Mother of the Bride Dress Questions
Whether you are the mother of the bride, or mother of the groom, it is essential to find the right dress for your shape and colouring that fits well with the wedding theme! The thought of hunting for that outfit that will ensure you are befit for this role can be super stressful, especially when there is already a lot of pressure for the big day!
Here are some questions that you should think about and discuss with the bride and groom so that you all have a clear understanding of what’s expected.
There are so many things to consider when dressing for the mother of the bride and mother of the groom....
It is a responsibility that doesn’t seem like it would be stressful but when the time comes you can get so overwhelmed with choices that you don’t even know where to start!
- In what season is the wedding taking place?
- Are you co-ordinating with the groom's mother?
- Is the bridal party going to match you?
- Is there a colour scheme in place for the bride and groom's wedding?
- What is the expected level of formality?
- Is there any guidance on what you should wear?
So many things to consider and a million different options! Don’t worry we’ve got you! Here at Bombshell, we have put together a gorgeous selection of mother of the bride or groom outfits that will be perfect for the big day!
Check out our collection Mother of the Bride or Groom Outfits.
What Should I Wear to My Daughter’s Wedding?
It can be difficult to decide what to wear to your daughter's wedding. In case there are any misunderstandings, it requires a lot of consideration and conversation between the mother of the bride and her daughter. There are a couple of factors that you should consider before picking out your perfect dress.
Body shape
What you should wear depends a lot on your body type. This applies to any occasion when you are wearing a dress, not just weddings. You want clothes that will fit your body type. You don't want your dress to cling to the wrong places. If you want more ideas, check out my more in-depth blog post on how to dress for your body type.
The Season
Dresses alter with the seasons! Are the happy couple planning a summer wedding? Or do they want a wedding in the winter? You must be aware of the season before making a choice because the colors and styles of dresses will vary greatly. Wearing something like this might be a lovely alternative if the bride and groom are being married in the spring or summer.
Our Invitation Sapphire Blue Collar Sarong Bombshell Dress is an absolutely gorgeous shade of blue with a simplistic design. This is the perfect piece for a summer wedding because it isn’t too “out there”, so it won’t distract away from the bride and groom, but it incorporates summer colours into your dress!
This dress is so elegant and sophisticated, with the fabric designed and made to flatter your curves! You need this dress! If they have decided on an autumn or winter wedding then perhaps this is something you should wear.
The Unique Grace Dress
This is our Heron Silk Dupion Bombshell 'Grace' Tie Front Shirt Dress which is a gorgeous dress to wear to any occasion, not just a wedding! The tie front detail makes it unique so you know you are wearing something a little more special, without taking too much of the limelight!
Relationship
How close are you with your daughter? You need to think if she would want you to dress similar to her bridal party, or if she wants you to have your own colour and style.
Are you going to be there for the planning and bridal parties or is your job to just show up on the day? You might be expected to dress like a guest rather than mother of the bride, this depends on your relationship with your daughter!
What Is the Most Popular Colour for Mother of the Bride Dresses?
A versatile colour hit for a mother of the bridge is of course a personal choice, but from our experience, we know that Navy, Gold, Green and Floral are always winners! Here are some of our gorgeous colours (and of course, our fabrics and cuts work with all colours).
Navy Mother of the Bride Dresses
Wearing a navy dress for mother of the bride is one of the most popular colours. It is simple and unlikely to distract any attention away from the bride and groom. Navy is a safe colour that can fit most seasons (aside from perhaps spring and summer). Take a look at this gorgeous Bombshell navy dress that is perfect for any MOB! Utter chic.
Navy Confident Bombshell Cap Sleeve Dress has a flattering sarong skirt with concealing drapes. I designed this dress to make you feel utterly fabulous and look amazing too! The fabric is so soft and flexible that you don’t need to worry about it when breaking out into dance when the reception begins!
Just take a look at this lovely combination of gorgeous green silk and a coordinating dress coat. The dress is fully lined, falls just below the knee (very lovely), and has a covert wrap bodice - here it is: Bombshell Emerald Green Silk Confident Dress and the coat is our Bombshell Occasion Coat in Emerald Green Silk. We call these style dresses 'The Confident' because every woman who wears one says they feel super confident!
Gold Mother of the Bride Dresses
Gold is the colour for celebration and wealth. It is not hard to see why this colour is popular for mother of the bride dresses. Wearing gold is something that will not clash with the bride and won’t take away too much distraction from the happy couple. It is something you should run by the bride and groom though as a lot of gold dresses can be pretty out there. The Gold Grace Dress combines elegance and luxury to deliver the perfect outfit!
Look at this Gold GRACE Tie Front Shirt Dress that will visually raise your bust and give you an effortless silhouette! The detailing in this dress isn’t too much so it doesn’t look tacky, but it is the perfect amount to give the dress a little bit of character. This dress is the definition of luxury, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!
Green Mother of the Bride Dresses
Those auburn beauties out there would probably default to a gorgeous green but it really is a colour for any hair colour or skin tone. It is said that emerald is one of the colours that truly suits all skin tones. It’s a jewel tone so it doesn’t make your skin colour look washed out. Stunning for autumn and winter, especially in silk.
Floral Mother of the Bride Dresses
Who doesn’t love a bit of a floral piece for a summer or spring wedding? Everything from the colour to the pattern of these dresses screams mother of the bride and will match perfectly to the wedding theme! Perhaps you could coordinate your floral dress to the colours of the flowers? We have so many gorgeous floral dresses that would be perfect for your mother of the bride duties. Here are a couple that are so stunning you’ll want to put them in your wardrobe right away!
Beautiful Kensington Garden...
As you can see, the Kensington Garden Pink 3/4 Sleeve "Confident" Dress is really exquisite, with a gorgeous pink colour and complementary flowers placed thoughtfully on the garment. You can add a pop of magenta and red to your outfit with the Xanthe Magenta "Grace" Dress to accentuate the spring or summer atmosphere. It is a lovely choice for a wedding and can go with the flowers the bride and groom choose to use. I had a great time creating this, and I adore the pattern. We'd like to introduce our Navy Rose Grace Shirt Dress, keeping with the floral theme. Who doesn't adore a dress with a 1950s Hollywood or Parisian flair?
What Colour Should the Mother of the Bride Wear?
There isn’t one specific colour that the mother of the bride must wear. The MOB should wear a colour that gets approved by the bride and that doesn’t clash with the colour scheme of the wedding. The outfits of the bridal party can influence the colour of the MOB’s dress, not matching the colours completely, but wearing something that nods at the bridal party is a good option. The mother of the bride should make sure that whatever dress she wears does not clash with the other dresses in the bridal party, it should rather complement them as well as the overall colour scheme of the wedding.
What the Mother of the Bride Should Not Wear!
The standard rule to go by is that anyone attending the wedding should not wear colours that are similar to white. This is the same for the mother of the bride. Avoiding white, ivory, and champagne colours is a great option and will be much appreciated by the bride! Unless of course, the bride has specifically stated that wearing these colours is fine, maybe she’s decided on an all-white bridal party?
But don’t assume that she will be okay with light colours like these. It’s a no-no. Stay away from anything that could take the attention away from the bride. Just like going for whites or ivory colours will cause a distraction or whisper, stay away from bold colours and patterns that will have eyes on you. Red is daring, and you’ll stand out but is that what the bride wants? If it’s a “red” theme, then great! Just make sure you aren’t standing out more than your daughter or daughter in law! Wearing something super bright and colourful when everyone else is wearing pastel colours, for example, means that you are standing out, which in turn might make you feel slightly awkward and uncomfortable.
When in doubt, ask!
Does the Mother of the Bride Wear the Same Colour as the Bridesmaids?
The mother of the bride does not need to match the bridesmaids or anyone else in the bridal party. It is always a good idea to check however, but a lot of brides like to have everyone’s colours similar so that it looks good in photos and when standing next to each other. Look for a dress that complements the bridesmaids and others in the bridal party, but don’t go for the same colour.
You, as the MOB, are super special after all! It is becoming more common for a bride to pick different colours for each of her bridesmaids, so you don’t want to disrupt the style she is going for. Any appropriate look will do as long as it doesn’t draw attention away from the happy colour. The bride might have a colour in mind for you so just ask her, she will be grateful that you thought to ask!
Do the Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom Wear the Same Colour?
It’s not necessary for the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom to wear the same colour. It might be a nice nod to the joining of the family members for both the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom to wear the same colour, but it depends on what both sides want. Coordinating the outfits will make it slightly easier for photographs but ask both the bride and groom for their opinion.
Some brides decide that they don’t want there to be any style mishaps like someone wearing the same dress as another (ouch!). Just check with her and you can make your decision from there. Both the mother of the bride and mother of the groom should feel comfortable in what colour they each choose to wear, and do remember to discuss styles, colours and how formal the outfit is going to be as.
Bombshell top tips to take away from this post
Always ask the bride and groom what they would prefer. They might have a colour scheme in mind that doesn’t go with what dress colour you are thinking. Or the bride might have a specific colour that she wants you to wear. After all, it is their big day and you should make it go as smoothly as possible. Remember to ask them about the style of the dress and how formal the outfit should be! Just a note to those who, like me, have a big bust, we’ve written a blog here (How to Dress for a Big Bust) which is an informative read. Feel free to ask us any questions about what the mother of the bride should wear. Thanks for reading and congratulations on your daughter's engagement!
Love Katya xx
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