What to wear to a wedding if you're the mother of the bride or groom

The wedding of your son or daughter is a time of great celebration. Not only is your beloved child stepping into the next phase of their life with the love of their life by their side, but the likelihood is that you’ll be invited to play a key role in planning the big day.

Being in family wedding photos and the potential of even walking your child down the aisle means that putting your best foot forward, metaphorically and stylistically, is pivotal.

It’s a joyous time, and choosing your wedding outfit as the mother of the bride or the mother of the groom is all part of the journey.

Our gorgeous mother of the groom in custom Bernadette Pimenta Couture

Think timeless elegance

One of the most important unwritten rules of any wedding day is never to overshadow the bride, particularly as a vital member of the wedding party. Of course, expressing your individuality, in an understated way, is as important as being comfortable and confident all day. Whether you’re opting to wear a classic mother-of-the-bride or groom evening dress or a tailored, feminine suit, blending in and keeping the limelight firmly on the two most important people of the day should be at the forefront of your mind.

As a result, choosing fabrics and cuts that are timeless, elegant, understated and can even be worn on special occasions at a later date is a good place to start. Breathable, natural fabrics of the highest quality should always be chosen over synthetic, unnatural materials. You’ll be so much more comfortable and confident all day.

Avoid low-cut dresses or outfits with daring cuts or loud embellishments, instead going with chic additions like beading to give your dress a special flair. Keep hemlines at least knee length. Many mothers of the bride and mothers of the groom in Melbourne opt for classically gorgeous yet age-appropriate wrap-style dresses, midi dresses or even luxe dress coats.

Opt for colours that complement

Playing with and choosing wedding outfit colours is an enjoyable part of the process- but remember! Rule number one of dressing as the mother of the bride or groom is never to wear the same colour as the bride. This means no white or similar (if it’s a traditional wedding) or any other colour that the bride chooses to wear unless you’ve been given permission from the bride or groom.

Hold off on choosing your outfit colours until the bride and bridal party have decided on their colour theme. Then, use this theme to decide on your own dress colour, choosing colours that complement but don’t exactly match or overshadow the bridal party.

Navy is the most popular dress colour across the world for mothers of happy couples, but lighter hues like lavender, plum, peach, coral, pewter, lemon or eggplant are always in style.

Make sure to chat over your options with the bride to ensure you’re not stepping on anyone’s toes and are blending in with the overall theme of the day!

Consider custom

Your child’s wedding is an occasion to relax the purse strings and splurge a little on this special day. Making a great impression starts with your outfit.

If your budget allows for it, consider investing in a custom-made mother-of-the-bride or groom dress you’ll both love and wear for years to come, and that you’ll always associate with lovely memories.

Find the perfect mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom dress in Melbourne

Bernadette Pimenta Couture is a leading provider of bridal couture in Melbourne, with more than 30 years of experience in dressing mothers of the bride and mothers of the groom.

Our services are hands-on, friendly and professional from beginning to end, offering expert mother-of-the-bride dress consultations and fittings, sourcing only the most high-quality and beautiful fabrics and crafting outfits to remember.

Visit us in our showroom at 1133 High Street, Armadale, or call us to start the process of finding the mother of the bride or groom dress of your dreams.

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