Choosing a wedding dress: Tips for the Mother of the Bride

The mother of the bride dress can often be overshadowed and overlooked by the bride’s actual wedding gown and the bridesmaid dresses. However, choosing the appropriate dress for the mother of the bride can be a fun, super creative, and an oh-so bonding experience. Below are some tips to help mom along the way.

• Set your budget before you even begin shopping. It is easy to go overboard at times like these. If you find yourself looking at dresses that are out of your reach, resist the temptation to try them on.

• Start shopping for a wedding-appropriate dress at least six months before the big day. This will allow you to take your time to choose a dress without feeling stressed or rushed. Plus, the dress may need to be altered.

• Communicate! The bride and mom should sit down together and then browse through magazines and online stores.

• Go window shopping in local boutiques. You may just be surprised of what you will find! Also, don’t be afraid to ask them about upcoming sales.

• Be sure and choose a color that compliments the theme of the wedding ceremony. Sometimes it is a good idea to be in the same color class with the bridesmaid dresses. For example, if the bridesmaids are wearing chocolate brown, Mom could go for a beige or dark cream color frock.

• Avoid white as a mother of the bride dress choice. You don’t want to compete with the bride in any way at all.

• Keep it modest and simple if possible. Again, this goes back to keeping the focus on the bride. This doesn’t mean boring, just avoid too much bling (as in sequence and beading on the actual dress)… a little goes a long way.

• If you feel the dress is a little too modest, try pairing it with stunning accessories such as a brooch or necklace to jazz up the look.

• Always keep in mind the time of year of the wedding. For example, if it is during the winter, feel you don’t want to go sleeveless. If it is summer, feel free to show those arms!

• The single most important tip for choosing a mother of the bride dress is to have fun with it. When else do you get to try on as many stylish dressy dresses as you like? Make the most of your mother of the bride experience!