Have your Mother and the Groom’s Mother Coordinate Their Dresses

In a perfect world, your mother and mother in law to be pick out dresses that are perfect for their respective roles and coordinate perfectly. However the reality of the situation is that one or both may need help in the coordination aspect. If you are lucky enough to get along well with your mother in law to be, then you may get to have a say in the dress that she wears on your special day. If you want to present this in a gentle way, then perhaps offer to go shopping with both of these lovely ladies and see if you can steer them in the direction that you so desire.

Traditionally the groom’s mother wears a more muted dress color, but in this day and age all bets are off. You certainly don’t want them to upstage your bridesmaids or of course you as the bride, so if a little direction is needed them perhaps steer them towards a complementary color to that of your selected scheme. As tradition goes, the mother of the bride often wears either a softer shade of white or a hue similar to that which your bridesmaids wear. However your mother may very well have her own opinions and it’s your job to simply offer constructive suggestions.

The best way to get the two women to coordinate is to be honest in your expectations and feedback if given the chance. Make it a girl’s day out and offer to go shopping with the two ladies so that you can offer recommendations and steer them in the right direction. Perhaps offer suggestions for each so that they can see where you’re headed with your thought process. Don’t be offended if they have ideas of their own, all you can do at this point is to offer ideas. If something really seems outlandish or you fear may clash with your color scheme, then be gentle in your approach to what could be a sensitive subject. People get a little funny when it comes to their choice in attire, so remember that in the end it’s only a dress and it’s clearly not worth an argument. You’ve clearly got bigger things on your plate and in times like this you must pick your battles! If it will help, take along a trusted friend or family member on your shopping trip that can echo your sentiment. Remember that above all, every pair of eyes at that wedding will be on you—the rest are just accessories!