Meet The Parents Session - When, Where, What?

I was browsing some forums and found that there are a lot of doubt for "Meet The Parents Session". Questions asked:
1) When should be arranged for "Meet The Parents Session"?
2) Where to meet?
3) What to discuss?

For Alvin and I, after we decide to get married. Alvin make the first move, to ask permission to marry me from my parent. This is because to show respect for his future parent-in-laws. Of course before he did that, I did mention to my parent or hint to my parent. This is to avoid anything unpleasant.

After that, we choose an auspicious date to ROM (register of marriage). It was 18 July, 2006 (Hooray, 1st anniversary is nearby). Alvin and I decided not to do ROM and Traditional Wedding on the same day. There are few reasons:
1)As we live in Singapore, only legally married couple can own a flat. We decided to ROM and got the flat ready before the Traditional Wedding.
2)ROM together with Traditional Wedding will be very rush and tiring. So, we decided just a simple ROM and dinner with our parent and close friends. We had our dinner buffet at St. Gregory's Brasserie, Grand Plaza Park Hotel (Previously named Grand Plaza Parkroyal Hotel Coleman Street).

As we only planned to do the Traditional Wedding much later, so didn't arrange the Meet the Parents Session till this year. When come to this part, couple usually will worry unpleasant discussion between both parties. Well, things can be done smoothly with good planning. Here are some tips:
1)Couple need to understand this session need a lot of compromise. Discuss about what kind of things need to have discuss during the Meet the Parents Session (dates, dowry, groom offering how many tables, ....etc)
2)Couple then discuss with their own parents to get some opinion on those listed things. Usually parents (either bride or groom) will say, "You decide," but try to talk them to give you some rough idea what they think as the appropriate amount or things.(In Canton tradition, groom family must offer a roasted pig to the bride family; In Tao chew tradition, bride family must offer a pair of pants and wallet for the groom for prosperity; as the dates, if both agreed to get auspicious dates from the fortune-teller or feng shui expert and on which months for the year, then groom family can ask for the expert the dates using the Chinese calendar, the date best suited for the couple is based on their birth dates and Chinese zodiac signs. )
NOTE: In Chinese culture, the period from the middle to the end of the seventh lunar month is considered inauspicious. Traditionally, that is the time of the Ghost Festival, when the gates of the underworld are opened and the lost spirits are allowed to wander the earth, making it a less desirable time for a wedding.
3)Couple will discuss again using the information gather from both side of your parent and try to compromise.
4)Only until you can finalize those items and most likely agreed by both side of your parent, then only you arrange the "Meet the Parents Session".
("Meet the parent session" can be done after couple deciding to get married, try to do that at least 9-12 months before your planned wedding period; such as it is time to do this if you are planning your wedding around end of 2008 or beginning of 2009, as you need to book venue for wedding at least 9 months ahead of your wedding.)

As for where is the suitable place for "Meet the Parents Session", it really depends your preferences. Few options are as below:
1)Meet at the bride's home to discuss and then go for dinner later.
2)Meet a private room at restaurant

Things to discuss during the "Meet the Parents Session" - as for this part, at this time, most likely all the things already being mentioned to both parties, so it is just likely just to confirm again the details.

Hope this helps those who are planning for the "Meet the Parents Session".