Mothers of the Bride and Groom | Best places to shop for your dress!
Although it’s no secret the bride and groom are the most important part of a wedding day. Mothers of the Bride and Groom also need to look beautiful and be comfortable as well. Lately, we have received a lot of questions from our Goodie and Smith Moms on where to find a conservative and stylish dress for her daughters wedding. As wedding photographers all over the Gulf Coast, we’ve seen a lot of great looks and love to help whenever we can. So, we’re sharing inspirations for Mother of the Bride attire and a few tips we’ve learned too!
Take Cues on Formality
If your daughter (or soon-to-be daughter in- law) is having a less formal wedding a tea length dress would be lovely.Tea length dresses are a bit longer than calf length dresses.Tea length dresses usually stop right above the ankle, but some stop up to 2 or 3 inches above the ankle. Tea length dresses are a more playful, modern alternative to formal evening gowns, which make them ideal for a nice but less formal wedding. They’re a staple at summer weddings here in the south. On the other hand, if the wedding is truly black tie, you’ll want to choose a floor length evening gown.
Compliment the Wedding Party Colors
While the wedding color scheme is usually reserved for bridesmaids dresses, florals and decor, complimentary colors are perfect for the mothers of the bride and groom. We love the soft shades of pink and blue that these mothers chose. You’ll notice they pick up the shades in Justine’s gorgeous bridal bouquet. Justine’s mom found her dress at Dillard’s and Mark’s step-mother found her dress at a local boutique that offered alterations.
Add Accessories
If you’re looking for way to make your mother of the bride (or groom)’s dress a little more dressed up, we recommend adding a few accessories. We love a classic shawl or nice jacket. These are great options for fall and winter weddings. An heirloom string of pearls or hair comb are a few more accessories we’ve seen and love!
Allow time for special orders and alterations
While we’re talking about formal attire… let’s discuss alterations. We see a lot of moms trying to find a dress that fits perfectly. So, leave plenty of time for alterations! We like to heir on the side of having more time than you’d think for those to be completed so you’re not scrambling last minute and can have a second round of alterations if you need to! Haley’s mom found her gown at Bella Bridesmaids and Mason’s mom found her gown at JCPenney.
Coordinate with the Mother of the Groom
Once they’re married, you’re all family! What better way to start the MOB/MOG relationship than to plan a day to shop together! Coordinating with the mother of the groom is such a sweet way to make both moms feel special AND to make sure that your choices of gowns coordinate for the portraits!
Find Something you feel Comfortable and Confident in
Most importantly, find a dress that you’ll feel comfortable and confident in. Weddings are LONG days. Making sure that you look beautiful and feel great in will make for a more relaxed day. You’ll be having portraits made that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. Looking back on those photos years from now and thinking “Wow! I just loved my dress!” will be a great feeling! Speaking of comfortable – if you don’t usually wear heels, we suggest purchasing 2 pairs of shoes. The first pair of shoes will be for portraits and ceremony and the second for the rest of the day so you can be comfortable. Whitney’s mother also found her dress at Dillards.
See more wedding planning tips here:
Tips for the Mother of the Bride
How to Decide the Number of Hours for a Photography Package
The Perfect Wedding Day Timeline
