My fiance's parents are divorced. His mother is single and still carries her married name, but his father has a serious girlfriend who will be attending the wedding and ceremony. How do we sit his parents and his father's guest at the ceremony and at the reception? His parents get along fine, but it is just awkward.

When the groom's parents are divorced, but not remarried, if they are congenial, they might sit together in the right front row at Christian weddings; women sit on the left and men on the right at Jewish ceremonies. Otherwise his mother sits in the right front pew and his father and girlfriend sit in the third row on the right side. (This is also an individual decision.) For bride's parents, simply reverse the seating.

The reception seating is also a personal call. Ask his mother and father (separately) how comfortable they are regarding seating in both the ceremony and reception. This is your best guide. They can all sit at the same table (head table or individual) if they are all on good terms. Or they can be seated at separate tables and even different parts of the room. Since you say they get along fine, and if they decide to sit together, enjoy your day and good fortune in reasonable in-laws and don't give it another worry. It may be more awkward for you than for them or your other guests. Most parents are sensitive to getting along extra well at children's weddings, so as not to cause extra stress or spoil the day. If you don't make an issue of it, they may not either.