{"id":1099,"date":"2011-07-17T07:00:40","date_gmt":"2011-07-17T12:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wordpress\/?p=1099"},"modified":"2025-10-18T10:13:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T16:13:35","slug":"mother-bride-dress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/shopping-guide\/mother-bride-dress\/","title":{"rendered":"11 easy rules for shopping gorgeous, budget-friendly mother-of-the-bride outfits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dear Budget Fashionista<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a soon-to-be mother of the bride. I have been searching for something stylish, but all the dresses I\u2019ve seen are unfashionable and also expensive. How do I find a gorgeous mother-of-the-bride (MOTB) dress without spending a fortune?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to find mother of the bride outfits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I feel your pain! In my search for MOTB dresses, I found most of the options to be dowdy and matronly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, you don’t need to look like Whistler’s Mother (the old lady in the rocking chair) just because your kid’s getting married. You can be stylish and elegant, even glamorous if you dare. After all, you will be seeing folks you haven\u2019t seen in years (maybe an annoying cousin or aunt) and you want to look your best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what you need to know to find that perfect MOTB outfit. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Close-up
Source: Canva. @Budget Fashionista\/Speak LLC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

1. Shop early <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hopefully you’re dealing with a wedding that’s planned well in advance of the actual date. That way, you can take advantage of end-of-season clearance sales and discontinued styles. Those will be way cheaper than “now” dresses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Basic has benefits <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Admittedly, this is hard advice to take. You want to show up perfectly<\/em> for your kid’s wedding. That makes it tough to shop for an all-purpose outfit that you could reuse for another occasion. But the multipurpose outfit has more value than a one-time wear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want an outfit you can rewear, stick to the basics. You may have to forgo sparkles and flash, but then you’ll have a nice, formal dress<\/a> available for other occasions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Look beyond the wedding store<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, you can often wedding-worthy outfits cheaper by shopping in non-wedding stores. Try a nice, dressy pants suit from Ann Taylor or check out the clearance racks of your local Macy\u2019s or Dillards. Formal wear from mid-range brands like Tahari are usually great options. This is because the word “wedding” raises the price. Hack that issue by avoiding wedding shops and looking to stores that carry evening wear and cocktail dresses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Think outside the box <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don’t get stuck on wearing a dress and only a dress. Thinking outside the (dress) box can widen your pool of affordable choices. How about a nice mother-of-the-bride pantsuit or jumpsuit? Either is a classy option with the potential to be very elegant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n