Do you know what to wear as a Mother of the Bride?

For inspiration and ideas on the latest fashions for mother of the groom, grandmother of the bride dresses & mother of the bride dresses and outfits, look no further. We've shopped around for elegant mother of bride designer dresses, smart outfits, stunning evening & party gowns and fabulous formal wear. The time and style of the wedding will dictate the dress etiquette. For example, an afternoon wedding may be followed by an evening wedding reception or party. A summer wedding ceremony may call for shorter dress styles, with traditional cocktail or party dresses being worn. An evening wedding reception at a large country hotel would probably call for more formal wear than a smaller wedding breakfast held in a small restaurant. However, it's up to the bride and groom, so it's important to consult them as to how formal or informal they want it and to ensure that the wedding guests know what to expect.

What Should the Mother of the Bride Wear?

It's traditional for the mother of the bride to wear a stunning outfit with a matching or coordinating hat. There are unwritten rules for the mother of the bride on what dress color may be appropriate - it's traditional to try and avoid white or cream, which may be worn by the bride. Also, wearing red has been frowned upon, as it's seen as drawing attention to yourself, when it's your daughter who is the center of attention. As with all brides, your daughter's wedding day is a very special occasion, a once in a lifetime experience, so you'll want to look your best. You may even want to indulge at the hair or beauty salon just before the special day - treating yourself with a facial or even trying out a couple of stunning wedding hairstyles. Here's a video which may help you with your decision making:

Mother of the Groom

As mother of the groom, you're likely to be less closely involved in the details of planning the actual wedding day. However, in the week before and on the actual day, you'll clearly play a key role during the ceremony, during photos and at the reception. Again, a formal outfit is traditional, with it being important that you're aware, if possible, what the brides mother is planning to wear - to avoid any obvious color or style clashes. The formality, style & design of your outfit will depend on the time and location of the ceremony and reception. Cocktail dresses are the perfect outfit to wear for a summer day-time wedding. However, for evening receptions, longer more formal mother of the groom gowns are likely to be more appropriate. A husband or partner is likely to wear a tuxedo for a formal evening and a suit for a daytime ceremony.

Final Touches with Accessories

Once you've chosen your mother of the bride or groom outfit, you'll want to put the final touches to it. Adding an elegant pair of wedding shoes is probably the next step - finding something that matches but that you'll find comfortable enough to stand in for several hours. Why not treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure in preparation for your special day and give yourself a touch of glamour? You may also want to choose some kind of hat - although there's an increasing trend to wearingfascinators, which are less formal and can suit some women better. In winter, you may want to consider silk under-clothing or wraps to ensure that you keep warm enough! Don't forget to consider what jewelry you'll be wearing - particularly earrings, necklace, watch and bracelets.

Wedding Invitations & Etiquette

As mother and daughter, you'll want to support your little girl through the preparations and planning for her wedding day. There are certain roles that are expected of the brides mother, such as helping prepare the guest list as well as being the person who sends out the wedding invitations. You're likely to be standing in the receiving line at the reception, as well as helping with the seating plan. Finally, there'll be a role for you to play once the bride and groom have gone away on their honeymoon and there are a few loose ends to tie up.

Choosing the Right Gifts

Traditionally the parents of the bride and groom buy larger wedding gifts - such as a washing machine, new double bed - as well as helping out with paying for the actual wedding expenses. However, there's no real guidelines as to what sort of amount would be appropriate for the mother of the bride to spend, just go with your own ideas. It might be appropriate to help the newlyweds to get their foot on the property ladder with a gift of a small deposit, some furniture to furnish their new home, or new white goods such as a freezer, fridge or cooker. However, remember that giving a good gift isn't always about how much money you've spent; conversely, it's more about how much careful thought you've put into it.

Formal & Wedding Hairstyles

All members of the bridal party will want to look great for the wedding photographs - so having a beautifully done hair style is an essential part of your preparation for the wedding day . It's traditional for the bride, bridesmaids and any flower girls to have a more formal hairstyle. Mothers need to treat themselves too, and feel they're looking they're best, after all the stress and preparation for the big day. And this applies to the mother of the groom too! Whether you choose a more formal updo hair style, softer half up, half down style or simply an elegant hairstyle - you'll want your hair to complement and enhance your outfit and finish off your perfect look.