As I said, ‘my invite made no mention of guests’; it did not say whether they were allowed and it did not say they were not allowed. To be clear the word ‘guest’ or any of its synonyms do not appear in my Oath ceremony invite. Neither was there any other reference to a public gallery, viewing area or facility for non petitioners.
With this in mind, my family knew they may have to wait in their cars should they not be allowed to observe, and it was their choice to accompany me.
I try and ensure that I accommodate my family’s needs & wishes where I can, maybe that’s just me.
In the end the ceremony was an open public affair, with no limits on guests, we even had a group of the high school kids observe from bleachers.