Elegant Mother of the Bride & Groom Gowns Real Moms Wore
Trying to find an elegant, slimming, and memorable Mother of the Bride/Groom gown is hard enough when you know what you want, but what about when you don’t have a clue?
If you’re just beginning your search, and need some inspiration, take a look at these beautiful wedding day photos sent in by my readers. These nine fabulous moms rose to the challenge, found their perfect dress, and looked gorgeous in their MOB/MOG gowns!
Elegant Embroidery
Beauty is in the details, and that’s obvious to see with this pretty MOB dress.
When Rhonda’s daughter, Sydney, was married last May in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the bridesmaids wore dusty blue, the groomsmen wore light grey, and the groom wore navy. In keeping with this soft, understated color palette, Rhonda chose this exquisite navy embroidered gown.
It’s a classic fit and flare with a delicate illusion neckline, but what makes it really special is the gorgeous embroidery throughout. The dress is intricately embroidered with feminine florals and has shimmery touches of soft silver and light blue. It was the perfect dress to tie together all the colors of the wedding party together and unite the two families.
The mother of the groom also looked beautiful. She wore a lovely lace bodice gown that was a slightly darker gray than what the groomsmen wore – more of a soft charcoal. You can see how all the outfits co-ordinated so well, which made for fabulous photos.
Rhonda lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, and bought her dress at Kannon’s Clothing, a local women’s boutique. The dress is a Rickie Freeman for Teri Jon gown.
Rhonda, thank you for sending in your photo. You look so fresh and pretty!
Champagne Dreams
Sometimes you have to take a risk and try on something you might not normally wear to find the perfect MOG dress. That was the case with Julia.
For her son Dylan’s wedding, Julia tried on many dresses but couldn’t find what she liked. Then a salesperson at Leggenda Bridal in Coral Gables, Florida, encouraged her to try on the off-the-shoulder style, but she was skeptical. Julia had never worn this kind of dress and was worried she wouldn’t be able to walk and dance without the shoulders dropping down and having to adjust them constantly.
After one slight alteration, Julia changed her mind. This gorgeous champagne off-the-shoulder dress fit like a glove, and she felt fabulous wearing it.
Julia went with the champagne color at the request of the bride. The wedding decor colors were white, navy, sage green, and a touch of yellow, and the bride felt the moms would look elegant in metallics like gold/champagne/silver.
Champagne also went well with the bridesmaid’s royal blue dresses. Each of the dresses had a different neckline the girls chose themselves. A granddaughter, who was four, wore a champagne dress with a navy bow around the waist, and glittery sneakers. How cute!
Julia, you and your son are beaming in this photo, and your stunning choice of dress is sure to be one of the reasons you are smiling. Gorgeous!
Sequin Stunner
It’s a special day, so why not sparkle? Bernadette sure did, at her daughter Allison’s wedding in December 2022.
Bernadette found this this fairytale sequin gown dress from Adrianna Papell online and then went over to Bloomingdale’s to try it on. As soon as she looked in the mirror, she knew it was the one! It fit perfectly, looked dazzling (she loves sequins), and had a small, lovely train. The gorgeous sky blue shade perfectly matched her skin tone and hair color too! Her husband, Dave, and her daughter agreed it was a winner.
The bridesmaids wore black dresses and carried white flowers, similar to the brides. Bernadette’s blue dress was a gorgeous complement to that.
It turned out to be the perfect day all around! The wedding took place in the Chicago area, and Bernadette was thrilled they had a 40-degree day in Chicago on December 30th!!
Bernadette, your classic beauty is shining through! You look beautiful!
photo credit: Rachel Leigh Photography
All That Glitters Is Gold
You be You! That’s important to remember when looking for a MOB gown, as Marylou knows.
For her daughter Paige’s wedding, in August 2022, in Minneapolis, MN, Marylou chose this glamorous, elegant mother of the bride gown in glittering rose gold gown. It’s by Adriana Papell, and she bought it at Revelry.com, where she was able to try the dress at home before she committed to buying it.
Even though the bridesmaids wore a mauve color with purple undertones, and the groom’s mother wore mauve too, Marylou says she was definitely not “mauving” it for the big day! (LOL!)
Marylou, I couldn’t agree more with your color choice. The soft rose gold is so flattering with your hair and complexion and makes you look positively glamorous!
Luxe Velvet for a Fall Wedding
Is there anything more luxe than velvet, especially for a fall wedding? When Rachel’s daughter Samantha’s daughter was married at The Arbor Loft in Rochester, Rachel wore this luxurious velvet burgundy gown. It’s elegant and understated, but the gorgeous color and texture give it star style.
The wedding embraced a fall color scheme, with bridesmaids wearing various rich fall colors, like golden yellow, burgundy, and dusty pink.
Rachel’s daughter decided on burgundy velvet for her mom after they ordered a few dresses in various color combinations to see which they liked the best. The gown is from a catalogue called Revelry that allows you to order samples to try on at home.
Rachel, you look gorgeous, and I love the warm and welcoming feel of velvet for the Mother of the Bride. Beautiful!
Understated and Elegant
Even when the wedding is simple and low-key, you can still look elegant and memorable. Such was the case with Tami. When her son Naom was married last August in an outdoor ceremony, Tami chose this simple sophisticated sequin gown by Clavin Klein.
Although she bought it in the U.S., the wedding was in Israel, but it was no trouble to pack it up and take it with her. Tami knew from the very start, that this elegant, understated dress was for her.
It fit her perfectly, was a beautiful color that complemented her complexion and hair color, and it looked great with her husband Asher’s deep blue suit!
Since the wedding was small and there were no bridesmaids, there was no worry about co-ordinating with anyone else, and the Mother of the Bride also opted for blue.
Tami, this was a classy choice, and it’s such a flattering style for your fabulous figure!
By Special Request
When Andrew and Khad were married in a small, low-key wedding in picturesque Kin Kin, Australia, the bride had a special request. She wanted all 40 guests, including the Mother of the Groom to dress in bright joyous colors. This was to honor her own mother, who she had recently lost to cancer.
Andrew’s mom Anne rose to the occasion and chose a vibrant floral gown designed by a well-known Australian clothing designer, named Camilla. Camilla designs her own fabrics, many of which are printed on beautiful silks.
Anne shared that Camilla’s attention to detail in her designs is amazing and that while some of her designs are outlandish, others are more sedate. Anne’s captivating dress is a beautiful balance of Camilla’s design aesthetic.
Anne, you look feminine and modern. Your dress is a work of art! Those cheery florals are bursting through the dark backdrop, bringing joy and love.
She Got it Here, Folks!
When Mindy was dress shopping for her son Yoni’s fall wedding, she found inspiration right here on Fabulous After 40! While browsing our Mother of the Groom posts, she clicked on a link and found this fabulous green velvet dress! Mindy was instantly in love. Her eyes are dark green, and she knew green would be one of her best colors.
Velvet is always regal and very popular in the fall. It was perfect for the autumn weather in the White Mountains in New Hampshire, where the wedding was held.
Other wedding party members coordinated with Mindy. The Mother of the bride wore navy, and the bridesmaids wore wine. The groomsmen, Father of the Bride and Father of the Groom wore navy suits with wine-colored ties to match both.
Mindy, you look so sophisticated in that rich, deep green, especially with your pretty auburn hair! This dress is a winner.
Classy Camouflage
Finding an elegant mother-of-the-bride gown to flatter your figure can be a challenge, but Beverly pulled it off beautifully. For her son Tim’s wedding in Missouri, Beverly chose a dark navy dress with a simple bottom to hide her problem areas and shift the emphasis up to her pretty face.
She discovered the dress while shopping at Dillard’s, snapped it up, and went about altering the hem and shortening the sleeves to 3/4 length. When it was all done, Beverly had her perfect Mother of the Groom Dress.
As for the bride’s mother, she wore a dress in a brighter shade of blue with simple embellishments around the sleeves. Grandma selected a pale gray, flowy pantsuit. The bridesmaids wore burgundy.
Beverly, You look lovely! This is such a pretty dress on you, and what a classic, timeless color, and style!
Thank you to all the Mothers of the Bride and Groom who sent in photos for this special feature! You are all style stars, and I know my readers appreciate the inspiration! Be Fabulous!
MORE MOMS
Did you enjoy that my lovely readers? You can see more posts with real moms here:
Mother of the Bride Gowns that Wow
Real Life Mother of the Bride Dresses that Inspire
Mother of the Bride Dresses Shine on Real Women!
NEED MORE IDEAS?
Do you need more ideas about what to wear as the Mother of the Bride or Groom? Pick up a copy of my bestselling E-book Tweak Your Chic – Mother of the Bride. It will tell you everything you need to know on one of the most important and cherished days of your life.
