Do I have to announce my stepmother at my reception?

No, I don't think it's rude to exclude the stepmother. Have her take a seat and wait for her husband. I would introduce your parents one at a time instead of together so that it's clear they aren't together.

My fh parents have been divorced for quite a while alsoso, we are in kinda the same situation. His mom and stepdad are sitting together in the second row @ the church. His fahter and his significant other are in the 3rd row. We are announcing his mother as "Mother of the Groom w/ her husband" & the same for his dad.

Thanks all. Debi, that is my situation about my stepmother because she has not really been in my life (I am 31 years old and moved out at 18) or raised me, so we will just have to work it out to appease all. I am not keen on announcing my dad as "father of the groom and his wife" but I don't want to hurt his feelings. My FH parents came to visit and met my parents, and I asked him to exclude her and he said she would bow out "this time." It was not important to me that she meet my FH parents, so I just need to keep who is important to me in mind as I continue to plan. Thanks for all of the help guys!

IMO, I don't think it's so much about her feelings as it is about your father's. This is his new wife - I definitely understand you not announcing her as your stepmother or acknowledging her as a 'parent', as she hasn't been that to you at all, and I understand that she doesn't mean all that much to you, but acknowledging her as his wife, someone who is important to him, would be gracious of you. Why not have her walk with him into the reception and announce them as 'father of the bride, 'his name', escorted by his wife, 'her first name'. As far as the ceremony seating, it's really up to you, but again consider your dad's feelings in addition to your own.

I agree with Jessica. Even if you don't like your stepmother your father does. I don't think its a very good idea for you to completely leave her out. That just isn't fair, nor is it the right thing to do. You don't have to claim her as a parent but I think you should acknowledge that she is your father's wife.

I think it's important that you some how make it clear that they are together, wether it's in the programs or what not. I haven't decided if we are introducing the BP as we enter or after we're seated. If you do it after your seated you could announce the bridal party then parents and have the MC say something like "Father of the bride, Dad;s name, and wife, her name" and the same for your mom.

Yippee another 3/27/10 bride... Congrats... I am in the same situation as you. I do not know if this will work for you but we have decided to not have our parents introduced with our BP. We are only having the BM/GM and FG/RB introduced because we do not want to make my family upset. Our parents will be listed in the programs and my father/his mother will be introduced by the MC when we do our father/daughter mother/son dance. This will help to avoid any step-parent issues.

Also, we are sitting the my parents with their husbands/wifes... We are not seperating them at the ceremony because my parents have been divorsed for quite some time and they do not like each other..

I try to be fair to everyone! If you're Dad is remarried, I would introduce him and his wife. I would always try to introduce in pairs or threesomes for bridesmaids and ushers/flower girls and ring bearers if they are not married and if there was an odd number.

I would do the intro this way: Mother of the Bride Jane Smith and/with (I never use the word escort or step). It could be anyone really but preferably someone from the Bridal party. It could be a ring bearer or flower girl. If there are only one flower girl and one ring bearer I would intro this way: The Mother of the Bride Jane Smith with our flower girl and ring bearer (then their names) and the mother would walk in the middle. Then it would be the Father of the Bride Mr John Smith and his wife Jane. The rest of the bridal party would follow.

Kristin, thanks for the idea. I think I may take your advice and skip the parents in the entrance. I am glad someone else in the world is getting married in March!

At many wedding receptions, the bride and groom choose not to include parents in the Grand Entrance. It's strictly optional to do so. Nothing wrong with simply not introducing the parents if it will lead to awkward moments such as in the situation you describe (your father's remarriage to a stepmother you're not fond of). However if you do decide to include them, I agree with Arthur C's idea of how you might do it.

If she raised you it would be rude, but it seems like she didnt. your good to just announce your mom and dad as the parents of the bride

From the perspective of a step mother at a recent marriage of my step daughter, who was 18 when I met her father, now married at the age of 31 I was excluded from the wedding. I did not get a parents gift, was not on the wedding program and did not get a flower. However the Groom parents were also divorced and they included the step father he received a parents gift, a flower and was listed on the program. I was even asked to leave when they did family pictures (parents of the bride) however the grooms step father stayed during the parents of the groom picture. It was extremely hurtful to be treated this way. I understand I did not raise her, however I have been married to her father for over 8 years. Her intentions for the wedding were never discussed and her actions not only hurt me but her father. I understand I did not raise her because she was 18 and away at college, but I always welcomed her into our home, included her in holidays, had her college graduation in my home including her mother, and let her move into our home when she graduated from college while she figured out what she was going to do. What she did was not only hurtful, but no respect for anyone but herself. She should have discussed with her father and myself prior to the wedding what her plans were.