Answer:
Separate tables allow
your parents to honor
special guests or family
members by asking them
to sit at their table.
Your parents may choose
to include their closest
friends; your groom's
parents may choose to
give that honor to their
parents and siblings.
Either way -- let them
decide how to fill the
seats at their
respective tables.
When the bride's and/or
groom's parents are
divorced and all are in
attendance, it is
usually not a good idea
to seat them together.
Even if relations
between divorced parents
are amicable, the
extended family and
friends of each make it
difficult logistically
to seat them all at one
table. By giving each
set of parents their own
table, you will be
establishing a comfort
zone of sorts, which
should keep uneasiness
to a minimum.
At the reception, it
might be more
comfortable to seat the
couples at separate
tables. One set can sit
with your fiancé's
parents, perhaps, and
the other set at the
table where your
officiant (or other
close family) is
sitting. Or let each set
host their own table of
close family and friends
-- your fiancé's parents
would then host their
own table as well.
There's no law that says
all the parents must sit
together.
Remember, the key is
making everyone feel
comfortable (including
you *and* your fiancé's
parents). Good luck!
