Mother of the Bride: Everything You Need To Know About Dressing For A Summer Wedding

Being the mother of the bride presents you with such an exciting opportunity, why not seize it? Your daughter’s wedding will be the highpoint of your summer season, it’s quite the best opportunity to dress to impress. And one way of guaranteeing you will really enjoy the big day is to find the perfect dress.

As we all know this isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Luckily, we are here for you. Follow our advice and you will be the mother of the bride everyone remembers, after all, this is your chance to shine, why not snatch it!

Which Mother of the bride dress shapes are best to wear to a wedding in the summer?

One problem everyone faces when going to a summer wedding is the British weather. Although temperatures are currently above 30 degrees, we can’t be sure this will last. Continue reading to learn how to get the most out of the day, rain or shine.

We believe that every mother of the bride should be able to enjoy this day to the fullest. You probably have spent almost as much time organising it as the bride herself. So you deserve to feel confident throughout the day but still feel you can strut your stuff when the dancing begins.

To be able to achieve this, you need a dress that won’t hold you back. We recommend a stretch fabric, as it offers you something that will breathe and move with you. It will also come the evening save you from any awkward Dad dancing.

The reason a stretch fabric is such a great option is due to the composition of the fabric itself. Quality stretch fabric is created from such fibres as Lyrica, elastane or spandex. Which gives them their ability to move to the contours of your body. These fibres are then blended with cotton or other similar materials to ensure they maintain their shape and do not eventually start to sag.

Follow our guide on which stretch dresses to choose to ensure you can find the best value.

Once you have chosen the fabric that will ensure you look and feel your best, then you can start thinking of which shape you want. We think pencil dresses are the best choice for a summer wedding. The pencil dress will help you look sleek, sophisticated and sexy, and after all, what’s wrong with a little sophisticated sexy?

A well-chosen pencil dress creates an elegant silhouette that means you look good from all angles, while a stretch fabric will ensure you go in and out in all the right places. Helping you feel fabulous and this means you will enjoy the day to the fullest.

Which mother of the bride dresses to avoid wearing to a wedding?

A great way of really understanding what makes the best mother of the bride outfit is to understand what styles you need to avoid.

Traditionally weddings have taken place in churches so mother of the bride has tended to be conservative in their choice. Although 67% of weddings are now no longer performed in a place of worship, so you have a great deal more freedom. We think it’s better for the mother of the bride, to avoid wearing anything that would make a vicar blush!

When considering what not to wear, a useful guide is to consider our two main tips:

1. Avoid anything with too much skin.

Spaghetti straps, low cut tops and miniskirts are not your friend today. There is nothing wrong with wanting to show off your figure, but a stretch fabric can offer you a sophisticated alternative to an overwhelming amount of skin on show. Maybe save that for your next birthday bash!

2. Make sure you can move freely and feel comfortable.

No matter how beautiful a dress is, if you don’t feel comfortable in it, it won’t look good. We want to make sure you are owning your dress, rather than it wearing you! We suggest you stay away from overly structured outfits and floaty cocktail dresses. You want to be able to greet your guests without restriction. Look at our section on evening wear to find out more.

And one thing that is paramount to avoid is upsetting your daughter by your choice of dress. We all know too well that brides can very sensitive about everything on their big day. We recommend that you choose your outfit early to avoid any upset. This also gives you time to choose another if required. But, if you have followed our what to avoid tips its highly unlikely a change of outfit will be necessary.


How to style a mother of the bride dresses and how to stay original?

And now the real fun bit. Once you have decided what style of dress suits you best, you have the pleasure of playing with accessories to create the perfect ensemble. As the mother of the bride, of course, you want to stand out from the crowd. However, you want this to be for all the right reasons.

Focusing on jewellery, shoes and jackets can move your look from simply a beautiful dress to a knock-out outfit.

The pencil dress is ideal to pair with some statement jewellery. A bold necklace or big earrings can really elevate your look and impress your guests. It can also make you feel rather regal on this special day. Just be careful when pairing with a patterned dress, too much can often be overwhelming. Look at Oliver Bonas for some statement pieces. 

Shoes are a key part of making a dress look smart or more relaxed and casual depending on your preference. For an evening wedding, you can choose a stiletto to look utterly elegant. Yet if this is your choice make sure you practice dancing in them first!

A wedge can be the perfect option for a summer daytime wedding, it's far and away the most comfortable heel. You’ll have no worries about your heels digging into the grass. If you think your outfit is smart enough, why not go for a simple sandal. This year’s choices are better than ever. Matches fashion do a wide variety of designer wedges or try asos if that is what your budget would prefer. 

For an evening wedding, its often advised to think about pairing your dress with a complementary jacket. Look at our previous post to learn why pencil dresses are to best style to layer and what jackets and coats to choose.

Keeping these tips in mind can ensure that you are the second best-dressed person at the event, we have to give the bride a bit of spotlight! A pencil dress, jewellery and jacket is a look that will be all your own. There will be no danger that any of the wedding guest, or worst the mother of the groom, will be wearing the same thing.

Which colours should the mother of the bride wear and should the mother of the bride and groom wear the same colour?

Traditional rules of what colours to wear to a wedding are becoming increasingly blurred, but there are still some guidelines its good to bear in mind, read more on our post everything you need to know about dressing for a summer wedding.

The priority for the mother of the bride is to pay attention to the colour-scheme of the wedding itself. This doesn’t mean that if the bridesmaids are wearing blue you need to find exactly the same shade to match. You are the mother of the bride and deserve a colour that makes you feel amazing and makes you stand out.

However, as a member of the bridal party you to want to make sure you take inspiration from couples’ chosen wedding aesthetic. David's Bridal offers a tool that will help you to find a shade in keeping with the colour scheme. If you follow this guide you can be sure to part of a great wedding photo, while remaining uniquely your own.

Talk to the mother of the groom about your colour choice. You want to avoid any awkward clashing or matching. However, etiquette states that the mother of the bride has priority over the mother of the groom in dress choice and colour. It’s a useful reminder that this is your day almost as much as the bride’s. But be careful you put this, as you don’t want to start any new familial relations on a bad note.

Pastels are a regular choice for the mother of the bride and can match very well with the wedding party. If you are going down this route we suggest you go with a lighter blue, or silver, or maybe even a dawn pink. And if you like floral patterns, many of these are essentially pastel in tone and offer a great variety. A floral pattern might also make it easier to include the weddings colour-scheme into your outfit.

Also, don’t feel you have to stay in your comfort zone. This is your family’s special day, why not go for it! Bold tones on a simple and elegant dress can create a very impressive look. These colours will make sure you stand out particularly against the black, navy or grey groomsmen suits. Look at fuchsia pink, cobalt blue or amethyst purple for bolder shades.

As the mother of the bride, there are so many options available to you. Use the colour scheme of the wedding as a guide, and pick a colour that compliments the dresses of the bridesmaids and mother of the groom, but above all, make sure you choose a dress you love and feel your best in.

Where are the best places to purchase mother of the bride dresses?

With the national average spend on weddings £17, 674 (the Wedding Industry Awards 2019), mothers of the bride often don’t want their wedding outfit to cost the earth, especially when you are contributing to your daughter’s big day.

However, just because you are after cheap mother of the bride dresses this does not mean that should have to limit the quality or assortment of your available options. Websites such as divacatwalk.com offer some of the greatest colour options on the market, meaning you are still able to look and feel your best, whatever your budget.

With an eye to the sophisticated yet fun modern woman, their expertly crafted range stretch fabrics from super stretch to stretch cotton statin, to Venice stretch crepe – to only name a few of their stretch fabrics. Buying from a brand like this, one that is specifically tailored to flatter the woman’s figure, can ensure you will feel and look your most beautiful.

And diva catwalks’ variety does not stop there. The Blue Label offers the more affordable dresses, with the Seed Collection for those with a budget that has a bit more flexibility. All of diva catwalk’s items are composed of the highest quality French and Italian fabrics and are made in England, so you are assured of a good investment whichever collection you choose.

Looking to websites such as divacatwalk.com takes the pressure off the mother of the bride, by giving a variety of appropriate outfits, at healthy prices, in a manner that is not overwhelming. Follow our tips when looking at the website to find yourself a mother of the bride dress that you will want to wear to every event this summer. And remember, this is your day too, why not celebrate that in your outfit!