Finding Your Mother of the Bridegroom Dress Q&A

Mom, it’s your son’s wedding. You should -- and deserve to -- look your best! The first step is finding your dress, but hesitate on the shopping unless you read this. Q. What's the dress-buying protocol for moms mother of the bride dresses 2016? Do you need to organize outfits with the mother of the bride? A. It's traditional for the mother of the bride to purchase her dress first. Her choice means to softly determine what mom of the bridegroom will wear and set the tone of the attire. This may seem a bit old-fashioned, but we suggest you at least have a conversation.


Get a sense of what she's wearing (length, color, style) before you buy your dress. Then you're free to find something similar that you're going to feel safe wearing. Q. Does mom of the bride usually call mom of the bridegroom after she buys her dress? A. If the bride's family plans to uphold wedding social manners, then yes, you should expect a phone call from the mother of the bride. This is presumably meant to prevent overdressing and clashing colors, and open a brand of communication. If she doesn't call, your son might softly deliver the details your way.



 Q. Does the groom's stepmom have to abide by the elegant mother of the bride dresses same dress-buying rules too? A. Not usually. Mom of the bride will typically only involve mom of the bridegroom in the mom dress discussion, but situations vary. Express your attire concerns to the happy couple. They'll let you know what's appropriate and provide some guidelines. Otherwise, wear what makes you feel good. Q. When must i go dress shopping? A. Start shopping around the six-month mark. That way you have plenty of stress-free time to have alterations made and equipments scheduled, if necessary, before the wedding. Q. What is an appropriate outfit for the mother of the bridegroom? Are there color constraints? A. For an evening wedding, a formal dress is the right idea. In the event that's not your style, a dress suit can work too.


Don't worry about looking matronly, because there are plenty of elegant, formal looks that are both appropriate and fashionable. Start your search in our Dresses for Mom gallery. When it comes to color choices, navy is the number-one most requested color for the parents of the happy couple. Other popular colors include blush and shades of nude. Traditionally, you want to avoid white, black and red. White can appear to rival the bride, black can suggest grieving, and red robes have the potential to look flashy. That said, we've seen moms look elegantly tailored in white, chic and classic in black and tastefully stunning in reds. The bottom line? Talk to the bride before you start shopping. If she's indifferent, then buy what you may want. If she communicates concern, look to more subdued-but-stately colors in neutrals, burgundy, lavender, silver and shades of blue. Q. How much say should the bride have in my outfit? A. You should do your best to respect her wishes. She may also have ideas on style, length and custom. It might be wise to consult her on color, especially if you have your heart set on white, black or red. She may be too earmarked to say anything, so regardless, look at the wedding details (color scheme and season) as you shop. Those will point you in the right direction and keep all parties happy.