- In a Protestant wedding, the mother of the bride is one of the first members of the wedding party to walk down the aisle. In Jewish ceremonies, the mother of the bride, along with the bride's father, escorts the bride down the aisle. In both instances, the mother of the bride's dress is important because its style and color choice is a direct reflection of the theme and color choice of the wedding.
- Once the bride has determined her wedding's color scheme and the hour she will marry her groom, finding the style of the gown and the fit is the next step. Types of mother of the bride dresses vary. The most popular style choices are tea-length, column, sheath, suit, long-sleeved, strapless and ballgown. Fabric choices for mother of the bride dresses range from silk and taffeta to velvet and wool crepe based upon the time of year of the wedding. Prices for mother of the bride dresses can range from $99 at a small bridal boutique to the low thousands of dollars for a designer creation.
- The theme of the wedding dictates the type of dress worn by the mother of the bride. For example, an evening black-tie wedding requires a formal gown. For a morning wedding at the courthouse, a skirt suit is appropriate attire. Because weddings require standing for long periods, dancing and entertaining guests, the mother of the bride should consider comfort and style when selecting a dress. The mother of the bride, or any other member of the bridal party, should refrain from wearing white, ivory and off-white gowns.
- The mother of the bride dress should be appropriate for the wedding theme, particularly if the ceremony is religious in nature. A dress that is too tight, reveals too much cleavage or is too short may offend invited guests and embarrass the bride or groom. The perfect mother of the bride dress involves a delicate balance between the personal style of the bride's mother and the wedding theme of the daughter.
-
The mother of the bride dress should be selected a minimum of 6 months before the wedding date. The mother of the bride dress should flatter the figure and be appropriate for the ceremony. Most of all, the dress should be in similar color and tone with the mother of the groom's dress. As fluctuations in weight or mistakes in sizing by the dressmaker or manufacturer may occur, selecting your dress in advance can reduce some of the stress associated with planning a wedding.
Twenty-first century weddings now celebrate the option of nontraditional mothers wearing pantsuits to the wedding instead of the customary mother of the bride dress.
