Selecting the perfect mother of the bride dress may be easier than you think. With proper planning and knowledge of your body type, theme of the wedding and your bridal budget, you can be the next best-dressed woman in the room.

Mother of the bride dress is important because its style and color choice is a direct reflection of the theme and color choice of the wedding. Once the bride has determined her wedding’s color scheme and the hour she will marry her groom, finding the style of the gown and the fit is the next step.

The theme of the wedding dictates the type of dress worn by the mother of the bride, so the mother of the bride dress should flatter the figure and be appropriate for the ceremony. The mother of the bride, or any other member of the bridal party, should refrain from wearing white, ivory and off-white gowns. particularly if the wedding ceremony is religious in nature.

Because weddings require standing for long periods, dancing and entertaining guests, the mother of the bride should consider comfort and style when selecting a dress. A dress that is too tight, reveals too much cleavage or is too short may offend invited guests and embarrass the bride or groom.

Types of mother of the bride dresses vary. The most popular style choices are tea-length, column, sheath, suit, long-sleeved, strapless and ballgown. Fabric choices for mother of the bride dresses range from silk and taffeta to velvet and wool crepe based upon the time of year of the wedding.

Most of all, the perfect mother of the bride dress involves a delicate balance between the personal style of the bride’s mother and the wedding theme of the daughter.