How to Choose a Dress for the Mother of the Groom

Though sometimes overlooked, the mother of the groom in any wedding is just as important as the mother of the bride. She has raised a man that his bride has found perfect, and she deserves to look her best on her son’s special day. By following a few simple steps you can choose a dress for the mother of the groom quite effortlessly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet access
• computer

1. Sit down with both future spouses and discuss what Mom likes and dislikes. This is an important decision for everyone involved, so take your time and figure out what you have to work with. Make sure that she is aware of the colors that you’ve chosen and that she knows the level of formality of the wedding.
2. Determine a style that is appropriate to the color scheme and formality of the event and iron out several options. This will help to narrow down your search when you eventually hit the Internet and the shopping mall.
3. Think about taking a look online at this point. Most big retailers have great sites that allow you to sort your options by several criteria including style, available colors and price. Checking out some of what’s available ahead of time will really help to narrow down the searching at the store.
4. Visit several online retail sites and take a look at a variety of styles and acceptable color shades. By visiting these sites, you can put together a good list of several options. Having a good idea of what you want ahead of time will make the selection process much easier.
5. Head off to your nearest shopping mall or dress shop with your list of ideas. Make it a fun day for everyone involved, and remember that mom is just as much a part of this special day as the bride and groom.

Tips & Warnings

• It’s a good idea to have both the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom shop together with the two lovebirds. This will help the two of them coordinate their outfits and will prevent any embarrassing mishaps like both of them showing up wearing the same dress. This also gives the Moms a good opportunity to get to know each other a little better, a move that can make future events like holidays a lot more comfortable for all concerned.
• It's not a good idea to purchase online for such an important dress. You are best off using the Internet as a guide to get some idea of what’s available and what mom likes.
• Make sure that if you order online that the site offers a reasonable and timely return policy. Many sites only offer exchanges for online purchases.
• Make sure that the retail store that you are buying from offers competent alteration services. There is nothing worse than an alteration person that is better suited to a butcher shop than a sewing room! Any reputable retailer will only hire competent alterations personnel, and don’t be shy about asking him or her about their training and experience. Any skilled alterations people should be proud to tell you about themselves!

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