Last Updated on 12/1/2008

Published on 8/31/2008

By Sallie Middleton Parker

Q. Dear Sallie,

Concerning the woman who never heard about a gift she gave, I have a similar question. What do you do when you have a gift registry and an item has been purchased from it, but you never receive it? You're left wondering if it got lost in the mail or stolen from the gift table. This happened at my wedding and I'm worried that whoever bought it will think I'm rude because I never sent a thank you note.

Would Love to Thank Someone, Charleston, S.C.

A. Would,

If the registry has no record of who bought the item, you're out of luck. If it does have a record, call the person and explain your concerns. Maybe they just forgot.

Sincerely,

Sallie

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Q. Dear Sallie,

What do you do when you're at a dinner party and the man sitting next to you starts eating your salad?

Wan Ed Magreens, Georgetown, S.C.

A. Dear Wan,

You poke him in the ribs with your fork and ask for his salad.

Sincerely,

Sallie

Q. Dear Sallie,

Is there a good way to include a recently wed stepmother in a wedding program without listing her equally with the father of the bride? Can she be listed somehow without being one of the "parents of the bride"?

Thanks so much for your thoughts on this.

Sincerely,

Wanda, Asheville, N.C.

A. Dear Wanda,

Your father and his new wife must be listed together. It will be apparent who your mother is if she is listed on the invitation and/or in the program. Another way guests will know she is your mother is that she will be escorted to a reserved seat in the first pew. Your father and his new wife will be seated a couple of pews behind her.

Sincerely,

Sallie

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To send a question to Sallie, e-mail her at Salliemid@aol.com. Copyright © 2008 Sallie Middleton Parker. All rights reserved.