Wedding Style Guide: What to Wear if You're the Mother of the Bride or Groom

Mother's of the bride and groom! It's your big day too!

As the Mother of the Bride or Groom, figuring out what to wear can be incredibly overwhelming. But our stylists have you covered! Find your perfect outfit with our style guide for Mother of the Bride or Groom.

Mother of the bride or groom attire etiquette is constantly evolving. In the past, mother of the bride or groom dresses had a reputation for being matronly or overly conservative — but that's hardly the case anymore. (Psst: The same goes for the grandmother of the bride or groom dresses too.)

Now you can express your sartorial sensibilities in so many different fashionable options. Moms are encouraged to wear an outfit that they love (with the bride's approval, of course). Sleek evening gowns, trendy midis, maxi dresses and structured jumpsuits are all great options for the mother of the bride. Talk about spoiled for choices!

There’s no need to feel overwhelmed, as we have plenty of stunning options for you to choose from. Our mother of the bride or groom dresses are alluring, without taking attention away from the happy couple. You’ll look and feel your best throughout all the upcoming wedding festivities no matter which dress you choose. Keep reading our style guide for tips for the mother of the bride and groom, plus our top picks to help celebrate one of the biggest days in your life!

3 tips for the mother of the bride or groom

1. Let the bride be your guide!

If you take away only one tip, let it be this one: Follow the bride's cues about style, color, and degree of formality. The bride and groom set the tone for the wedding. That can mean everything from a casual country wedding complete with cowboy boots, or a formal black-tie affair. You're an important member of the wedding party and you'll want to look the part. So, ask your son or daughter for some guidelines and follow suit.

2. Take color cues from the wedding party!

There's only one color not to wear: white! Avoid anything white, ivory or hues of champagne. Though you deserve to look stunning, the bride should stand out as the star of the show.

It’s tradition that the mother of the bride or groom’s dress complement the wedding party's colors (though not necessarily match). Therefore, it's best to wait until the bride-to-be chooses the bridesmaid’s dresses to begin shopping. See if you can get a swatch of their fabric to take with you—it will be super helpful when searching for a harmonizing hue.

If your daughter or daughter-in-law forgoes the uniform bridesmaid dresses in favor of individual outfits in a similar shade, stick to one or the other. For instance, if she asks her attendants to wear black cocktail dresses, you might want to choose something in silver or gray. Or if her girls are going in cobalt blue, a navy dress would pair perfectly.

3. Borrow from the venue, too!

It used to be that the mother’s dresses followed a kind of “uniform.” Today, almost anything goes! Just as long as it's appropriate for the event. Make sure you also take the weather and cultural or religious customs into account when choosing your outfit. Whatever kind of wedding it is, you can never go wrong if these three words come to mind: elegant, understated, and appropriate.

Our picks for the mother of the bride or groom outfits

Whether you prefer floor-length, just below the knee, sleeveless or with sleeves, we have a dress style to suit your taste and personality.

At Connected Apparel, we have mother of the bride and mother of the groom dresses that will look, feel, and fit fabulously. Our mother of the bride dresses are available in a wide selection of styles, colors, and sizes, including petite and plus sizes up to 24W, to suit every mother's taste. And they’re all under $100!