Real Mother of the Bride Dresses That Inspire! (2024)

One of my favorite features is back – Real Mother of the Bride Dresses my readers actually 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 MOB’s, 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’ July wedding, and she couldn’t find one she liked or that fit like a glove, 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 JCPenny. 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, 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 JC Penny 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 was also very figure-flattering, comfortable, modest, and dignified. (Good taste, Pamela. I wore the same dress in Burgundy a while back!)

Pamela had anticipated dress shopping was going to be a long, drawn-out process, but she was pleasantly surprised when she tried on four dresses, and this one was the charm! The wedding was a black-tie affair held at the Faculty Club at the University, 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 red with grace and style. Her stunning gown with the embellished cape is dramatic and breathtaking. I love the way it accentuates her platinum-blonde hair. This is such a regal look!

When Alva’s daughter Kayla was married in Newfoundland, Canada, Alva chose this classic navy gown. The unique MOB dress was created by a Montreal designer and features lots of pearls and beading, which is something Alva has always loved. Alva also admired how the dress complimented 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!

It was a hot one in Scottsdale, Arizona, last March when Karen’s daughter Marisa was married, yet Karen looks as cool as a cucumber in this stunning, sleeveless silver 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 coordinated perfectly with the bridesmaids, who wore halter-style dresses in a pretty shade of lavender.

The lovely Mother of 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 dress and was purchased at Nordstrom.

Liz had three things in mind when she was MOB dress shopping. 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 absolutely 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 definitely 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 dress to complement the beautiful red gowns 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 and the considerable ballgown skirt.

The revised wedding dress turned out beautifully, and Emily looked stunning. Lori told me that it was such an honor that her daughter wore her dress. And can you believe how white it was after 30 years? Lori’s Mother of the Bride dress was 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!

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 some casual Texas country charm.

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

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. She 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!

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