Wedding Attire: Tips for the Moms (2024)

FAQs

What a mother should wear to a wedding? ›

These days, virtually anything goes—formal gown, short or long dress, skirt-and-jacket ensemble—so long as it matches the style of the wedding. Brides can be very helpful by encouraging "the moms" to work together in choosing their outfits.

While almost anything goes for mother-of-the-bride attire—so long as the bride approves—it is important to follow certain cues dictated by the venue. For example, it's probably best to wear a strapless dress to a beach ceremony rather than a church wedding.

Typically the Mother of the Bride's dress should complement the bridal party's color palette. Not necessarily match with the bridesmaids, but choose a color in the color family. The most popular color for the mother of the bride to wear is navy or a royal blue, followed by blush or a shade of nude.

The mother of the bride plays the role of hostess, meaning you should spend some time greeting guests during the reception. Although there are exceptions, other wedding-day duties may include sitting at the parents' table and dancing with the father of the bride to help warm up the dance floor.

Mothers of the bride can certainly wear patterned dresses. In fact, a wedding in the spring or summer is a perfect time to pick out a floral mother-of-the-bride dress. However, as with wearing black or white, share your plans with your daughter.

Unless otherwise instructed, is to never wear white or any colour close to what the bride has chosen to wear. Other standard colours to avoid include ivory, white and champagne. Another colour to avoid is black. If black is a colour that you usually like to wear, this might be the time to reconsider.

Updos are a mother-of-the-bride hairstyle favorite for a reason: they're timeless, they frame your face and they work with a wide variety of dress styles. Whether it's a beautiful braided bun, an elegant chignon or an updo with a few wispy tendrils, you really can't go wrong.

A: The Mother of the Bride needs to coordinate with the Mother of the Groom and decide whether they will be wearing long or short dresses, but both are acceptable.

Knee-length dresses are perfect for more casual weddings, while midi-length dresses are a great choice for more formal events. For evening weddings, floor length mother of the bride gowns are the most traditional and formal option. These gowns exude elegance and sophistication, and are perfect for black-tie affairs.

What jewelry should the mother of the bride wear? ›

A cohesive jewelry set for the mother of the bride often includes a necklace, earrings, and sometimes a bracelet, tailored to the formality of the wedding and her personal style. Classic designs in metals that match her outfit will create a refined look.

While it is traditional (although not obligatory) for the mother and father of the bride to receive a thank you gift from the newlyweds on the big day, a little memento from the bride's parents to their daughter is also becoming more popular.

The mother of the bride is traditionally escorted by her son if she has one. Otherwise, any close male relative, the best man, or a groomsman walks with the mother of the bride during the procession.

Traditionally, the bride's family assumed most of the financial costs associated with a wedding, including the wedding planner, invitations, dress, ceremony, reception, flowers, photography, and music.

While the mother of the bride, mother of the groom, and special guests always have the option to match the bridal party or wear a similar shade, we created this handy guide to make further color-coordination effortless. Try greys and neutrals such as charcoal, champagne, blush, or a metallic.

Because the mother of the groom isn't part of the bridal party, she should avoid choosing a dress in the same color as the bridesmaids' attire, the mother of the bride's dress, or the wedding gown.

The Final Takeaway

As long as it's not considered culturally inappropriate or against the dress code, you can wear black to a wedding.

The bride's mother, groom's mother, all the grandmothers, and any female readers during your ceremony traditionally wear a corsage on their wrist, or a pinned corsage to their clothing. If you have a female officiant that you really connect with, you could even consider giving them a corsage as well.