How to Choose a Dress for the Mother of the Bride

The colors have been chosen, the flowers have been ordered, the church and reception hall have been booked, and now it's time to choose a dress for the mother of the bride. With all of the details that come with planning a wedding, this is one that needs special attention.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet access
• computer

1. Sit down with the mother of the bride and discuss the color scheme and general theme of the wedding. It is important that one of the most important people at the wedding also looks her best. Make sure that everyone is on the same page.
2. Find out what styles Mom prefers, and work together to find one that works best for both of you. You certainly don’t want the mother of the bride dressed in a formal gown for a casual wedding, nor do you want her in a peasant blouse and sandals for an evening service with an eight-course dinner to follow! This little bit of preparation will save major headaches on the big day.
3. Consider jumping online after you’ve agreed on what shade of the color scheme and what style will work best for Mom. Most major retailers now have Web sites that offer full color photographs of each of their styles. Looking ahead online will save a lot of trouble and will allow you to narrow down your search.
4. Use the site’s search engine to narrow down your results. Most retail Web sites and online catalogs allow you to sort your options by size, color, style and price. These narrowed options will make that inevitable trip to the mall a lot easier.
5. Head to the nearest mall with your list and shop till you drop! Take this opportunity to spend some quality time with your mother, (or future mother-in-law.) This should be an enjoyable experience for everyone and another way to celebrate your happiness.
6. Relax in knowing that this is one less thing that you have to worry about as your special day approaches. Mom will look beautiful and everyone will have a great time!

Tips & Warnings

• If mom finds a dress that she absolutely adores online but there isn’t a retail store near you that has it available, go ahead and order it if there is no other dress that will suffice. Just make sure that it is ordered early enough in advance that it may be returned if damaged, is the wrong item, or if, God forbid, it just looks terrible on her.
• Try to shop in-store as much as possible for such an important item. Dress sizes often tend to vary from brand to brand and from style to style. It is best to try on the dress before the purchase is made.
• If purchasing online, be sure that you read and understand the Web site’s return policy. Some sites offer an exchange only option for online purchases. If mom can’t find anything else that she likes on that site then you could be out a lot of money.
• Make sure that the store that you are purchasing from has a skilled alterations person. Don’t be afraid to ask for his or her credentials. Any reputable retailer will hire only skilled alterations personnel.

Who Can Help: