
Should you use Miss or Ms? Or should it be Mrs?
To make this step easier – and avoid any offences – we wrote this useful guide:
Knowing the difference between Miss, Mrs, and Ms is just as important as knowing anything in life.
These titles help identify you as a person and give others a way to identify you.
People might want to know how to address you in congratulations or wedding wishes cards.
The main thing differentiating between Miss, Ms., and Mrs. is her marital status and age.
Knowing how you want to be addressed and what to use is useful information.
When To Use Miss
Wondering when you can use the Miss, Mrs or Ms title?
Wonder no more!
Typically you use “Miss” when addressing ladies or women that are not married.
Most young women prefer to go by Miss, but it never hurts to ask directly how they wish to be addressed!
It can be used regardless of age and is typically used with a surname.
When to use Ms
So when should you use Ms?
And what is the difference between Ms and Mrs?
I have always used Ms title, even in my young teenage years, and I don’t mind when people address me like this.
“Ms” is more of a neutral title that can be used toward young women that are neither married or are older and unmarried.
This is a popular title for women, and many of my friends use it.
If you are unsure how to address a woman regarding a title, your best and safest bet is to use Ms!
You can’t go wrong with that!
So essentially, Ms. can be used for a married or unmarried woman and is neutral.
It can be used regardless of age and is typically used with a surname.
When should you use Mrs. to address a woman?
Want to know how to address married women?
We have you covered.
Ms vs Mrs – which one should you use?
If you recently tied the knot, you are probably wondering what you want to be addressed as.
Do you automatically become a Mrs after you get married, or do you stay a Ms?
Mrs. is typically only used to address a married woman.
Mrs. is the proper title for a married woman (whether she has taken her spouse’s last name or not).
Mrs. is usually used to identify that a woman shares a surname with her spouse (Mr. and Mrs) and is assumed married.
Women that choose to keep their maiden name after the wedding typically use the above – Ms, but it is very common to address them still as Mrs.
Essentially Mrs. refers to a woman who has been married (or is widowed or divorced).
It can be used with a given name, a surname, or their husband’s name.
What should you address yourself after you get married?
What is the right title or abbreviation for a married woman?
Now that we have given you the difference between Miss, Mrs and Ms, what you choose to use is totally up to you.
The two titles that you will ideally want to go by are the Ms or Mrs title.
Again most people do not use these titles on an ongoing basis.
But from time to time, you might come across people using these titles.
In most cases, they might not know you well enough to use the right title to address you, especially if they would like to send you formal invitations to attend formal events.
What title do you use to address a letter or a card?
Most people worry about titles because they are unsure how they should address women on cards, letters, and invitations.
That is why you want to know the differences between Miss, Mrs or Ms.
When writing out wedding invitations, you might want to be more formal and address the person with their preferred title.
Other occasions, such as formal dinners and birthdays, all call for a much less formal calling.
How do I know when to use Miss or Ms on an invitation?
When addressing your wedding invites, you want to be sure to use the correct titles for your guests on the envelopes.
Knowing the appropriate title for a woman – Miss, Mrs or ms- is extremely important for these cases!
Let’s say early teens; if you have a young child as part of your guest list, I highly recommend using Miss for their title.
If your guest is in their late teens (18-19) and their 20s and you know they are not married, you can use either Miss or Ms.
Most older women in their 30s and upwards prefer the Ms. title if they are unmarried.
If she’s married and you know her chosen title, write that.
Other titles to consider when addressing women:
A title can also be a job description or rank!
For example, you can call someone Dr. or Rev.
Someone can also go by professor and even Lieutenant!
There are so many titles to consider, be sure to check with the person if and when unsure!
How to address someone when the marital status is unknown
If the marital status is unknown, it is safe to use the Ms. title to address a lady!
Her last name follows this.
As we mentioned earlier, Ms. is typically a safe title in any case, especially if you are not sure of the status.
Hopefully, we have fully explained when to use Miss, Mrs or Ms.
For a fun fact, share your tile below!
Do you now know how to use Miss Mrs or Ms?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Read this next ⇓:
- Unique Engagement Party Invitations by Basic Invite
- Save the Dates: Tips and Tricks you Should Know
- Tips for planning a wedding in 6 months or less
- The detailed wedding vendors checklist
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