Divorced Parents Bringing Dates

Q: My parents are divorced. My mother has since remarried and my father currently has a girlfriend. My father wants to bring the lady he is dating to my wedding. I know this will upset my mother. How do I handle this situation?

A: This situation has to be addressed sensitively. Regardless of what you choose to do, you must remain fair at all times. It would be unfair to have your mother bring her new husband and isolate your father. Your mother and father should either both come alone, or each should be permitted to bring their significant others. I strongly recommend that you encourage everyone to attend. In order to avoid tense situations, I would recommend that you take extra efforts to ensure that your mother and her husband are at a separate table at the reception than your father and his girlfriend. This will create a low-stress environment for all involved. Also, if you feel it necessary, you can restrict the "significant others" from attending the ceremony and invite them exclusively to the reception. The reception will likely be dimly lit and will involve a larger amount of people in a larger room. This environment allows for more opportunities for mingling than a crowded church. If all goes well, the two parties will be too busy enjoying the food and the music to even notice the other couple.