44 Best winter formal mother of the bride dresses
After the bride, the most important ladies on the wedding day are the mothers of the bride and groom. Gone are the days of stiff, frumpy outfits. Hallelujah! It’s so important that your amazing mums look and feel fabulous on your wedding day with a seasonal gown that complements their personal style and coloring.
There are so many stylish, elegant and graceful mother of the bride and groom outfits to purchase now, so today we’re sharing our favorite winter formal dresses for a wide range of budgets for anyone with a festive wedding coming up.
Ruffle Hem Organza Gown - Staud | Off-the-shoulder pleated taffeta gown - Elie Saab
Marlowe Column Gown - Kay Unger | Illusion Long Sleeve A-Line Gown - Mac Duggal
Red, Pink, Purple Mother of the Bride Dresses
This time of year is the best for embracing berry tones. Red is always a good idea at Christmas time, and this year red just happens to be the color of the fashion season too, with key pieces in countless collections appearing in this bold shade. It’s also a great color to feel fantastic in, instantly boosting your confidence. Red for the mother of the bride isn’t for the faint of heart, but it certainly looks amazing in photographs!
If red feels like a step too far, we love a fuschia pink or a juicy plum purple tone to bring those sumptuous vibes that just feel right for a winter wedding. With the colder months you want heavier fabrics and more detailing, and these darker richer colors lend themselves beautifully to this style of gown. Think evening wear rather than garden party.
Floral Off the Shoulder Organza Ballgown - ML Monique Lhuillier | Ruffle Flutter Sleeve A-Line Gown - Mac Duggal
Bow-detailed sequined recycled-tulle maxi dress - Ganni | Pleated Long Sleeve Satin A-Line Gown - Mac Duggal
Maroon velvet long sleeve gown - Xscape | Drape Sleeves Trumpet Evening Gown - Betsy & Adam
One-shoulder button-embellished crepe kaftan - Taller Marmo | Feather-trimmed crepe midi dress - 16Arlington
Empire Rosette Midi Dress - Mac Duggal | Gathered recycled-taffeta midi dress - Ganni
Blue, Navy and Black Mother of the Bride Dresses
For the mother of the bride or groom who wants to look timeless, elegant and sophisticated, think classic. Navy will never date and if you want a shade that ‘pops’ more opt for royal blue - all moms are queens afterall, so it’s only fitting. When you’re thinking about accessorizing, blue is a great shade to match with shoes and bags and it’s important that your mum’s attire is cohesive with the rest of the bridal party. Blue or darker tones are always going to look great as they won’t clash.
Our particular favorite navy blue mother of the bride outfit is this ruffled two-toned satin gown from Reem Acra (below) - it’s so stylish and unusual and would work so well for a chic city affair. If you love blues, why not check out our round up of blue bridesmaids dresses too?
Cape-effect embellished tulle gown - Jenny Packham | Button-embellished ruffled two-tone satin-piqué gown - Reem Acra
Daphne tiered plissé-velvet midi dress - Cefinn | Long Sleeve Stretch Jersey Gown - Betsy & Adam
Melinda embroidered silk-satin midi dress - Doen | Floral Sequin Long Sleeve A-Line Gown - Mac Duggal
Green Mother of the Bride Dresses
Delightfully festive and universally flattering, green is a great choice for a winter formal dress. There's a shade to suit every mother of the bride or goom but we particularly love deep forest and bold emerald tones at this time of year. Got for sumptuous fabrics like velvet, silk or sequins for a gorgeous luxe vibe.
Column metallic jacquard midi dress - La Doublej| Maria layered bow-detailed cady gown - Bernadette
Asymmetric gathered glossed-jersey dress - Victoria Beckham | Sequined stretch recycled-tulle midi dress - Rotate Birger Christensen
Off-the-shoulder metallic satin-twill gown - Solace London | One-shoulder gathered satin-twill midi dress - Solace London
Crystal-embellished sequined chiffon gown - Erdem | Asymmetric cutout sequined tulle midi dress - Cefinn
Earth tone Mother of the Bride Dresses
If you’re looking for something that feels more bohemian, or more in keeping with the colors of the natural world, we love earth tones for the mother of the bride or groom. These warm shades are always flattering and will look beautiful in the soft light that winter brings. Doen are the queens of this look, and we are obsessed with their Marlanna ruffled gown in a gorgeous orange, brown and cream print. If you treated your mama to this, she’d wear it way beyond the wedding too!
Dolman crepe midi dress - Victoria Beckham | One-shoulder ruffled charmeuse gown - Lanvin
Lulani Midi Dress - Rhode | Ruffled tiered printed silk-crepon maxi dress - Doen
Crystal-embellished mikado-piqué gown - Reem Acra | Cape-effect embellished sequined tulle gown - Jenny Packham
Embellished Mother of the Bride Dresses
Winter is the season to fully embrace the sequins, beads and jewels. We want embellished everything at this time of year. As the bride though, it’s often the case that your gown will be a bit less fussy, so maybe let your gorgeous Mom bring the sparkle?
Needle and Thread used to hold the monopoly on embellished dresses, their gowns are beautiful but their column shapes aren’t for everyone. Thankfully now there are numerous brands incorporating beautiful detailing into their evening / formal wear so you can find something to fit every form like a glove.
Katerina Velvet Button-Front Dress - Anthropologie | Floral Sequin Long Sleeve A-Line Gown - Mac Duggal
Beaded Mesh Midi Cocktail Dress - Pisarro Nights | Long Sleeve Lace A-Line Gown - Mac Duggal
Cape-effect floral-print crepe de chine gown - Bernadette | Ruffle Off the Shoulder Crepe Column Gown - Xscape
Monochrome Mother of the Bride Dresses
For the ultimate in chic vibes, you need to embrace black or white dresses. Again, it’s not for everyone, but there’s nothing better for creating a super chic, cohesive look than if your mother and the bridal party embrace monochrome. Check out this super stylish black and white wedding to see what we mean! If white is a step too far, look for ivory, natural linen or champagne tones. Choosing a simple shade means you can explore gorgeous fabrics too like satin and velvet - they always work beautifully for winter formal events.
Camille bow-embellished velvet midi dress - Saloni | One-shoulder floral-print silk-twill maxi dress - La Doublej
Sequin Lace and Chiffon Gown - Alex Evenings | One-sleeve floral-print velvet gown - Bernadette
