Guidelines for Mother of the Groom outfits

Your future mother-in-law may well ask you for advice on her wedding outfit to make sure she’s dressed appropriately and she doesn’t clash with the bridesmaids in the wedding photos. If you’re not sure what the mother of the groom should wear here are some guidelines for mother of the groom outfits.

Choose colours that complement the wedding scheme

Let the groom’s mum know the wedding colour scheme before she selects her outfit so she can get something that will blend in. Although she should avoid exactly the same colour as the bridesmaids and maid of honour, she could choose something in a paler or darker shade, for example if you are having a purple and yellow theme she might purchase a dress in lemon or lavender

It is often a good idea to stay away from very bright or bold colours such as red or hot pink as these can attract too much attention in the wedding photographs. The mothers of both the bride and groom should try to avoid colours such as white, cream, champagne or ivory, as they might look too similar to the bride’s dress. Black is also generally avoided as this can look a little morbid. Of course any of the mentioned colours can work well in specific cases. Popular colours for mother of the groom dresses include silver, blue, purple, dark red and brown.

Keep the patterns and floral designs simple

Inform the mother of the groom in advance if she will have to hold a small bouquet, or if she will wear a wrist corsage that matches the groom’s button hole. The colour and style of her flowers may well impact her choice of outfit, but choosing simple flowers for her will help to prevent colour clashes. A patterned or flower print dress is perfectly acceptable as long as it is subtle enough and works with the wedding flowers and theme.

The mother of the bride should set the tone

Conventionally the mother of the bride should be the first to purchase her wedding outfit, and once she knows what she is going to wear, she should call up the mother of the groom to inform her about the style, colour, length, and whether it is more formal or casual. This may seem like an old fashioned practice but it does help to prevent over or under dressing, colour clashes, or the awkwardness of identical dresses. If your mother is reluctant to call the mother of the groom, subtly divulge the details of her outfit yourself. The mother of the groom should then try and find something in a comparable style that complements the mother of the bride’s dress.

Let stepmothers know the dress code

Although the groom’s stepmother has an equal right to be at the wedding looking elegant and stylish, she should avoid upstaging the mother of the groom. On a day which could possibly be difficult for the families it is best to try to avoid disagreements about outfits. In general the mother of the bride should only pass on the details of her dress to the mother of the groom; if he has a step mother you should provide her with the information yourself. Once the mother of the groom has selected her outfit try to pass on the details of this as well.