HRML & Sort out my seating problem please!

Get your parents to sit with family. Sit on top table with your wedding party. Simples!

What about the Speeches? Does it not matter that my dad isn't with the groom and bestman? I also think PIL will moan that they are not seated with stepdaughter, but sod em I'm getting fed up with it!

So your suggestion is that we have a table with me, OH, bestman, bridesmaids, pageboy. No parents. If so, do you think we might as well have round tables with us in a middle one with parent's ones either side.

Have a round table as your top table

and have Bride H2B CBM Bridesmaids kiddies Best mand Best mand partner and page boy

Then seat family accordingly

xxxx

Aww - I really sympathise Zippy. My position isn't half as complicated but I have divorced parents too and still trying to figure out what to do with my head table.

'fraid I'm no help but just wanted to say I share your pain! I wrote a thread a while back on the topic - lots of us finding it tough to please our rents. It's easy enough to say "its your day and do what you want" - but you still don't wanna offend anyone!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr - families!

Might it just be easier to have just your parents on the top table but have your mum sit with your FIL on one side and your dad sit with your MIL on the other?

Exactly what I was going to say!! Sit both sets of parents elsewhere on separate tables, I have to say I don't think you can have stepmum on TT & not your stepdad no matter how you feel about him, either that or you explain to your stepmum & you sit her & your stepdad elsewhere & not on TT so just your mum & dad on TT but separated. Although I personally don't think it matters if you have the TT your way & you aren't in the middle.

I'd just have parents and you and H2B on the Top Table. Then I'd seat the Best Man, Bridesmaid and Page Boy elsewhere. Then you havent got the issue of the pageboy being separated (which you couldnt really do anyway), and if you had a straight top table, you can then easily separate your parents (and also seat your stepdad away from you) to stop any awkwardness

My top table was

FIL MUM BRIDESMAID BESTMAN GROOM ME MOH BRIDESMAID MIL DAD

my mum and dad on opp side of tables. you could have a bridesmaid seperating peeps?

also I had a table 1 for nearest and dearest, brother, minister, best pals, that kinds of thing so you could always put step parents on a table like that....

partners of bestmen and bridesmaids should go elsewhere near the top table too i think....

just have to do whats best for you and hotel, cant possibly be expected to have everyone a the TT.

The above 2 comments would be ideal, but I forgot to add - Stepmum has noone else to sit with! SOrry, it's looking like I have an impossible situation!

Step mum with your aunties/uncles on your dads side....... siblings.... shes a grown woman im sure she can make conversation

Doesn't she know any family?

Just have all your parents and step parents on the top table, and BM, bridesmaids etc on another table

We don't have a lot of family there. Only parents, step parents, OH's brother (BM), OH's daughter (Bridesmaid) My Older sister who will make up a table with BIL and nephews. My younger half sister (bridesmaid), younger half brother, Uncle (mum's brother) and Auntie (mum's sister) The majority of guests are friends.

Then work out whos the flirtiest male and stick her beside him....she might enjoy the younger company!?

For the speeches get all the men to stand away from their seat and move to a different place, maybe next to the cake or something. I would still have a long table with you, OH, best man and bridesmaids. Tell your parents that you need them to help you host, that's why they are sitting elsewhere!

Not a problem for speeched - they just get up from where they are and stand wherever is best,

We had a friends top table and it was fab.

Groomsmen 1 - Bridesmaid 2's Boyfriend - Bridesmaid 1 - Groom - Bride - Best Man1 - Bridesmaid 2 - Best Man 2

If you want to sit specifically on a top table have it. If you're not as bothered have round.

Hello stranger(s)!

We had a similar dilemma, but with H's parents. Our solution was to have 3 head tables, each had 14-16 on, and we moved to a different table for each course, our best man and girlfriend (also a BM) and my CBM and her H roated around aswell so there were no empty spaces.

We had the three long tables set up in a U shape, although the ends weren't touching, so more l _ l , with round tables in the middle. We had people sitting either side of table, rather than just one side as per a normal head table, you could have people sitting just one side if you don't have enough heads to fill them up.

It solved the family problem but also meant we got to chat to a lot more people during the meal, and those we got to sit near really appreciated it too.

We ended on my family's table, which meant 3/5 speeches were from that table, the other two were from other tables but that's not a bad thing, because some people on round tables will always be facing the wrong way.

Rite... well if o were you \i would do things in the very old fashioned way and put your mum sitting with his dad, and visa versa. That way as soon as the dinner's over they can all return to their own partners and its all tickety-boo. During the meal i would filter both the step parents in at different tables, with some aunts and uncles that get on ok with them. Put your stepdad with some of your mum's side, and your stepmum with your dad's side.

Thanks everyone, think it's going to be a mix of Spinky, GB & SK's ideas. Sitting stepum with dad's family is not an option, as there is no other family! And sitting MIL away from FIL is not an option either. But thanks evryone for your suggestions. It's a tough situation. And good luck to all those who have to sort out similar dilemnas!

They are fab ideas! Its amazing the problems families can cause on such joyous occasions!