Help! What Color Should the Mother of the Bride Wear?

Wondering what to wear to your daughter’s wedding, and what color the Mother of the Bride should wear?

Don’t fret! You are not alone!

Choosing the perfect color for your MOB dress is confusing and stressful. There are so many things to consider like:

• the time of year of the wedding
• the formality of the ceremony
• the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses
• the wedding theme colors
• what color will photograph best
• the most flattering color for you

How can you be sure you’re making the right choice? Here are some popular options to help you decide what color to wear when you are Mother of the Bride.

1. Go Monotone

Many ask, Should the mother of the bride wear the same color as the bridesmaids? The answer is a simple no – The MOB is special and needs to stand out, even if it’s just a little.

As a result,  a popular option is for the mother-of-the-bride to wear a dress that is in the same general color family as the bridesmaids. This is a classy way to coordinate, not match.

For example, if the bridesmaids wear lavender, the Mother of the Bride can wear a plum or eggplant-colored dress.

2. Create Contrast

Another way to approach this is to choose a Mother of the Bride dress in a color that is directly opposite on the color wheel to the bridesmaids’ dresses. You’ll stand out in photos, but the bridesmaids will look striking too. For example, t if the bridesmaids wore orange, the bride’s mother might wear blue- the exact opposite color.

3. Try Tonal

You could also wear a color in the same tonal palette as the bridesmaid’s dresses.  For a seasonally themed wedding, this can be a lovely way to highlight the different colors of the season. It looks very classy.  For example, if it is a fall wedding and the bridesmaids are wearing green, rust, and pumpkin-colored dresses,  the bride’s mother could wear a brown or gold dress.

4. Play with Print and Pattern

What color does the mother of the bride wear on the big day?  It doesn’t have to be a single color!  It’s perfectly acceptable to wear multiple colors by wearing a print dress. A colorful print dress adds personality, can tie all the bridal colors together, and looks pretty in photos.

When choosing a print dress, just be sure that the colors in the print mirror the bridal party colors.  For instance, if the bridal palette is pink, green, and blue and the bridesmaids are wearing pink, the mother of the bride would look lovely in a pink and green floral print dress.

5. Opt for Neutrals/Metallics

When in doubt, neutrals go with everything! A more saturated neutral will prevent you from looking washed out. Here’s how a neutral color might work. If bridesmaids wear Magenta, the Mother of the Bride would look beautiful in a dark, silvery-gray neutral color. Metallic neutrals with a bit of sheen or sparkle, like champagne (a light gold-silver shade), always look rich and luxurious.

Q. Black is a neutral. Can the Mother of the Bride Wear Black?

Black used to be a no-no at weddings, but it is now a chic, modern option. However, some brides may feel differently. It’s very important to talk to the bride about this. Be sensitive to her wishes, and don’t wear a color she doesn’t approve of even though you love it.

Need More Advice?

Choosing the perfect mother of the bride color is just one part of looking fabulous as Mother of the Bride. For more great tips and advice on how to pick a Mother of the Bride dress,  check out my popular eBook, Tweak Your Chic: Mother of the Bride. It’s a complete guide to looking and feeling fabulous on one of the most cherished days of your life!