Is this ok for MOTB

[Katherineryan1986]

Daughter is having a registry office wedding, family only, followed by a meal in a local restaurant. Colour theme is navy and lilac. So I’m not going to go full on MOTB. What do you think to this dress? I would wear lilac heels and carry a lilac clutch.

www.monsoon.co.uk/rowena-v-neck-ruffle-floral-print-maxi-dress-blue-24010650003.html

Agree. Navy or neutral will look smarter.
Love the dress.

The first dress is lovely. Just because the scheme is navy and lilac, doesn’t mean you have to have both colours. You’ve nailed the brief with the navy. I second a nude, metallic or navy shoe. Have a wonderful day!

Thanks - I like the maya dress but the coast dress is a little too fussy for me.

The wedding is at the beginning of December.

So I’m waiting for the 2 dresses I originally posted to arrive so I can see them and try them on.

Also waiting for the florally Coast dress that was suggested.

I’ll let you know!

Love first dress- trust your own judgement! not sure about the lilac bag, plaim maybe, it looks too textured.

unless you have to wear navy AND lilac, id go navy shoes and bag

The first dress is absolutely lovely, and perfect for the occasion!

Absolutely beautiful, really like it and think it’s perfect for what you want

To me (with apologies for being so blunt), both dresses look cheap. It's because of the layers of frill at the bottom, yes, but above all because of the polyester on polyester fabric. I would instantly feel sweaty too.
What's your budget? And what size, shape, and height are you?

Of the dresses posted thus far, the jacquard dress (Monsoon at M&S) posted by @EleanorMc67 is the best one by far. I know you said it looked heavy, but it will be December.
I also think that, despite it also being polyester (which I just can't do - too sweaty) it doesn't look cheap, precisely because the fabric has a bit more substance.
Additionally, you mention your figure (not being as thin as the model etc). I am sure you are lovely, but I do find that the fabric should have a similar "weight" to the body within it. Only a diaphanous, fairy-like figure looks right clothed in a diaphanous, fairy-like fabric, so the first two dresses sheerness and floatiness might not be quite right. Match the heft of the dress to the heft of the body within it.

It's everywhere though ... quite depressing from an environmental point of view. Especially when eco forms of viscose are available & also cheap to produce. And you can produce crepe, voile etc from
viscose in different weights too.

What would you wear to a wedding that isn't polyester? Really high end brands predominantly use it for this kind of dress. The only real alternative is silk, which also has vast problems environmentally, in it's production, and is far more likely to be be disposed after a few wears, being so fragile and difficult/costly to clean.

@Hyroplate, I would much prefer a good quality viscose. If I had the budget, silk. Personally, I only buy natural fibers. All of my formal, thin fabric dresses are silk and none of them have had to be disposed of after a few wears. They are still going after years, because it is the right weight of silk for the particular type of clothing.
Environmentally, it's complicated, as you note.
I would also say that the high-end brands who use synthetic fibers (so, for something of a similar feel to the OP's choices, I might look at Zimmerman) aren't using the same polyester as the options on this thread. I can spot that this is polyester a mile away and, to me, it just screams cheap and sweaty. OP can do better.

Sorry @Katherineryan1986 i don't love any of the choices so far.

They're fine but if my dd was getting married i'd want something special.

"Match the heft of the dress to the heft of the body within it"

That's me in woollen worsted tent dresses for the winter, then ... 😶

I have a few silk twill dresses (originally £200-300 but bought for much less in the sales or on resale platforms). It's a great, resilient fabric. I handwash silk without problems.

Polyester is, of course, very resilient too - probably its biggest selling point for wearers (cheapness & profit mattering most to makers).

I do think, like RuthieTuthie says, that there is a big difference in quality between low- & high-end polyester (& other fabrics too of course, but it's more noticeable with polyester).

I love it but wonder if it's too dark for mob? Of course if it's a winter wedding it's perfect

I'm assuming, though, that the OP has a budget she doesn't want to exceed?

If I were MotB & had budget constraints (& wanted to buy new), then the third jacquard Monsoon dress would be best IMO.

Another one that fits with budget & colour scheme is this:

Next Kew dress

It's also summery-looking to my eye - but the OP doesn't seem bothered by that, & it can be worn with a coat or jacket. It's mostly eco viscose, & has both pinky-lilac & a strong lavender in the print (which is striking).

Dress is lovely but flowers seem more pink than lilac so those purple shoes and lilac clutch will jar. I would wear navy shoes, bag and headpiece to tone down the pinkness and forget about the lilac part, as navy accessories will be more reusable.

It's lovely, but bloody hell, a colour theme for a register office wedding?!

Why shouldn’t she have a colour theme? there are only 14 people at the wedding in total so it will be nice to be co-ordinated (5 of them are children)
If she was having a big wedding with loads of guests she wouldn’t dream of dictating what colour guests wear.
The only guests are parents, children, siblings and nieces, nephew.

It’s a small register office wedding with only 14 guests, 5 of which are children. I don’t want to go overboard. We’re having a meal in a restaurant afterwards and I think the traditional MOTB outfits will just be too much on this occasion.

It’s lovely.

I’m 5’ 5” tall
65Kg
A bit thick round the middle (menopause tummy)
White with brown hair
Budget - well, TBH I can spend pretty much what I want - but wouldn’t go over say £300 for the dress and then another £300 for shoes and bag

@EleanorMc67

I have ordered the Jacquard dress from Monsoon that you suggested.

I love it. You'll look great.