Do’s and Don’ts for Mother of the Groom Outfits

Your little boy has become a man and now he is getting married! While you cannot help but feel teary-eyed and a little bit sad that you are no longer that number woman in his life, you are also full of joy knowing that your son will be happy in love with the woman he has chosen to marry.

During his wedding day, of course, you would want to look radiant and beautiful. After all, you are not just any guest, you are the mother of the groom. Having the right kind of attire will help you achieve this purpose. However, you do not have any idea on what a mother of the groom should or should not wear. Here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind.

Do’s

• Talk to your future daughter-in-law about your attire. Before going shopping, check with her if she has any wishes or suggestions on what you should wear for the wedding day. She would surely appreciate the gesture.
• Complement the overall theme or look of the wedding. If the couple plans to have a beach wedding, do not wear a sequined velvet gown to the occasion. If they are going to hold an evening formal dinner wedding, an elegant formal gown would be more fitting than a cocktail dress.
• Wait for the mother of the bride before buying a dress. This is an old custom where the mother of the groom waits until the mother of the bride has brought a dress so the former can have an idea on what kind of attire she should or should not wear. Although this is good etiquette, it is not compulsory anymore.
• Wear what feels good for you. If your son and his bride wish for you to wear a particular dress for the wedding that you are not particularly comfortable on, you should inform them nicely. Tell them your concern and make suggestions that will not completely deviate from their original idea. For example, if they ask you to wear a beige floor-length gown, which you think makes you look short, you can ask if you can wear a beige cocktail dress of the same material instead.

Don’ts

• Do not compete with the mother of the groom. Your son’s wedding is not a competition and it is not called for to attempt to out-dazzle the mother of your future daughter-in-law.
• Traditionally, it is a major no-no to wear white or ivory dress (that would make you seem competing with the bride), black gowns (that evoke mourning or that you do not approve of the bride), or red attire (that is too loud and flashy). Today, rules have been bent a little and you can see mothers wearing these shades. A good advice would be to avoid these colors but if you must, do it in good taste and consult with the bride first.
• Do not wear too much jewelry. It is one thing to be elegant but another thing to be ostentatious.
• Do not wear something that looks like the bride’s wedding gown. This would make you look like there is a rivalry between you and the bride.

Your son’s wedding is both a sad and happy occasion for you. Do not let the sad part prevent you from enjoying the event and from looking wonderful with beautiful attire.