In a Miss Manners column, an exasperated churchgoer describes how two individuals’ loud giggles disturbed a Sunday service. The central question is whether it would have been wrong to ask those noisy parishioners to leave.

Miss Manners addresses the familiar etiquette question of inviting unfamiliar spouses to social events. While tradition leans toward welcoming partners, her response offers clarity for those who feel uneasy about hosting strangers.