DEAR MISS MANNERS: At my partner’s son’s wedding, the first row had names taped on the chairs for assigned seating. For the first row on the groom’s side, the first seat was for the groom’s mother, followed by the groom’s father (my partner), their daughter, the groom’s mom’s partner, then me.

I’d never met the gent next to me (the mom’s partner), so it felt awkward. But I made the best of it and chatted him up -- asking about his own children, as folks usually enjoy talking about that.

My partner and his ex are polite and cordial to each other. They’ve been divorced for 20 years, and my understanding is that it was acrimonious, but that they eventually developed an uneasy truce. They shared custody of their children, who have long since been adults.

We had assumed we’d sit together dur

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