How to Design a Mother of the Bride Dress

A wedding is a special day for all those involved. Of course the bride wants to be beautiful and have just the right gown but so does her mother. The mother of the bride should feel beautiful and lovely as well. She deserves it. She has probably done more than her share of work in planning the wedding as. The mother of the bride is the host, of sorts, and wants to look her best in front of all her guests.

Things You'll Need

• sketch paper
• writing instruments
• colored pencils
• photo of the mother of the bride
• copy machine
• white out

Instructions

1. Find a photo of the mother of the bride that shows off her body and figure. Copy it. Take white out and white out all the woman's clothing but keep the lines of her figure intact. If there are things in the background or other people, white these out as well. Copy this paper. You should be left with a picture of the mother of the bride with an outline of her body on an otherwise blank sheet of paper.

2. Make several copies of your mother of the bride outline on sketch paper. Talk to the mother about what she dreams of wearing. Ask her about her favorite fabrics, textures and cuts. You want the mother of the bride to be comfortable. Talk to the bride about what colors would be appropriate or if she has a preference for the photos and overall look.

3. Figure out what the mother's most flattering features are. Does she have a lovely neck, nice legs and ankles or a tiny waist? In general, it's best to keep all dresses tea length or longer. A wedding is a solemn and respectful occasion, stay away from showing off excessive skin, especially on the mother of the bride.

4. Sketch out a couple designs based on showing off assets and looking beautiful while remaining conservative. Stay away from prints, stripes and polka dots. Stick with good solid colors and a mixture of fabrics. Show the designs to the mother of the bride. Fill in with color. Take note of what the mother of the bride likes and dislikes about each dress. Make adjustments as needed.

5. Complete the finished design. Add in suggested jewelry and accessories. It's good to include a coordinating shawl or wrap of some sort as it can get cold in the evening hours and you want the mother of the bride to be comfortable while remaining stylish. That's it! You just designed a mother of the bride dress.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the dress simple, elegant and classy

• Make it in the mother's favorite color or a color that complements the wedding colors

• Don't design an overly sexy or cocktail type of dress. It is inappropriate for a mother of the bride.