Thereis no doubt that a wedding is a wonderful occasion. An opportunity to cometogether and celebrate with two special people who are embarking on a lifetogether. That feeling is so much stronger when one of those two people is yourdaughter, or son. There is plenty of reasons that mothers feel excited,emotional, overwhelmed, probably having hard time just keeping it together andnot stress you out more than you already are, and they still have to find aperfect dress. We know from experience that mothers of the bride or groom havejust as difficult a task finding the right outfit for the day as brides do.
Modern mothers of brides are turning away from the traditional M.O.B. dresses – the pastel chiffon gowns, taffeta frocks in colors of vegetables and matronly long-sleeve jacket ensembles. The dresses worn by mothers of brides now are more stylish, youthful and even daring. But as the choice of dresses grows, so does the confusion of picking the right style for this precious occasion.
What Color Should Mother of the Bride Wear?
There is no doubt that wearing the right color can make you look radiant and younger, but there is also lots of things to consider including the wedding color scheme.
Traditionaletiquette has become relaxed in modern society, meaning some of the rules arefrequently bent to one extent or another. For example, wearinf black used to bea faux pas at a wedding; today, black is often part of the wedding color scheme.Think about how your colour choice will look in the photographs. Consider anycolour themes that the bride and groom have chosen and also chat with the in-lawsto ensure your outfits don’t clash.
Doesthe bride’s mother have to wear the same color as bridesmaids? Only ifthe bride explicitly demands so, although modern brides are usually not thatfond of “everything has to match” rule. There are alternatives, ormodifications to this idea, like mother wearing the dress in the same color,but different shade. For example If bridesmaids are wearing mint green, motherof the bride can wear emerald, or any other shade of green she feels goodwearing.
Mother of Bride Dress Styles that are not Frumpy
For a long time there used to be so-called „mother of the bride dress“ tendency in fashion. Traditional mother of the bride dresses used to be frumpy, matronly, often tacky and not flattering to a more mature woman’s figure in any way. That no longer exists today. Most mothers of the bride want to be fashionable, so they are looking for styles that are on trend and fits them the best. This means that the variety of dresses offered for mothers of the brides is enormous, price range is very wide and proud moms have more choices than ever that allow them to look at feel beautiful on one of the happiest days of their lives. Here are few trend that have found their way in mother of the groom and bride styles, and we are thrilled to see them stay.
Illusion Lace
A co*cktail dress with illusion dress details is a perfect combination of classic and modern. You can wear an all-over lace dresses are eternally romantic with timeless allure, or include lace in your outfit as an accent, by choosing a dress with lace sleeves.
Montage by Mon Cheri 115960sl
This beautiful lace and chiffon trumpet dress with illusion lace three-quarter length sleeves features curved bateau neckline over sweetheart bodice and deep, but not overly plunging, V-back. Pleated chiffon natural waistband with hand-beaded appliqué on left side, flared skirt with sweep train will drape beautifully over the hips in a figure-flattering manner.
SequinsandBeading
Whenit comes to sparkling, the mothers are not shying away. Whether it’s silversequin embellishments or gold encrusted beadwork, adding some shine can jazz upthe attire in a fashion-forward way.
Cameron Blake 217632
This exquisite gown with a chevron pattern in sparkling floral sequins overlay this fit and flare Cameron Blake 217632 evening dress. It also features cap sleeves, a Queen Anne neckline and a half moon cutout back. The slim skirt is trimmed with a scalloped hem and has a brush train.
CapeSleeves
Whilefunctional when temps fluctuate, they cut you off mid-chest and are oftenunflattering. Same goes for shawls, which can look fussy and be distracting. Ifarms aren’t your best feature, besides wearing sleeves, you can go with a dresswith cape-style sleeves.
Jovani 63148
Designed in a rich stretch glitter fabric forming a fitted silhouette, this ensemble shows a jewel neckline flanked with draping cape sleeves. Crafted with a full back, the sheath skirt flows down to the floor with a full-length hemline and a train.
Take a look at our carefully curated collection of mother of the bride and mother of the groom styles here: https://madamebridal.com/mother-of-bride-groom-dresses
MOB Dress Etiquette – Mother of the bride Dos and Don’ts
Although lots of traditions and rules have changed in the 21st century, some of the classic ones still stand. First rule that applies to all wedding guests, but especially for the mothers is that the attire needs to be appropriate for the tone of the wedding. If it’s a formal evening wedding you should wear a long gown, if it’s a daytime wedding, dress for the daytime.
Keepthe embellishments to a minimum. Choose lace, pearl or intricate beadwork. Ifher daughter’s gown is simple and classy, then the mother of the bride’s dressshould be simple as well.
Youroutfit should work with your body shape, not the other way around. Wearing anoutfit that is not suitable for your body shape could add pounds to yourwaistline and will almost certainly leave you feeling uncomfortable all day.Follow one simple rule as a starting point. If you are curvy, opt for stylesand fabrics that flow with your curves. Go for silk, chiffon, jersey, fineknits etc. If you have a straighter body, fabrics with a bit of structure willwork well. Think cotton, satin, fine wool or linen.
Mother of the Groom Dress
There used to be a saying for mother of the groom to „shut up, show up and wear beige“ but as the traditional roles disappear, thankfully this horrible motto no longer stands. But even if styles are changing, traditional etiquette still holds. The mother of the groom should defer to the mother of the bride in choosing a dress, and for either, the ultimate sin remains wearing white. The objective of this is not so much to match, but not to clash. After all, you want that big family photo to look good, and reflect the amount of thought and effort put into organizing the wedding, and not look like everyone just showed up. Style-wise, there are no differences between dresses for moms of the bride and dresses for moms of the groom. The general advice is to avoid anything that is „too much“ – too tight, too see-through, too flashy.
Ultimately, what matters more than dress etiquette for mother of the groom is that the mother of the groom, the groom, and the bride are happy with the dress. Getting prior approval for the dress from the bride-to-be is a surefire way to know that you will be dressed appropriately. Mothers are different, but what they do share fully is a desire for their daughters or sons to be happy and have a joyful wedding.
