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Original poster

Why Are Mother Of The Bride Outfits So Expensive?

151 replies

TheCatsBlanket · 28/02/2025 23:47

Just that really. Daughter’s getting married in June this year and I’ve been looking both online and trying some on in shops. None have impressed me enough to say yes, but dear god, the price of them is extortionate. I’ve tried to think that it’s my only daughter’s big day and I shouldn’t be so stingy, but I can’t get my head around the fact they’re priced in the region of £600 plus! And then of course I’d need to get some shoes and a hat too which will take the cost up even further.
Such a rip off

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Devianinc · 01/03/2025 02:51

madaboutpurple · 01/03/2025 02:47

On the Vinted website the seller can be contacted to confirm the size. It is well worth considering.

Sure

BlondiePortz · 01/03/2025 02:53

Devianinc · 01/03/2025 02:51

And what year was that?

Show quote history

Early 2000s and again recently again (different child)

madaboutpurple · 01/03/2025 03:06

I actually got a designer dress for £4 on Vinted and it is stunning. I am a bigger size than OP but I get comments on how that dress must have cost and it makes me smile as people would have no idea. I see OP is North West based. Well Altrincham charity shops are worthwhile. I was in one awhile ago and the lady who volunteered at one was telling me that in the summer a lot of the ladies bring their dresses in as the outfit has been seen at say the wedding they went to and they don't wear it more than once. A few years ago my DH got a suit for himself for £14 and the jacket was a current one that would have been £300 new.

Mummyoflittledragon · 01/03/2025 03:15

Jacques Vert used to be popular for MOB / MOG. Idk if there’s anything in here, which is suitable. https://prelovedjacquesvert.co.uk/product-category/mother-of-the-bride-or-groom/

Houndsahollering · 01/03/2025 03:22

My mum got her outfits for both mine and sisters wedding in John Lewis- nice dress and jacket each time from Phase 8. We booked a session with their personal shopper and had a lovely time and she really listened to what mum was liking/not liking. Cost a fraction of things in bridal shops

Devianinc · 01/03/2025 03:32

madaboutpurple · 01/03/2025 03:06

I actually got a designer dress for £4 on Vinted and it is stunning. I am a bigger size than OP but I get comments on how that dress must have cost and it makes me smile as people would have no idea. I see OP is North West based. Well Altrincham charity shops are worthwhile. I was in one awhile ago and the lady who volunteered at one was telling me that in the summer a lot of the ladies bring their dresses in as the outfit has been seen at say the wedding they went to and they don't wear it more than once. A few years ago my DH got a suit for himself for £14 and the jacket was a current one that would have been £300 new.

You’re very lucky. It’s seldom a match for a comfortable fit. High five lady

PinkyFlamingo · 01/03/2025 03:36

My son is getting married soon, I'm a size 22 and I got a beautiful skater dress from Quiz for £30.

Devianinc · 01/03/2025 03:39

ChanelBoucle · 01/03/2025 02:16

Just pick a nice dress or jumpsuit from a high end high street retailer and go with that. Along with some kind of complimentary jacket, bag and shoes. Bonus points if you think you could wear it again somewhere. I didn’t put any rules on my mum (her conventional MOB outfit was self-inflicted) and I’m damned if my dds will too when / if they get married. I didn’t know MOB outfits were even a thing these days!

Edited

Look at the knot website. If you haven’t been privy to this I’m sorry to introduce it to you. This what’s it about. Outdoing the next bride for perfect pictures. It’s ali a little childish to me especially when their over thirty, calm it down .even the size of the wedding ott

Devianinc · 01/03/2025 03:45

TheCatsBlanket · 28/02/2025 23:47

Just that really. Daughter’s getting married in June this year and I’ve been looking both online and trying some on in shops. None have impressed me enough to say yes, but dear god, the price of them is extortionate. I’ve tried to think that it’s my only daughter’s big day and I shouldn’t be so stingy, but I can’t get my head around the fact they’re priced in the region of £600 plus! And then of course I’d need to get some shoes and a hat too which will take the cost up even further.
Such a rip off

Hi, I’m so sorry I stole your thread. I think you have a clear conversation on what her vision of the wedding is and make a plan from that. It’s about her and what her vision in her head is about and making that vision happen.

Devianinc · 01/03/2025 03:49

LuluBlakey1 · 01/03/2025 00:59

It is being cleaned at the minute - to go to the hospice shop or into a proper wedding dress bag on a rail in the attic rather than taking up space in my wardrobe shrouded in a large white cotton sheet- but this is what it is based on. The lace was different though- I bought it in a market in France on holiday . It was old and needed washing and repairing and there was only just enough on the roll. It's a very slightly pinky/ oystery creamy colour. My friend worked a miracle with it. No veil or anything. Just had some flowers from FIL allotment.

Edited
Show quote history

I love the lace sleeves And the hugging of your body. My wanted to have dress

Devianinc · 01/03/2025 04:00

TeaNtoast25 · 01/03/2025 00:49

Yes I agree, I brought a lovely pair off Zara jeans off there, tried them on and they where ankle swingers 🤣🤣 lesson learnt

Zara second hand can be iffy. I don’t have much luck with their clothing in the stores so I’d never buy secondhand

Devianinc · 01/03/2025 04:01

PinkyFlamingo · 01/03/2025 03:36

My son is getting married soon, I'm a size 22 and I got a beautiful skater dress from Quiz for £30.

Pictures, pronto. I’d love to see it.

JMSA · 01/03/2025 04:03

They're dated and horrible!
You could always try finding a lovely dress and team it up with accessories Smile

Devianinc · 01/03/2025 04:03

BlondiePortz · 01/03/2025 02:53

Early 2000s and again recently again (different child)

Show quote history

Then you are lucky because it fit your correctly I’m glad it did. I hope you have happy memories. Give your children my best wishes

sandgrown · 01/03/2025 06:37

Don’t go for traditional MOB as they are expensive and many of them are hideous and ageing. My first was from a local independent boutique and paired with an M&S jacket and hired hat . The second was a beautiful dress from Freemans . If you don’t feel confident find a shop with a personal shopper to help you .

RaspberryVelvet · 01/03/2025 06:44

Vinted

myplace · 01/03/2025 07:55

There's a Facebook group with stunning outfits for weddings. Well worth a look.

Superhansrantowindsor · 01/03/2025 08:06

When we got married I didn’t know what my mother was wearing until the morning of the wedding. She had got a lovely dress and jacket- probably from marks - and she wore it again for other events.

My dd is getting married soon. Like me - she doesn’t care what her mother wears for the wedding. She is so stunningly beautiful that all eyes will be on her anyway.

All this stuff now - it’s all co-ordinated for insta or whatever. From the god awful polyester dressing gowns , usually in pink with names on the back, to staged pictures of make up being applied etc. It’s a bit sad really.

sashh · 01/03/2025 08:08

Look on ebay, you can often get the entire outfit for not very much.

TweedCoat · 01/03/2025 08:17

I'm going to go against the grain here.

When I got married 20 years ago my DM looked EVERYWHERE for an outfit... although to be fair there was no such thing as vinted then.

She saw a beautiful outfit in a local boutique... oyster coloured slub satin... long narrow skirt, shell top and matching short jacket with mandarin collar and bracelet-length sleeves. She wore a hat from M&S. I

She didn't want the pink polyester MOB look but she did want something that looked special. Nothing from even Phase 8, Hobbs, Reiss, Coast, Ted Baker etc. at the time even came near. She didn't want mainstream high street as someone else could have worn the same. The boutique outfit was stunning fabric, beautifully made, unusual and she loved it.

She looked great, was very comfortable and loved her outfit. I think she wore it again once for a cousin's wedding.

To her it really was worth it.

Honestly, unless you really can't afford it just go with what you love.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 01/03/2025 08:25

Anything labelled ‘mother of the bride’ never appealed to me anyway. I just bought a dress I liked - I so rarely wear dresses. Why not just look for something attractive that you’ll feel ‘right’ in?

CharlotteCChapel · 01/03/2025 08:31

I wore a knee length purple swing dress with a built-in necklace to my daughter's wedding. She chose it and it cost about £40 10 years ago.

What type of wedding is it? You'd wear something different to a registry office wedding than a cathedral one.

ClemmyTine · 01/03/2025 08:33

On Facebook there are 'mother of the bride outfit' and 'special occasion' selling groups.. they have some lovely items for all price ranges.

sweetpickle2 · 01/03/2025 08:53

Florals are fine OP. Some of these are similar to the one you posted-

https://www.johnlewis.com/phase-eight-collection-8-willma-floral-dress-multi/p113044435

https://www.johnlewis.com/phase-eight-petite-natalia-floral-dress-pink/p113044442

Agree you don’t need a special MOB shop or outfit. Just go to John Lewis etc.

telestrations · 01/03/2025 08:58

I see your in the US. Maceys has some nice options between 150-350 USD. Personally I'd wear this but I suit brown extremley well

Adrianna Papell Women's Floral-Design Embellished Gown

To answer your question wedding put a premium on anything but formal wear is typically more expensive to make with more fabric, lining, detail, fitting (changing the shape, not just enlarging for each size) and less of each one made and sold so no economy of scale.