Attire Etiquette for the Mother of the Bride and Groom

November 4, 2010

Many of our clients’ mothers will ask for advice on their wedding day attire, so we did a little searching to put together something that will help the moms in need! Traditionally, the mother of the bride would pick out her dress for the wedding, and then let the mother of the groom know the style and color of the dress. This became tradition because it would let the groom’s mother know to get something similar in style but not too alike. Today this tradition really doesn’t need to be exercised, but it’s a nice way for the mothers to bond throughout the planning process. The dresses that the mothers wear don’t have to be similar in any way, and they should always keep in mind that it is not a competition to out-dress one another.


Some things to keep in mind when shopping for your dress:

  • Try to avoid colors that clash with the bridal gown or the bridesmaid’s dresses, like white or ivory.
  • Also steer clear of bright and flashy colors and styles that may take away from the bride and her dress.
  • Black is growing more in popularity since that is what the moms feel most comfortable in.
  • Other popular colors are champagne, and jewel tones like plum, hunter green and burgundy, even pastels look great in the right season and wedding theme.
  • Don’t try too hard to match the wedding colors or the bridesmaid’s dresses: it could end up being too much, or could make finding a dress very difficult. For example, if the wedding colors are purple and silver, you may way to steer clear of anything burgundy or magenta since they might clash more than match. Also, don’t wear black if that’s the color of the bridesmaids dresses, you don’t want to blend in!
  • The dress should be classy, and sophisticated. If you are unsure if it is appropriate or not, it probably isn’t.
  • If you’re looking for a way to change-up your outfit from ceremony to reception without splurging on two dresses, look into getting a shawl or jacket to wear for the ceremony, and then take it off for the reception. It will give you a whole new look.
  • Start shopping for the dress as soon as possible. The search might be more difficult and take longer than anticipated, and it’s important to know the dress color when figuring out personal flowers with the florist.


Before shopping for your dress, talk to the bride. She may feel differently about some of these suggestions, and her opinion is the one that matters most! It could even make your time shopping for a dress easier. Keep the bride’s wishes in mind when searching for your dress, but make sure that you like it too!


Below are some of our suggestions for places to find your perfect dress in the Cleveland area!

3475 Fairmount Blvd.

Cleveland, Heights, OH 44118

(216) 932-2222

19102 Old Detroit Road

Rocky River, OH 44116

(440) 356-4188

12878 Pearl Rd.

Strongsville, OH 44136

(866) 846-2519

19126 Old Detroit Rd

Rocky River, OH 44116

(440) 331-5113

26300 Cedar Road

Beachwood, OH 44122

(216) 464-9460

28480 Chagrin Blvd.

Beachwood, Ohio 44122

(216) 464-1288

25373 Cedar Road

Lyndhurst,Ohio 44124

(216) 297-0001

8925 Mentor Avenue

Mentor, OH 44060-6337

(440) 205-3678




Here are some dresses that our clients’ mothers wore. Maybe they’ll be an inspiration for you and your dress shopping!





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