Well, your daughter’s getting married (or your son) and whether you are happy that she found someone great who really loves her, or she fell for a jerk, you still want to look hot. Those pictures of you are going to be around for quite a while. So, you need to find a great mother of the bride dress.
Unfortunately, I have been the bride more than I’ve been the mother of the bride, but I have had to coordinate those mothers. (Used in every sense of the word.) One time it was fun, one time it was a pain, and one time I didn’t have to hassle with it.
Who Chooses the Mother of the Bride Dress?
The word “dress” is used as a catchall to mean women’s suit, two-piece dress, pantsuit, women’s tuxedo, gown, hijab, kimono or anything else.
There is no rule about who chooses the mother of the bride (MOB) dress, as it is done by mother-daughter committee, with some negotiation. However, there is one essential rule: The bride has absolute veto power. This is because the dress must:
- Blend with the wedding color scheme
- Blend with the bride’s outfit style
- Be compatible with the formality of the wedding
- Be something that the bride doesn’t hate
Rules About Mother of the Bride Dresses
As with all rules, you can bend them or break them according to your wish.
- Mother of the bride chooses her dress first, then she informs the mother of the groom about her dress choice. This is not a hard and fast rule, but if push comes to shove, this is correct protocol.
- Neither the mother of the bride nor the mother of the groom should try to upstage the other (maybe a little) or upstage the bride. In general, all upstaging is reserved for the reception. (Kidding.)
- The outfits worn by the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom should have the same feel; and, in photos, it looks best if the dresses are approximately the same length.
For formal weddings, and in most circumstances, it’s easiest if you avoid prints and patterns. Yes, there are some exceptions. However, once one mother chooses a print and the other one wants the same thing, it can be a headache. Hopefully, both women are gracious and have good taste. I lean towards making your future mother-in-law happy. After you're married, you'll see why.
- The MOB dress must be comfortable, or else the MOB might be tempted to imbibe too much champagne or unzip the back of her skirt.
- The MOB dress should not be the same color as the bridesmaids’ dresses.
- The MOB dress should make the Mother of the Bride feel fabulous, hot (but not overtly sexy), hip, and somewhat powerful.
- It is generally assumed that no one but the bride should wear white or off-white. I believe this would be the same even if the bride chooses to go Goth or Indie and wear a non-white bridal gown.
Mother of the Bride Dress Pictures
You can find tons of pictures in wedding magazines and online. Here are some that I like.
Long mother of the bride dresses:
- Long pastel dress (This would look good on almost anyone.)
- Plus size MOB dress
- Long navy blue dress
Formal mother of the bride dresses:
- Navy blue satin dress (In general, I think that stiff fabrics look best on tall women.)
- Navy Blue Lace Dress (Sweetheart necklines photograph well.)
- Chiffon dress for mother of the bride
- Long teal dress (Teal is as slimming as black.)
Tea-length mother of the bride dresses:
- Deep blue tea length dress (I love this.)
- Tea length MOB dress
Sexy mother of the bride dresses:
- Mother of the bride dress - plus size (I prefer that people see cleavage rather than fat tummies and bulges, however the bride must agree.)
- One shoulder MOB dress (If mom is still skinny and the new wife is in attendance, try the style on the right. Or change into this for an evening reception. The two-piece outfit on the left is gorgeous and two-piece dresses or suits are sometimes easier to fit.)
Black mother of the bride dress (Personally, I have no problem with mum wearing a black dress as long as the festivities are going to continue after sundown.)
My Opinion of Your Wedding
It’s your prerogative to do whatever you want, but as a spectator…ummm…guest, I get really bored with the same old pastel colored, prim and proper, seen-it-a-thousand-times wedding. Add a little spice. Do something just a tiny bit different.
As long as you have a friend or a wedding planner who will tell you the truth, in case your ideas are going over the top, why not tweak the usual oh-my-gawd-it-will-never-last-because-they-will-bore-each-other-to-death wedding? On the other hand, if you like to watch wrestling and reality shows, or men ask you, “How much?” when you walk down the street, maybe you should try a prudish, 1950s retro-style wedding.
More Articles:
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Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
