Moms are dazzling at the wedding, stepping out in stylish, fashion-forward gowns and dresses. No one’s playing themselves down or avoiding color — today’s mom is rocking the beaded bodice, showing some leg, and wearing the hottest colors right off the bridal fashion runways.
And the brides are cheering them on, wanting their moms to look and feel fabulous on the wedding day. They have almost as much fun shopping for Mom’s gown as they do shopping for the bride’s gown! Here are some real-life brides and moms, talking about what inspired Mom most for her gown choice.
Bride: Megan Stanton Stec
Mom: Mary Ellen Stanton
Photo Credit: The Artists Group
Wedding Date: October 8, 2011
Wedding Location: The Park Savoy, Florham Park NJ
Style of Wedding: Daytime classic with outdoor ceremony
Fun Fact: Megan is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC
Megan's wishes for Mom's dress: "I wanted to keep the fall color theme and, since the wedding would be in daytime, there was no need for a formal gown. I believe that everyone knows what works well with their own body type and coloring. When a person feels comfortable in their clothes, it looks 100 times better on them."
Mom's wishes for the dress: "A shade of blue or green, some beading, a long skirt, and that it feel comfortable." She also wanted something appropriate for a daytime wedding that would fit the formality of the venue.
How they found "the one": While shopping at Nordstrom during the Christmas season, Megan suggested they look at some of the formal dresses there. "When we saw this dress, I knew the color would be perfect with my hair. The fact that it was a crochet fabric was another plus, since Megan's wedding dress was lace, and it would coordinate perfectly. It's a three-piece dress, with a sleeveless top (perfect for a warm day), a skirt with an elastic waist, and a beautiful jacket with a scalloped hem," said Mary Ellen. "I tried it on and knew immediately that this was my dress."
Bride: Megan Stanton Stec
Mother of the Groom: Lydia Stec
Photo Credt: The Artists Group
Wedding Date: October 8, 2011
Wedding Location: The Park Savoy, Florham Park NJ
Style of Wedding: Daytime classic with outdoor ceremony
Mom's wishes for the dress: "All I had to do was stay away from blue," said Lydia. "I was looking for plum or evergreen with not much success. I was pretty much open to anything that was flattering. Megan sent me a picture of her mom’s dress, so I tried to coordinate the feel of her dress with mine."
How she found "the one": "I looked online and found many MOG dresses that were made for tall, skinny 30 year-olds!" said Lydia. "I went to several bridal shops but didn’t see anything I really loved. Many of them seemed too formal and over-the-top. And then a funny thing happened: I was in Trader Joe's, and the cashier was talking to someone about the fact that her son was getting married in a month. I told her I also had a son who was getting married, and I asked her if she had had a hard time finding a suitable dress. She suggested a shop near us called Von Maur, which I had never heard of before. My husband took me there, and that’s where I found my dress!"
What Mom loves about her dress: "The first thing that attracted me to my dress was the style," said Lydia. "I was looking for a dress with a jacket. The color was a bonus."
Bride: Ryan Ann Caputo Guglielmotti
Mom: Regina Caputo
Photo Credit: Vanessa Joy Photography
Wedding Date: November 5, 2011
Wedding Location: Nanina’s in the Park, Belleville New Jersey
Wedding Style: Formal, church ceremony, evening ballroom reception
Wedding Colors: Eggplant purple, ivory, metallic silver, and gold
Fun fact: Ryan and her new husband Eric have known each other since kindergarten, so their wedding was “24 years in the making.”
Bride's wishes for mom's dress: "I wanted my mom to look beautiful; to feel special," said Ryan. "My mom has always put my sister and I first, and I wanted her to have a dress she really loved! I was thinking something formal with some sparkle to make her stand out. When my mom dresses for special events she always looks beautiful, but I wanted her to have a 'wow' factor in this dress. The girls are wearing an eggplant purple, so I did want her to have a color that would complement but, again, stand out and something that would hold its’ own."
Mom's wishes for her dress: “I just wanted a dress that when I looked back at the pictures, years from now, I would still love it!" said Regina. "I want to be able to say 'Wow, what a great dress!' not 'Wow, what was I thinking?!'" Regina wanted a unique dress that would stand out from other dresses she had seen. Originally, she wanted a gold or navy blue dress. "I also wanted a dress that you couldn’t wear anywhere else except your daughter’s wedding!”
How they found "the one": Regina only tried on four dresses before finding the perfect match. “It’s amazing the variety of dresses out there for moms," said Ryan. "Some look like they are made for a 16 year old, and then some look like they are made for 116 year olds. We found one right in the middle."
Once Ryan had a better idea of her mom's comfort zone, she pulled a strapless gown with a modified sweetheart neckline, hand-beaded empire bust line, ruching throughout the mid-section, and an asymetrically dropped waistline in a bold gunmetal color. "It was much more form-fitting than my mom was used to, but the second she put it on, she loved it!" said Ryan.
The skirt features pick-ups and beaded appliqués to match the beading on the bodice. Also, it includes a matching bolero jacket with three-quarter length sleeves appliquéd cuffs. Since the bodice has a lot of beading, Regina didn’t wear a necklace, but she did wear onyx earrings to complement the beading in the dress and the diamond tennis bracelet that she’s had for years.
Bride: Angela Byrd Reed
Mom: Linda E. Byrd
Photo Credit: Afolabi Sogunro of Fotos by Fola
Wedding Date: July 9, 2011
Wedding Location: The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort in Savannah, Georgia
Style of Wedding: Semi-formal; outdoor ceremony; ballroom reception
Wedding Colors: Neutrals including ivory, pearl, harvest gold, champagne, light pink
Bride's wishes for mom's dress: “I wanted my mom to feel like a queen on this special day!" said Angela. "I knew that something formal and floor-length would best enhance her poise and grace on the wedding day." Angela wanted her mom to wear something that represented the importance of her role as mother of the bride.
Mom's wishes for the dress: Linda wanted a long, formal gown. She had a few silhouettes in mind before the duo hit the boutiques.
How they found "the one": Angela and Linda did some research in magazines before heading out and scheduled several shopping days together. They found the dress on their third trip: Linda chose an elegant, royal-blue strapless floor-length gown with ruched layers across the bodice, accented with crystal embellishments. It also came with a matching cap-sleeved jacket. “This experience created another level of memories for my mother and I to share for a lifetime!" said Angela.
Bride: Katie Cardoso
Mom: Charlene Benoit
Photo Credit: Troy Photography
Wedding Date: May 15, 2010
Wedding Location: Milford, Connecticut
Style of Wedding: An “informally formal” outdoor ceremony on a golf course with reception indoors at the same location
Wedding Colors: Shades of purple (from lavender to deep purple) and clover green
Bride's wishes for mom's dress: “I wanted her to wear something that, first and foremost, she was comfortable in," said Katie. "We were going for something more relaxed, since I was getting married on a golf course, but also something classic." Since the bridesmaids were wearing soft hues, she wanted her mom to wear something complementary. "Also, I think we both agreed that we didn't want her to wear something dowdy," said Katie. "We were definitely going for more youthful!"
Mom's wishes for her dress: “I picked whatever would make my daughter most happy," said Charlene. "I wanted something flattering, comfortable, and appropriate for the style and setting of the occasion.”
How they found "the one": “I tried on a lot of two-piece outfits—lots of suits or dresses with little blazers," said Cherlene. "There were definitely a few 'frumpy”'outfits in the mix, which we knew immediately didn’t flatter." The dress she ultimately chose features a lovely ivory, lace top with cap sleeves and a tea-length green skirt. The waist is accentuated with a belt made out of the same fabric as the skirt, and Charlene added an antique brooch to the side of the belt. “The entire dress was simply stunning!" said Katie. "My mom looked beautiful.”
Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 wedding books, including The Mother-of-the-Bride Book: Giving Your Daughter a Wonderful Wedding and The Mother of the Groom: Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy the Best Wedding Ever. She has been featured as a wedding expert on top shows such as Good Morning America, ABC News, Primetime and more. Visit sharonnaylor.net for more wedding tips and advice.