5 Best Places to Buy Mother of the Bride Dresses [2022]

A woman’s wedding day is an event she dreams about from childhood. But as the bride’s mother, you’ve probably been dreaming about it too. And when the big day comes, you’ll want to have just the right outfit for it.

Finding the perfect mother of the bride dress usually involves browsing dozens of websites and spending hours on Pinterest. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We did the research for you and suggest shopping with one of the following recommended online stores.

They are all experts in the wedding industry, so you are sure to find a dress you love.

What is the Best Place to Buy a Mother of the Bride Dress?

Here are the top five best places for mother of the bride dresses. Other retailers pale in comparison to this elite class of shops.

1. BHLDN

Anthropologie’s BHLDN is the number one retailer for mother of the bride dresses in all shapes and sizes.

They’ll let you schedule a fitting either in their stores or virtually. Either way, a stylist will personally help you choose the perfect dress. With so many styles to choose from, you can find the dress that complements your body type the best.

Highlights:

• Choose from a wide selection of both short and long dresses, most of which are stunningly silky.
• Easily find the top-rated dresses that other mothers of the bride have raved about
• Pair your mother of the bride dress with a matching jacket and jewelry
• Get the answers to the most pressing questions you have about choosing your mother of the bride dress

What Anthropologie/BHLDN Does Best:

The BHLDN line recognizes that no two women’s bodies are shaped exactly alike. Their dresses are designed for petite and plus-sized women, and everyone in between.

Check Prices at BHLDN

2. Nordstrom

Nordstrom’s mother of the bride dresses are found exclusively in the brand’s wedding shop. You can choose to meet with one of their stylists to help narrow down your choices.

The stylist will take the time to familiarize themselves with your fashion sense so they can make recommendations based on what you like or don’t like. And when you do find a dress you like, tailors are available to make any needed alterations.

Highlights

• 30-minute-style consultation meetings in the store are ideal for even the busiest women.
• You can arrange for curbside or in-store pickup when your dress is ready. Next day pickups can also be arranged.
• Even online orders can be picked up (or returned) in-store.
• It’s easy to acquire matching shoes and bags when you get your dress.

What Nordstrom Does Best:

When you have a packed schedule, Nordstrom makes the process of finding your mother of the bride dress as efficient as possible. The diverse selection of dresses and accessories makes Nordstrom your one-stop shop.

Check Prices at Nordstrom

3. David’s Bridal

David’s Bridal is a national chain with a history of making brides and their mothers beautiful for nuptials.

Their line of mother of the bride dresses comes in more than half a dozen different kinds of fabrics. They specialize in offering as many two-piece outfits as dresses. No matter what you’re comfortable in, David’s Bridal has it available for sale.

Highlights:

• Signing up for David’s Bridal emails and texts gets you 10% off on a qualifying purchase.
• Dress sizes range from XS up to 4X, including wide sizes.
• You can search online for dresses based on color or size.
• Becoming a Diamond Member gets you exclusive prices on dresses and more.

What David’s Bridal Does Best:

No matter your budget, David’s Bridal has mother of the bride dresses in your price range. All you have to do is search based on that range, and you’ll see your options in front of you.

Check Prices at David’s Bridal

4. Macy’s

Macy’s jumped into the wedding attire industry and gave other shops a run for their money. Their selection of full-length gowns gives you plenty of great options for your daughter’s wedding day.

And if you find a dress on their website that you like, it’s easy to search for similar dresses. This can make the process of choosing a dress a lot less overwhelming.

Highlights:

• You can chat with a style expert on Macy’s website while you browse dresses.
• At times, the Last Act feature can help you find dresses that are drastically marked down in price.
• The selection of sale and discount dresses is almost as numerous as full-priced dresses.
• You can pick your dress up at your local store or take advantage of free shipping to your home.

What Macy’s Does Best:

When browsing mother of the bride dresses on Macy’s website, you can toggle the display picture to see what a dress looks like in each color or pattern. So, online browsing is as easy as browsing in the store but much more convenient.

Check Prices at Macy’s

5. Lulus

Lulus has high-quality mother of the bride dresses at low prices. A tight budget shouldn’t stop you from getting the perfect mother of the bride dress; at Lulus, it won’t.

With prices under $100, you’d have a difficult time finding cheaper dresses that are nicer. At such great prices, you may struggle to choose which dress you want to buy. Create an account with Lulus so you can save the dresses you like the most.

Highlights:

• Your selection of mother of the bride dresses includes more than a dozen different neckline styles
• Consent to receiving texts or emails from Lulus, and you’ll get 15% off of a purchase
• Search for the best mother of the bride dresses based on the dresses other customers have rated the best
• Occasional discount codes can make an already low-priced dress an even better deal.

What Lulus Does Best:

When you need to find an affordable mother of the bride dress quickly, you can’t go wrong with Lulus. With such low prices, you’ll never have to agonize over which dress to pick.

Check Prices at Lulus

What color should the mother of the bride wear?

The mother of the bride is traditionally supposed to wear a dress in a color that complements the wedding party’s colors.

For example, if the bridesmaids are wearing pink, the mother of the bride might wear a pale pink or lavender dress. If the wedding party is wearing jewel tones, the mother of the bride might select a dress in ivory or cream.

It is also important to consider the formality of the wedding when choosing a dress for the bride’s mother.

For a casual wedding, a simple sundress or pantsuit in an appropriate color may suffice. However, for a formal affair, the mother of the bride may want to choose a more elegant gown.

Whatever the style of the wedding, it is important that the mother of the bride feels comfortable and confident in her outfit.

What is the most popular color for mother of the bride dresses?

While the color of a mother of the bride dress is ultimately up to the mother, there are certain shades that are more popular than others.

Navy blue is a popular choice, as it is both formal and flattering. Black is another popular option, as it can help to slim down the appearance of the mother of the bride.

Other popular choices include shades of grey, ivory, and blush. No matter what color she chooses, she is sure to look beautiful on her daughter’s big day.

Can the mother of the bride wear the same color as the mother of the groom?

While it is not a necessity, it is generally considered polite for the mother of the bride to wear a dress that is different from the mother of the groom’s dress. This helps to distinguish between the two mothers and avoid any confusion on the big day.

That said, there is no hard and fast rule about what color the mother of the bride should wear. You may want to coordinate with the mother of the groom ahead of time to ensure you are not both wearing dresses in the same color family.

However, some families choose to break with tradition and have the mothers wear dresses in the same color. This can be a stunning visual effect, particularly if the mothers are also wearing similar fabrics or styles.

Of course, it is important to make sure that the two mothers are comfortable with this arrangement before making any final decisions. Alternatively, you could ask the bride or groom for their input on what would look best.

What should the mother of the bride not wear?

It is generally accepted that the mother of the bride should avoid wearing anything that would upstage the bride on her big day. Therefore, it is best to steer clear of the color white, eye-catching color palettes, excessively flashy jewelry, and overly dramatic dress designs.

While it is important to look your best, it is also important to remember that this day is all about the bride.

The mother of the bride should also avoid wearing anything that would be considered inappropriate for a wedding, such as revealing tops and short dresses or skirts.

Also, it is best to choose an outfit that is appropriate for the occasion. A casual wedding calls for a more relaxed look, while a formal affair warrants a more formal gown.

Should a mother of the bride dress be long or short?

The length of the mother of the bride’s dress should be appropriate for the formality of the event and the bride’s own preferences.

One option is to choose a dress that is similar to the bride’s dress in terms of style and length.

If the wedding is a formal affair, then a long dress would be more appropriate. However, if the bride is wanting a more relaxed atmosphere, then a shorter dress would be better.

Ultimately, it is up to the mother of the bride to decide what length dress she feels most comfortable in. Choose a dress that makes you feel beautiful and confident on this special day.

Does the mother of the bride carry a purse down the aisle?

While some mothers may choose to carry a small purse down the aisle, others may prefer to go without.

If you generally prefer to carry a purse, then it makes sense to do so on your daughter’s big day. However, if you’re not used to lugging around a bag, you may want to stick with something smaller.

Ideally, the purse should be small and discreet, and it should contain only essential items such as your lip balm, tissue, and cell phone.

The mother of the bride should also make sure that her purse does not clash with her outfit. In general, it is best to avoid any flashy or attention-seeking accessories on the day of the wedding.

Whether or not to carry a purse is ultimately a personal decision, and there is no correct answer.

Bottom Line

While there are many benefits to buying a mother of the bride dress online, one of the most important is the ability to find the perfect dress for your body type.

With so many different styles and designs available, it can be difficult to find a dress that flatters your figure.

However, by shopping online, you can easily filter dresses by size, silhouette, and more, making it easy to find a dress that will make you look and feel your best.

In addition, shopping at one of our recommended websites gives you access to a wider selection of dresses than you would find in a brick-and-mortar store or at your local mall.