Mother of the Groom Dresses

From LoveToKnow Weddings

Etiquette for Mother of the Groom Dresses

Finding nice mother of the groom dresses is one of the main items the mom of the groom must do in wedding planning. Knowing what you are looking for and finding an appropriate dress can be made easier if you know what you are doing.

Traditional etiquette dictates that the mother of the groom should wait until the mother of the bride picks out her dress. You want to make sure that you end up in similarly formal outfits. The mother of the groom should not wear a strappy beach dress if the mother of the bride is in a ball gown.

While not all brides follow etiquette rules, you may not know which ones the couple feels strongly about until you ask. Depending on the style, you may also be able to wear a fancy pantsuit to the wedding, instead of the traditional mother of the groom dresses.

Discuss with your son’s fiancée the kind of wedding dress she plans to wear, along with the bridesmaids styles. You want to keep in line with the style of these dresses, but not copy them. In fact, your new daughter-in-law may be delighted to go shopping with you. If shopping together is not feasible, keep the tags on and the receipt in your purse before showing the dress to your son and daughter-in-law.

Dress Color

Color is a consideration for your dress. While you do not want to match be matchy-matchy with the mother of the bride, you also want to stay away from the bridesmaid dress colors.

Pick a coordinating color that is flattering to you and accents the wedding colors. If the wedding color is red with silver and yellow accents, and the mother of the bride is wearing silver, you may want to look for a dress in yellow, green, or gold.

Although black had been lambasted for years as inappropriate attire for the mothers of the couple, it is now a very trendy color. More and more bridesmaids’ dresses are found in black. Before wearing black, you should ask your son and soon to be daughter-in-law if they take offense. Finding a black outfit with some sparkle would be festive. Stay away from dowdy outfits that age you, or that look more appropriate in the board room or funeral parlor.

Colors to avoid include:

  • White
  • Off-white
  • Ivory
  • Tan

Places to Shop

Shopping for mother of the groom dresses is easier than ever. Although you are sure to find plenty of formal wear at exclusive wedding shops, you can also find dresses at department stores and boutiques. Department stores now have entire sections for formal wear, and boutiques often carry one-of-a-kind dresses and exclusive designs.

Places to look for mother of the groom dresses (usually found in mother of the bride sections at formalwear stores) include:

Searching for a gown can be time consuming. Start looking several months before the wedding. If you cannot find a gown, consider getting a dress pattern and having one made for you.

Whatever gown you choose, looking your best on your son’s day is important. Find a style that fits and flatters, with a complimentary color and cut to the rest of the bridal party, and you cannot go wrong.

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Comments

Tanya - Exactly right! Communication between the entire bridal party and both families is key for a stress-free wedding. Thanks for sharing!

-- Contributed by: Melissa Mayntz

It is always best to communicate with the Bride about these things. Some Brides are easy going and other are not. Best to keep the peace!

-- Contributed by: Tanya

Pat - If the groom's mother opts to chage outfits, her next attire should still coordinate with the bride's mother and the overall feel of the wedding, including colors and formality.

-- Contributed by: Melissa Mayntz
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