How to Choose the Mother of Bride/Groom Dress

May 15, 2022 Kate Holt

When it comes to choosing dresses, the emphasis is usually placed on the wedding and bridesmaids dresses. Often the dresses for the mothers of the bride and groom don’t get the attention they deserve, and with this blog I’d like to help remedy that!

Most mothers won’t spend a large portion of time selecting their dresses, but why shouldn’t they? After all, the union isn’t simply between the bride and groom, but the two families as a whole! There is a special emphasis placed on the parents of the happy couple, as without them there would be no happy couple. Thus, it is my belief that both the mothers and the fathers should take time in selecting their attire! Something that is not only flattering but also special! That said, today we’re focusing on the moms!

When choosing a dress to wear, consider some key elements of the wedding.

The formality of the wedding
The theme of the wedding
The time of day that the wedding will take place in

Formality:

Touching on formality, you don’t want to be too over or under dressed for the wedding. If the couple is having a black-tie wedding, then everyone invited, especially the mothers, need to wear something that is event appropriate. On the other hand, wearing something crazy over the top to a normal wedding would not be appropriate, as it would remove emphasis from the bride and her dress. That’s why there are general rules for weddings like no wearing white (unless cleared by the bride) As working professionals, Dom and I have had to work out a dress code that doesn't make us stand out from the crowd, while still being appropriate for the event, and is comfortable to work in all day!

Theme:

Theme is a big deciding factor in what dress the mothers should wear. When sticking with a wedding theme, it is acceptable to choose colors and patterns that flow well with the theme and style of the wedding, however, to choose something that’s totally off from the rest of the wedding would not be appropriate. That said, it is acceptable for the mothers to wear colors and styles of dresses that distinguish them from the other party members, as long as it’s within reason and complements the rest of the bridal party.

Time of Day:

This is generally something that comes to mind for most when shopping for wedding attire, but in the heat of the moment and under the stress of a wedding, even the most common points can be forgotten! When picking dresses, whether it’s for the brides, bridesmaids or mothers, it’s important to be mindful of what the weather will be on the big day!

Another important note, generally the dresses picked for the mothers will be a collaborative effort between them and the bride. It’s important that your bride give the all-clear to any dresses you may wish you wear, as it gives them peace of mind and will keep any unwelcome surprises from occurring on the wedding day!

So what dress options are available for mothers of the bride and groom? Well, it will not surprise you, but there is no shortage of options afforded to the mothers of the happy couple! They come in all shapes, sizes and colors and truth be told, it can be a little overwhelming to look at. So as a help to all you mothers and brides reading this blog, I went ahead and attached links to my favorite dresses below. Give them a look and see which ones you like best. If you don’t find one of them to be particularly your style, then no worries! The websites where I found these dresses have hundreds of other options, so do some exploring!