Best Mother of the Bride Rehearsal Dinner Dresses

written by Hannah Warren

Sr. Writer & Editor

Don’t worry – if you hate trawling the mall looking for the perfect dress, we have a much better solution

Rehearsal Dinner Dresses for the MOTB

Whether guests are coming over to tell you how pleased they are for the happy couple at the rehearsal dinner, or watching to see if you’ll shed a tear during the speeches, if you feel your best you’ll be able to focus on being present and enjoying every second of your daughter’s (or son’s) wedding.

Best of all, as the Mother of the Bride you have the freedom to wear whatever dress best expresses you and highlights your best assets for the rehearsal dinner. So, what’s the best way to find the perfect dress?

Rehearsal Dinner Attire For The Mother Of The Bride

It’s super easy to shop online while you watch TV or relax with a glass of wine and order a dress or a few dresses that suit your style and budget. If it doesn’t fit, just return it! There’s no need to do the hot and sweaty changing cubicle struggle in store after store.

Below we’ll cover a few FAQs we get about Mother of the Bride rehearsal dinner dresses and then we’ll share our top 5 picks of great Mother of the Bride dresses for you to choose from.

Mother Of The Bride Rehearsal Dinner Dress Options To Avoid

Steer clear of anything too tight, short, or cut too low in the front, but any dress that makes you feel amazing in all the right places and that you look stunning in will always be a winner!

What Should The Mother Of The Bride Wear to a Rehearsal Dinner?

This depends a little on the scale and theme or style of your daughter’s wedding, but you should aim to be just a step-down on the scale of how dressed-up they are.

Unless the wedding is particularly informal or intimate, a semi-formal dress or pantsuit and blouse will always be appropriate.

Finding and buying your rehearsal dinner dress can be straightforward, but you need to know what you can eliminate from your options at a glance.

What Should The Mother Of The Bride Wear to a Rehearsal Dinner?

This depends a little on the scale and theme or style of your daughter’s wedding, but you should aim to be just a step-down on the scale of how dressed-up they are.

Unless the wedding is particularly informal or intimate, a semi-formal dress or pantsuit and blouse will always be appropriate.

Finding and buying your rehearsal dinner dress can be straightforward, but you need to know what you can eliminate from your options at a glance.

How To Choose The Perfect Mother Of The Bride Rehearsal Dinner Dress

Before you go any further, ask yourself these questions to make sure you choose the perfect rehearsal dinner dress from our options below.

Where is the rehearsal dinner doing to be?

Are you outside, under cover, or inside? Is the space air-conditioned or not? Will you be traveling far from where you got ready? (If so, will you need a cardigan or light jacket that goes with it to take with you in case you get cold?)

What’s the weather going to be like?

If it’s winter you’ll want something that offers you a little more coverage or pairs well with a jacket. If it’s hot, you’ll want to choose a breathable, light fabric that will keep you from getting sweaty.

Is the rehearsal dinner taking place in the afternoon, early evening, or later at night?

The perfect rehearsal dinner dress will be very different for an early afternoon lunch sitting outside to one that is inside the hotel and doesn’t start until eight.

How “dressy” is it going to be?

Some intimate weddings and destination weddings will keep things relatively casual, while dinner in a high-end restaurant will require a dress that is almost as formal as your dress for the big day.

From formal to flattering, these rehearsal dinner outfits are sure to match your style

Before we get to our top dresses, you can also shop around for beautiful MOB rehearsal dinner dresses online at these destinations

Amazon

Worlds Largest Online Marketplace

Try select dresses on with Prime Wardrobe before you buy.

Amazon has it all. It has the size and color variety that everyone wishes to attine. They will give you high end options and casual options. You can find name brand or less known brands. If you’re not sure what you are looking for then start with amazon to see all the options. They are unmatched when it comes to size inclusive brands. We love amazon because prime will get it to you quickly, and if you do have any problems then customer support will help you, and returns are easy. Most importantly, the customer reviews will be a lifesaver. The main worry is the quality and how it looks on the body, and the customer reviews will save your time if you check them out and see what others say about it.

Nordstrom

Stylish Mother of the Bride Dresses

Price matching, free returns, curbside pickup, and top brands.

Nordstrom is one of our favorite places to look for wedding attire. They have beautiful dresses in tons of different styles. Their name brand selection gives you the options to try on things you normally wouldn’t. Nordstrom online and in store option is really helpful for finding sizes and colors you want. The staff is really helpful with helping you find what you want, and their styles are always up to date so you will always look good. It is a one stop shop if you are also looking for accessories or shoes.

Karen Kane

Products with Passion and Integrity

Fashionable clothing with sustainable and ethical manufacturing.

Karen Kane has beautiful options that look a little more casual if you are not looking for a full gown. One of our favorite things about Karen Kane is that they are size inclusive and have options for all sizes. They are perfect if you are looking for the boho chic look, and if you are looking for something that will be comfortable. They are a great place to check out if you are looking for good quality dresses.

David’s Bridal

The Go-To Wedding Store

Payment plans and financing available for affordable wedding attire.

Davids Bridal is a must on the list of places to look for dresses. Not only is the staff team there going to go above and beyond to help you, but any style or size questions you have they will answer. They can suggest what style looks best for your body type, or even help you out with what is appropriate for the dress code. Davids Bridals is known for their dresses, and specifically the ones you wear to a wedding. You should absolutely check out their selection and use the staff’s help if you still need options.

What should the mother of the groom wear to rehearsal dinner?

Deciding on Mother of the groom rehearsal dinner attire can be a difficult decision leading up to the wedding day itself. Often, the rehearsal dinner is a fairly formal affair, but if the bride and groom have opted for a more paired down rehearsal dinner then finding a Casual rehearsal dinner outfit for mother of the groom should be high on your list.

Mother of the bride and indeed mother of the groom rehearsal dinner dress shopping takes a little patience but by taking your shopping online you will be able to find many options fit for all sizes and shapes that are in keeping with the feel of the rehearsal dinner.

Can the mother of the bride wear white to rehearsal dinner?

In short, no! At any point during the wedding its best to steer clear from anything that could be seen as looking ‘too white’ and in bad taste by looking too bridal.

The perfect Mother of the bride rehearsal dinner dress will be something that matches the feel of the dinner, and also one that makes the wearer feel comfortable and confident in anticipation of the wedding.

Try glam colors that are a little out of your comfort zone, we love jewels tones such as deep purples and greens to help you stand out and look great without being too overpowering. You could also opt to kick things up a notch by adding glam accessories to your outfit.

Does the mother of the bride go to the rehearsal dinner?

The mother of the bride is traditionally always invited to the rehearsal dinner as they are an integral part of the wedding day itself. The rehearsal dinner is a great time to meet and greet the new family and enjoy a meal surrounded by family new and old.

So, the real question is, what Mother of the bride rehearsal dinner attire should you choose? Rehearsal dinners are traditionally a more formal affair so be prepared to choose a mother of the bride rehearsal dinner outfit that is more dressy than you may normally wear.

Who gets invited to rehearsal dinner?

The rehearsal dinner is a time for those in the bridal party itself to relax and spend time together the evening before the wedding, traditionally after the wedding rehearsal itself.

The people that should always be invited are parents of the bride and groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, the officiant and their partner (if married) and the family of the flowergirl and ringbearer.

Often couples may choose to invite siblings if they are not taking part in the wedding itself and often, if some guests are travelling out of town, then its kind to extend the invite to them, but this is absolutely not an obligation.

As destination weddings have become more and more popular its not unusual for all the wedding guests to be together the evening before the wedding.

In cases like this, you might want to consider putting on a more relaxed BBQ style dinner for all the guests and foregoing a traditional rehearsal dinner, but again, this is not an obligation, just something to think about, in which case the dress code will be different again to your traditional rehearsal dinner attire.

What is the etiquette for the mother of the bride at rehearsal dinner?

Usually, the rehearsal dinner is seen as more of a formal affair with attendants wearing almost black tie style clothing. In recent years a more Casual rehearsal dinner outfit for mother of the bride is becoming more appropriate, along with the whole rehearsal dinner event itself.

Speak to your daughter beforehand about her plans for the rehearsal dinner and how she envisages the dress code to avoid any embarrassing etiquette slip ups. As an easy starting point, look online to see how your favorite styles are translated into an evening appropriate style.

Sometimes this is as simple as adding accessories or a slick of bright lipstick.

What are the responsibilities of the mother of the bride during the rehearsal dinner?

Traditionally, it’s the duty of the mother of the groom to plan and host the rehearsal dinner, which means it’s the mother of the brides chance to sit down and enjoy being hosted by your son-in-law to be’s family, but times are changing!

Whilst the mother of the bride traditionally does not need to help with hosting, we suggest getting in contact and offering your help with anything, because, after all, they may be feeling the pressure.

On the evening itself, arrive on time and focus on making the other guests and family members feel comfortable. Mother of the bride rehearsal dinner attire on the evening can be formal or casual depending on where the dinner is being held but the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident to assist you in your duties on the night.

Can the mother of the groom wear black to rehearsal dinner?

From an etiquette point of view, black is a tricky one, as it can be seen as a color of mourning. However, in more modern weddings it’s seen as a chic and flattering statement. When it comes to mother of the bride rehearsal dinner attire, because of the more formal tone, it’s easy to wear black and accessorize so your outfit is chic and understated fitting in with the black tie style that many rehearsal dinners follow.

Find The Perfect Mother Of The Bride Rehearsal Dinner Dress Today

Shopping for your rehearsal dinner dress as a mother of the bride or groom doesn’t have to be complicated, and while it’s important to look put-together, that doesn’t mean you have to wear something complicated or uncomfortable.

Our top picks are as comfortable as they are classy, and that’s definitely what you should be looking for in your dress.