 Divorced Parents. Here’s where it can get tricky. It is best to discuss this well in advance to clarify your desires and work out an amicable plan.
Typically, the bride’s mother is seated in the first pew, with members of her family (siblings, parents, etc.) seated in the pews behind her. If she is remarried, the stepfather is seated in the front pew next to Mom. The bride's father, after escorting the bride up the aisle and presenting her to the groom, sits in the next pew back, behind the bride's mother's family, with his wife (if applicable) and their family members.
Obviously, there are many different scenarios, i.e., discontent between the bride’s mother and father or ill feelings towards a new spouse, which might need to be taken into consideration. Communication is key to preserving relationships and saving feelings. If your seating decision is met with animosity, perhaps a gentle reminder that it is your day is in order. Often the person paying the bill for the wedding will use that to ensure their spot front and center, but that is not a legitimate reason. The bride's father and stepmother should only sit in the front pew if the bride is estranged from her mother or she is deceased/unable to attend.
The same rules apply when the groom's parents are divorced. The groom's mother, accompanied by close members of her family, sits in the first pew (or pews) on the right side of the aisle. The groom's father and family sit in the next pew behind the groom's mother's family.
Immediate Family. Several pews behind the parents may be reserved for immediate family members. Often times these pews are distinguished by a floral arrangement or ribbon placed on the end of the pew. The ushers should be given a list of people who are to be seated in the reserved pews.
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