DEAR MISS MANNERS: My son is getting married. Besides me (his mother), he has his maternal grandmother, paternal grandmother, paternal step-grandmother, and paternal great-grandmother. Some of them have living spouses, some of them do not.

Who sits where? In what order do we sit? He is blessed with longevity in his family, but leaves his mother baffled.

DEAR READER: Even if it were common for families as fortunate and long-lived as yours to be, there would be no seating plan to accommodate it. There would be no point in arranging an entire family so closely together.

It is customary for the couple’s ancestors to sit in the front row on their respective sides. If the row is not long enough, other relatives should politely fall in behind them without making a fuss about exactly where.

Miss Manners appreciates that there seem to be no old feuds among relatives in your family – it is easier when there is no need to fight over advantages.

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DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is there a tradition of leaving an envelope unsealed when hand-delivering it? And if so, why?

DEAR READER: Yes. It means, “I trust you not to snoop.”

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners on her website, www.missmanners.com; to your email, [email protected]; or by mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)