What Color Should the Mother of the Bride Wear?

Color is usually the first decision a mother of the bride makes, and the one that shapes every other choice: the fabric, the accessories, even how she will look standing beside the bride in the family portraits. The good news is that there is far more freedom than the old rules suggest. There are only a couple of firm limits, and beyond them the right color depends on the season, the setting, the wedding palette and your own coloring.

This guide covers each of those in turn. For the wider picture, including length, fabric and fit, see our mother of the bride dress guide.

The Two Colors to Avoid

White and anything close to it. This is the one rule that almost every wedding keeps. It covers white, ivory, cream, and very pale shades of champagne, blush or silver that can look white in photographs. Camera flash and bright daylight both wash pale colors out, so a dress that looks clearly champagne in the shop can read as ivory beside the bride.

A useful test is to photograph the dress with your phone’s flash on, next to something genuinely white. If the two look similar on the screen, choose a deeper shade.

The bridesmaid color. Wearing the same shade as the bridal party suggests you are part of it, which is not your role. A related but distinct shade, a tone or two deeper or lighter, coordinates without that confusion.

Start With the Wedding Palette

Before choosing a color you love, ask the bride for her palette. Most couples choose two to four colors for the flowers, bridesmaids and decorations, and a mother of the bride dress that sits comfortably within or beside that palette looks right in every photograph.

There are three easy ways to work with a palette:

• Go deeper. If the bridesmaids wear dusty blue, a navy dress coordinates without matching.
• Go neutral. Silver, soft gold, taupe or a muted metallic sits beside almost any palette.
• Pick an accent color. If the flowers include a shade the bridesmaids are not wearing, such as a deep rose or a soft green, that color ties you into the scheme naturally.

The Most Popular Mother of the Bride Colors

Navy. The most reliable choice of all. Navy is formal without being severe, flatters almost every complexion, works in every season, and photographs consistently under any lighting. It is also the safest alternative to black.

Silver and pewter. Elegant and celebratory, especially for evening weddings, and a natural complement to a white or ivory bridal gown. Metallic fabrics shift with the light, so expect them to look slightly different across the day’s photographs. See silver formal dresses.

Dusty rose, blush and mauve. Soft, romantic and well suited to spring and summer. Choose a shade with enough depth to read clearly as pink rather than pale beige in photographs. Our pink formal dresses collection covers the range.

Deep green. Emerald and forest green are rich and confident, ideal for autumn, winter and evening weddings. See emerald green formal dresses and dark green formal dresses.

Sage. A muted gray-green that has become one of the most common wedding palette colors. It sits naturally beside greenery, cream and blush, which makes it an easy fit for garden and outdoor weddings. See sage green dresses.

Royal blue and sapphire. Brighter than navy and more celebratory, these suit evening receptions and couples who chose a jewel-toned palette. See royal blue formal dresses.

Gold. Warm and festive, particularly for evening. Choose a clearly metallic gold rather than a pale champagne, which can be mistaken for ivory.

Choosing a Color by Season

Spring. Soft, fresh shades: blush, dusty rose, lilac, light blue, sage and pale mint. Light fabrics like chiffon carry these colors well.

Summer. Brighter or lighter tones suit the light: coral, soft teal, periwinkle, rose and lighter metallics. For outdoor daytime weddings, lighter colors also stay cooler in the sun than dark ones.

Autumn. Warm, rich tones: burgundy, rust, deep green, plum, bronze and gold. Burnt orange in particular has become a signature autumn wedding color; see burnt orange dresses.

Winter. Deep jewel tones and metallics: emerald, sapphire, navy, plum, burgundy and silver. Velvet and satin show these colors at their richest.

Choosing a Color by Venue and Time of Day

Light changes how a color looks, so the setting matters as much as the season.

Outdoor and daytime. Natural light is bright and even. Soft and mid-tone colors look fresh, while very dark colors can look heavy in strong sun. Avoid the palest shades, which wash out.

Indoor and evening. Warm, low reception lighting deepens colors and makes metallics glow. Jewel tones, navy, deep green and silver look their best here.

Garden and greenery. Sage and soft greens blend into the background, which some people love and others find too subtle. Rose, blue and lilac stand out more clearly against green.

Beach. Light blues, soft teal, coral and sandy neutrals suit the setting. Very dark colors absorb heat and can feel out of place against sand and sky.

Finding a Color That Suits Your Skin Tone

The simplest test needs no theory: hold the color next to your face in natural daylight and look in a mirror. If your skin looks even and bright, the color works. If it looks sallow, gray or tired, try a shade warmer or cooler.

A few general patterns can narrow the search:

• Cool undertones (veins look bluish, silver jewelry flatters): navy, sapphire, emerald, plum, rose and silver tend to suit.
• Warm undertones (veins look greenish, gold jewelry flatters): coral, rust, olive, warm gold, bronze and burnt orange tend to suit.
• Neutral undertones: most mid-tone colors work, including dusty rose, sage, teal and navy.

If you are unsure, navy and deep teal suit almost everyone.

Coordinating With the Mother of the Groom

The traditional approach is for the mother of the bride to choose first and share her color with the mother of the groom. The aim is two complementary colors, not two matching dresses.

A few combinations that photograph well together:

• Navy with dusty rose or silver
• Emerald with gold
• Sage with blush
• Burgundy with champagne-gold
• Royal blue with silver

Keeping the two dresses at the same length and level of formality matters more than the exact colors. For the groom’s side, see gold mother of the groom dresses and mother of the groom long dresses.

Black, Red and Bold Colors

Black is widely accepted at evening and formal weddings and reads as elegant. In some families and cultures, though, it still carries an association with mourning. Ask the bride before choosing it; if there is any doubt, navy gives the same formality.

Red is generally fine for a guest, but for the mother of the bride it can draw a lot of attention in photographs. In some traditions red is itself a bridal color, so check first. A deeper burgundy keeps the warmth with less intensity; see red formal gowns for the range.

Prints work at relaxed daytime and garden weddings. Keep them refined, such as a soft floral or a subtle geometric pattern, and save solids for formal evening events.

Finishing the Look Around Your Color

Once the color is decided, the accessories follow from it. Silver jewelry suits cool colors like navy, sapphire and silver; gold jewelry suits warm colors like rust, burgundy and gold. Nude or metallic shoes keep the focus on the dress, while a shoe in a deeper shade of the dress color looks polished and deliberate.

If you plan to wear a wrap or jacket, choose it in the same color as the dress or a neutral that ties in, so it reads as part of the outfit rather than an afterthought. Our jacket dresses for weddings come with matching layers already coordinated.

Mother of the Bride Dress Colors: Frequently Asked Questions

What color should the mother of the bride not wear?

White, ivory, cream and any pale shade that could look white in photographs, plus the bridesmaid color. Check pale champagne and blush under flash, since they often read lighter on camera.

What is the most popular mother of the bride color?

Navy is the most consistently popular, because it is formal, flatters almost every complexion and works in every season. Silver, dusty rose, deep green and sage are close behind.

Should the mother of the bride match the wedding colors?

Coordinate rather than match. Choose a deeper or lighter shade of the palette, a neutral metallic, or an accent color from the flowers, but avoid the exact bridesmaid color.

Can the mother of the bride wear black?

At many evening weddings, yes. In some families and cultures black is linked to mourning, so ask the bride first. Navy offers the same formality without the question.

What colors suit a summer wedding?

Coral, soft teal, periwinkle, rose, light blue and lighter metallics. For outdoor daytime ceremonies, lighter colors also stay cooler in the sun.

What colors suit a fall or winter wedding?

Burgundy, rust, burnt orange, deep green and plum for autumn; emerald, sapphire, navy, plum and silver for winter.

How do the mother of the bride and mother of the groom coordinate colors?

The mother of the bride usually chooses first and shares her color. The mother of the groom then picks a complementary shade at the same length and formality, such as navy with dusty rose or emerald with gold.

How do I know which color suits my skin tone?

Hold the color next to your face in daylight. If your skin looks even and bright, it suits you. Cool undertones tend to suit navy, sapphire and silver; warm undertones tend to suit coral, rust and gold.