What Does the Mother Of The Groom Wear?
Everyone talks about what the Mother of the Bride should wear, but what about the Mother of the Groom’s Dresses? What should you wear, and is it any different from what the mother of the bride would wear?
The answer is simple. You wear something that coordinates with the wedding party and the mother of the bride’s dress.
It may sound a little old-fashioned, but the proper wedding etiquette is that the groom’s mother waits to hear what the mother of the bride is wearing before she selects her outfit. The problem is, what if the mother of the bride can’t decide or doesn’t tell you?
Don’t worry; it’s perfectly fine to call her up and have a chat about it. After all, you want to ensure you find a dress in plenty of time before the wedding, and it does take some work to look for one. Keep these tips in mind.
1. The mother of the groom’s dress should coordinate with the bridesmaids and the mother of the bride’s dress in terms of color, style, and length. For exampldon’t wear bright red e, if the bridesmaids are wearing pastel pink and the bride’s mother is wearing pastel yelred. You will stick out like a sore thumb and ruin the photographs.
2. Don’t go for a twin look and wear matching pastel yellow like the bride’s mother. You’ll need to have your own look. In this case, lavender, pale blue, mint green or peach would work well.
3. Don’t wear white or off-white– you don’t want to take away from the bride.
4. Wear black, only if it is o.k. with the bride. For the mother of the groom’s dress, black can be a chic choice but not surprise the bride and buy the dress without speaking with her. Remember, a bride has likely been planning her wedding day in her head all her life, and sparticularhave a certain look or feel she is trying to achieve. Black may not be in this picture.
5. Check patterns- There are more and more patterned dresses these days, and I would advise you to check with the bride about that a stylish can be a modern choice, but if a bride is very traditional, she may not like the idea of stripes or flowers stealing the spotlight in the photos.
6. Keep it conservative- Remember, all eyes should be on the bride. This is not the time or place for a low-cut gown with cleavage, or a very short skirt thatf a little too much leg.
7. For black and white weddings, which are getting increasingly popular, consider a subtle metallic like pewter, gold, or silver for the mother of the groom dress. These are a great alternative to black or white and can be a classy, timeless addition.
Need More Ideas?
Do you have a wedding coming up? What are you planning to wear? If you need help deciding which mother of the bride dresses (or mother of the groom dresses) might be best for you, be sure to check out my bestselling book Tweak Your Chic – Mother of the Bride. It will tell you eveyour life’shing you need to know on one of thant and cherished days of your life.
Fabulous after 40 has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. So, Thank You!
Hello. I am the mother of the groom and have no idea what color to wear. The bridesmaids are all wearing dusty blue and the mother of the bride is deciding between a navy or a taupe. The groom and groomsmen are all wearing grey. Any advice that will help me to blend in nicely for photos and not to stick out?
Hi Lisa, What about sage green or dusty pink? Those colors would blend in with navy, gray and dusty blue. There are lots of dresses that color at http://www.alexevenings.com BONUS:You can get 15% off with code: FABAFTER40
Hi, I’m a mother of Groom. The Bride is wearing a mocha overlayed with ivory. The bridesmaids are all in emerald green. The mother of the Bride is wearing champagne or taupe. Groomsmen wear black dress pants, white shirts, emerald, green vests & and bowties. My son, the Groom, is wearing an emerald green velvet suit jacket with black panels, a white shirt, a black vest & and a bowtie, with black dress pants. These are tux. The wedding is in December; the only colors are green, gold, ivory, and white. What do I wear in color? Thank You!!!
Hi Angie, Navy or Burgundy would be lovely. Will the bride allow that or is she saying you an only wear one of the colors mentioned. If so you could go for a lighter shade of green than Emerald that is dusty like the mocha.
I am the mother of the groom. The bride is wearing off white; my son is wearing burgundy. The girls are wearing navy blue; the guys are wearing grey. With so many colors, I don’t want to clash. Please give me some suggestions; they will be greatly appreciated.
Hi Renee, a soft blush color is neutral and sounds like it would work well with burgundy, navy, and gray. Fern green would also work. I would go either. Here is some inspiration: https://bit.ly/3DgF9AD
Hi, I’m the mother of the groom. My dilemma is the mother of the bride is wearing a black suit. I do not want to wear a suit. I’m a dress kind of person. The wedding colors are fuchsia and royal blue; the bride told me to feel free to wear royal blue to match my husband, who the couple is providing a royal blue tie.
Do you think a dress is appropriate even with the absolute coordination with the mother of the bride thing? High/low? Long? I’m not comfortable in anything shorter than knee length. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Nyalise, A knee-length dress is just fine. If the bride says royal blue and you like it, I would go with that!
Is it ok for the groom’s mother to wear a spaghetti strap dress with a wrap? Outdoor, summer wedding on a small family farm
Hi April, It sounds like an informal setting, so yes, that would be fine with a wrap, so long as the dress is not too casual. ( like a sundress, for ex.) All the best.
I’m the mother of the groom. Bridesmaids are wearing long dresses. The mother of the bride is wearing a hi-lo dress. What length should you wear?
Hi Kaye, Good question. What time of day is the wedding and where? How formal are the high and low? If it is semi-formal or formal, then you are o.k. in a long dress if that is what you like. In this case, it depends more on the type of wedding you are having. Check with the bride and see how she feels. I bet she has an opinion!
Hello, I am the mother of the groom. The bride’s mom is wearing navy blue; the girls are wearing purple. What should I wear?
Hi Debbie, how about blush or silver or burgundy? Here is a handy color chart that will help you!https://rstyle.me/+ktwvS9LLSzozwTkMNf462A
I am the mother of the groom. The bridesmaids wear navy blue, the groomsmen and fathers wear charcoal gray, and the bride’s mother wears steel grey. Any suggestions for a color for my dress? I need something to wow for the mother-son dance. Thanks
Hi Lynne, Congratulations, MOG. What about a burgundy or a plum-colored dress? That would look lovely with navy and gray. All the best!
I am having trouble figuring out what to wear. I am a 35-year-old mother of the groom, who is 19. The wedding colors are vibrant purple and white. The bride’s mother does not know what she’s wearing and stated she was wearing something simple. Could you please help??
Hi Virginia, I understand how this can be frustrating for you as the MOG usually takes her dressing cues from the MOB. You two should be co-ordinated because if she wears something simple, you should be too. I would wait a bit until she decides on her color and style and then decides. If time is running out, perhaps, you can ask the bride her thoughts on what she would like to see you both wear to get the ball rolling. If the colors are purple and white, then perhaps, a lighter lilac or blue color would be lovely.
I’m the mother of the groom. The bridesmaids are in red, and the bride’s mother is wearing navy blue. What colors will work well with that color combination? The wedding is in October.
Hi Kim, What about dark green, which is very popular this year, champagne or light silver/gray? These would all work. Have fun!
I am the groom’s mother. The bridesmaids wear navy, and the groom’s mother wears a light grey dress. Groomsmen are wearing charcoal, and dads are wearing black. As the mother of the groom, I have a beautiful navy dress. Can I wear the same color as the bridesmaids? Would it clash with my husband wearing black?
Hi Deb, This all sounds lovely. Ideally, you should wear one shade darker or lighter than the bridesmaids if you wear the same color. Look at the bride’s mother in purple in this post. Her purple is different than the bridesmaids. https://www.fabulousafter40.com/help-what-color-should-i-wear-to-my-daughters-wedding/
Cheers, Deborah
I am the mother of the groom. I have no idea the color I should wear. ( My son and future daughter in law s wedding will be in July) Their wedding (color) is teal
Hi Lynda, Congratulations! Have you checked out this color guide? I think it will really help!https://rstyle.me/+ItuZi37fyNsxHDIWclnaeA
My daughter is getting married next April her bridesmaid is wearing Cadbury purple, what color should I wear?
Hi Maggie, Cadbury purple is rich and regal. You could wear silver, gold, pink is always pretty, or a lighter, warmer purple would also complement darker Cadbury purple. Sometimes even green or blue can work.
The bridesmaid wears red, the maid of honor is black, and my son wears a red jacket with black lapels. I’m in love with a black gown with a sparkle in the sleeves. I’m a big woman, and it is flattering. The bride likes it too.
Bridesmaids wear burgundy or maroon dresses, and the bride’s mother is in blue. Can I wear a silver color dress or is that too light? Also, I saw a pretty dress, and it’s lilac. Would that clash? Any suggestions are welcome. My future daughter-in-law said any color other than maroon or blue. Ceremony in May outside evening with a reception to follow
Hi Adrienne, Silver would be fine. It is neutral and goes with everything. Lilac could work too. Check out the article’s color guidelines for Mob and David’s unique color match guide.
Best wishes:https://www.fabulousafter40.com/best-mother-bride-dress-color/
The mother of the bride is wearing navy blue. What color would the mother of the groom wear?
Hi Melissa, There are no complex, fast rules. What color are the bridesmaids wearing? Find a color that coordinates with the bridesmaids and mother of the bride. Imagine all of you lined up in a photo. You want to blend in, not stick out.
My son is getting married in Hawaii. The mother of the bride is wearing slate blue, mid-length. The bridesmaids wear different styles and colors, ranging from gold to tan and blush. I found a dress that I love on me, and it slims me. The color is navy blue, and it is long. Would that be ok?
Hi Joan, The groom’s mother should not wear the same color as the bridesmaids or mother of the bride. You should wear a color that complements the colors they have selected. It sounds like your navy dress is not the same shade as the slate mob dress, and they might coordinate well. If this is true, you should be fine. As for length, the mothers do not have to wear dresses of equal size, although many do, feeling that it creates a more harmonious look, especially in wedding photos. I would discuss this with the bride and see how she feels. I think the bride would be open to this dress. As you mentioned, all her bridesmaids are wearing different styles and colors. This sounds like a lovely laid-back Hawaiian wedding. I hope everything works out and you have a wonderful time. Cheers, Deborah
This dress is similar to my mom’s one at my sister’s wedding two weeks ago. She is a bit healthy, but when she wears her shape looks stunning; I am not exaggerating, but maybe it is because of the over the aLl gown, which makes one look slimmer. Everyone at the wedding reception liked my mom’s overall look, plus the jewelry and showed she wore along with the dress, which enhanced her whole appearance. You can check their entire collection here http://www.johncharles.co.uk/.
Don’t make the same mistake as I did. As a 52-year-old mother of the bride, I feel I am in very good shape physically. I work out four times a week and try to eat well. I did not want to look frumpy or dowdy at my daughter’s wedding. I ended up choosing a dress that was charcoal gray, (it looks black in the pictures), form-fitting, and too low cut, and now I cannot get over the feeling of shame. Every time I look at the wedding pictures, I get upset all over again. If I could do it all over again, I would wear a simple sleeveless sheath in a light blue (the bridesmaids wore navy blue). Oh, if I could only do it over again!!!
Strangely enough, my daughter approved my choice of this dress. My good friend also approved it prior to the wedding. Now, when I tell them how remorseful I am with this choice, they don’t want to talk about it.