Real Mother of the Bride Dresses That Inspire!

One of my favorite features is back: Real Mother of the Bride Dresses that my readers wore! Have a look at what these ladies chose, and how they decided their dress was the one! If they can all look fabulous as MOBs, you can too!

Beautiful Dress, Great Price!

Here’s a funny dress story my reader Terri shared with me that I think you’ll enjoy! When Terri was searching for a dress for her son Travis’s wedding, she couldn’t find one she liked or that fit perfectly. She ended up paying $350 to have a custom-made Mother of the Groom dress. But after spending all that money, when she got the dress, she hated it! 

Since she had paid so much for it, she decided to bite the bullet and wear it anyway. Meanwhile, she had been helping her 85-year-old mom find a dress for the wedding and had ordered a few from JCPenney. Her mom fell in love with one of the dresses, and Terri fell in love with one of the others. As soon as she put it on and zipped it up, she knew she had to wear it because she felt so pretty!

And, even better, it was on sale for $49! In the end, Terri scrapped the custom dress, wore the JCPenney dress, and didn’t feel bad at all. It just goes to show you that it’s all about feeling good in what you wear. That’s the most important thing. You made the right choice, Terri!

Elegant Embellished Neckline

Pamela chose this floor-length, deep navy blue gown for Julia’s wedding with a beautiful embellished neckline. She chose the dress because not only is it gorgeous, but it is also very figure-flattering, comfortable, modest, and dignified. (Good taste, Pamela. I wore the same dress in Burgundy a while back!)

Pamela had anticipated that dress shopping would be a long, drawn-out process, but she was pleasantly surprised when she tried on four dresses, and this one was the one that caught her eye! The wedding was a black-tie affair held at the Faculty Club on the University campus, where Pamela’s husband is a professor, which is why Pamela opted for a floor-length dress. So lovely!  

Radiant In Red

Red is a bold choice for a mother-of-the-bride dress, but it’s a confident, lively color and can look fantastic. This beautiful fashionista, @ageingdisgracefully, pulls it off in red with grace and style. Her stunning gown, featuring an embellished cape, is both dramatic and breathtaking. I love the way it accentuates her platinum-blonde hair. This is such a regal look!  

Navy Is Always Nice

When Alva’s daughter Kayla was married in Newfoundland, Canada, Alva chose this classic navy gown. A Montreal designer created the unique MOB dress, which features numerous elements and ding, something Alva always loved. Alva also admired how the dress complemented the Bride’s, yet was just as stunning on its own. Sleeveless was the way to go since the wedding was at a golf course during July, and it was hot.

And, the Mother of the Groom Wore…

The bridesmaids wore a combination of gold and purple that coordinated with Alva’s classic navy dress. Elizabeth, the Mother of the Groom, wore a black floor-length gown with a charming floral skirt. A very glamorous wedding party!

 

 

 

Sparkling In Silver

It was a sweltering day in Scottsdale, Arizona, last March when Karen’s daughter, Marisa, got married; yet Karen looked as cool as a cucumber in this stunning, silver, sleeveless gown.

 

Karen scored when she bought this beautiful Jessica Howard Mother of the Bride dress from Macy’s, off the rack, and marked down to $80! She wanted a dress she could dance in and feel happy in all night long, and this was the one. Karen says she especially loved the feminine cutout neckline, which made her feel like Cleopatra!

 

The color was perfectly coordinated with the bridesmaids, who wore halter-style dresses in a lovely shade of lavender. The groom, Terri (right), wore a dress by Pissarro Nights that complements Karen’s Mother of the Bride’s dress perfectly. Terri chose it for several reasons. First, it was extremely comfortable, and she liked that the bling was not over the top. She also loved that it was very forgiving for any body type, plus she bought it at a reasonable price. What a beautiful trio!

Stunning in Sequins

Doesn’t Liz look like the belle of the ball in this sequin, high-low hem dress? Liz chose this sequinned beauty for her daughter Libby’s wedding in August, in Stafford, Oregon. The dress by Adrianna Papell was purchased at Nordstrom.

 

Liz had three things in mind when she was shopping for a MOB dress. 1) Color. Liz wanted a dress that blended well with the overall look of the wedding. 2) Comfort – Liz wanted a dress that was comfortable for the time of year and temperature and would stand up to a long day of wear, and 3) She thought it was important that her daughter felt great about her choice, too.

 

At first, Liz thought that sequins might be over the top, but when she ran them past her daughter, she told Liz to go for it! Liz, seen here with her son Jon, is glowing in this gold goddess gown! Looking back, Liz says choosing a dress felt overwhelming and complicated, but it was worth all the time and effort, especially since she will be in these photos for years to come. “I’m glad I didn’t leave the process to the very last minute because it takes time.”  

Black Is An Acceptable Color

For years, the mothers of the Bride and groom avoided wearing black or white. While white is still considered taboo for anyone other than the Bride, black is now considered a modern, chic option. Sherry proves that!

For her daughter’s wedding in Austin, Texas, in February, Sherry wore this glittering, black, floor-length gown by Adrianna Papell. The long lines of silver sequins set on black chiffon give this dress star quality. Sherry’s dress was the perfect complement to the beautiful red gowns worn by the bridesmaids.

Red and black are always a stunning combination.

 

 

Something Old, Something New

When Lori’s daughter, Emily, was married last June, she made the very sentimental and heartwarming choice to wear her mom’s wedding dress from 30 years prior. ( see photo, far right) With the help of a very talented seamstress, they modified the puffy “linebacker” shoulders and sleeves, as well as the considerable ballgown skirt.

The revised wedding dress turned out beautifully, and Emily looked stunning. Lori told me that it was an honor for her daughter to wear her dress. And can you believe how white it was after 30Mother? Lori’s Mother of the Bride dress is beautiful, too. She wore a navy, floral knee-length dress that she bought at Belk. It was straightforward, incredibly comfortable, and appropriate for the outdoor venue. And the best part is that Lori plans to wear the dress to celebrate Easter this year!  

 

Love At First Sight

Sometimes you get lucky. Missy was shopping for a dress for her daughter’s wedding in Texas and fell in love with the second one she tried on. ( see left photo) As soon as Missy slipped into this pretty pewter dress, she knew it was the one because she felt like the Bride… almost! Her daughter was with her at the time and immediately gave her approval.

 

Missy’s ladylike dress features sparkle and mesh on top. It has a full skirt balanced by a belt at her waist.

 

Missy walked her daughter, Alyssa, down the aisle at  St. Mary’s Church (it’s one of the famous “painted churches of Texas”) in Plantersville, Texas. It was a Traditional Catholic wedding with a touch of casual Texas country charm.

 

 The MOG wore a lovely, lighter gray lace dress that complemented what Missy was wearing. Just beautiful, Missy!

 

 

PersonalMotherus!

The mother-of-the-bride gown should be a true reflection of you. If you have a fun and creative personality, showcase it with a gown that reflects your style. That’s what Julia has done here. Mother of the Bride is wearing a strapless, full-length black and white striped dress. The dress and the statement necklace are fashion-forward, classy, and fun for this special celebration. It seems like the other perfect Mother of the Bride dress for the hot weather in Asheville, North Carolina. You look magnificent, Julia.  

Don’t miss these lovely Mothers of the Bride and Groom!

 

Top Left: Vicki chose this beautiful lace, off-the-shoulder Vince Camuto dress for her son Daniel’s wedding in Arkansas. She loved the dress for its classic look. The flattering, off-the-shoulder neckline and the length (neither too short nor too long) sold Vicki on the dress as the perfect one for the celebration.

 

Top Right: For her daughter Rebecca’s Autumn wedding, Leslie wore this chic royal blue suit. He bought it from Neiman Marcus, and it featured a beautifully embellished collar.

 

Bottom Left: For her daughter’s fall wedding, Susan wore this vibrant blue gown with a dramatic off-the-shoulder neckline. With a dress like this, it’s essential to get your jewelry right. Susan’s necklace and matching earrings are very glam!

 

Bottom Right: As the Mother of the groom, Manju wore a traditional Indian Kanjiwaram saree for her son’s wedding. It is 6 yards of pure silk made on handlooms. How exotic and beautiful!

 

 

NEED MORE IDEAS?

Do you need more ideas about what the Mother of the Bride or Groom should wear? 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.

 

You can also visit these other real-life mom posts:

Elegant MOB Gown Real Moms Wore

Real Life Mother of the Bride Dresses that Inspire

 

Meet the author

Deborah Boland

Deborah, a former Fashion & Lifestyle TV host and Image Consultant, understands the style challenges women face in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. As the founder of Fabulous After 40, she helps women tweak their chic and embrace fashion with confidence—so they always look and feel amazing.

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