If you're looking for a stunning dress for your son or daughter's wedding but you're trying to stick to a budget for the big day, we have some tips for you on where to find affordable mother of the bride dresses that you'll be thrilled to wear.
We hand-select these affordable mother of the bride dress suggestions. We include links to the stores and products we mention for proper credit to our sources and for your shopping convenience. When appropriate, commissionable links that support this website are included in shopping sources. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change.
Image credits and shopping sources: 1. Mauve Ruffled Dress Birdy Grey 2. Sage Green AW Bridal 3. Dusty Blue Dress Ever Pretty on Amazon
Defining exactly what constitutes affordable prices can vary a bit by wedding budget. Since the prices of mother-of-the-bride dresses we often feature run between $300 and $800 and even more, affordable is a very subjective term! For the purposes of this article, we'll focus on mother of the bride dresses under $200, but we recognize that still $200 is a lot to spend on a dress. To that end, we'll also point out options for under $100, and even under $50! We'll even offer some super budget-friendly tips for places to look that might help you get mother-of-the-bride or mother-of-the-groom dresses for well under $50, or practically free!
Where to Find Budget-Friendly Mother of the Bride Dresses
Since we spend a lot of time seeking out dresses for mothers of the bride, we know the designers and stores that usually offer styles under $200. Here are a few we'd recommend checking out to keep your search for the perfect mother of the bride dress budget-friendly and stylish all at once.
Azazie
If you want to choose from a huge range of special occasion dress styles and colors, and be assured that your size will be available, Azazie is a great place to look. They have an extensive collection of silhouettes, lengths, and styles. Most of their Mother of the Bride dresses range from $180- $220 and they are made to order, and made to measure, so that you get a near custom size and come in so many different colors. You're almost guaranteed to find a color and style that works for your personal style and body type. You can also request swatches so that you can see colors up close. They specialize in classic mother-of-the-bride styles, but they also always show the latest trends. We tried these on using their try-at-home program and were impressed with the quality. See mother of the bride styles under $200 at Azazie.
AW Bridal
We have usually had a chance to see most brands we recommend in person, but we'll admit we haven't seen the AW Bridal dresses up close yet, but they seem to have great reviews and happy customers on Instagram. They also offer an at-home try-on program for a limited number of styles, and their standard-size (i.e., not custom) dresses are eligible for return. We'd love to hear from you on Instagram if you have feedback about your experiences with this brand. We think they are a great option because they offer most of their Mother of the Bride styles under $100, with just a few at the $129 mark. We've been extremely impressed with some of the colors and different styles they offer, especially for dresses with long sleeves, or for hard-to-find colors. They also have some affordable wedding dresses too. See the MOB dresses from AW Bridal.
Birdy Grey
Birdy Grey is known for bridesmaids dresses with solid colors starting at $99 and prints and luxe styles for $129. These styles really aren't limited to bridesmaids though - they are all great special occasion dresses it's worth a look to see if one of their styles could work for you! They offer convertible styles and extended sizes and many colors and different shades of those colors that coordinate well together. If the bridesmaids in the wedding party are wearing these dresses, perhaps you can find a dress in a complimentary but different color or floral pattern to those styles since so many of their styles are meant to color coordinate. Best of all you can get a swatch before buying to see the color of the actual fabrics. It's a great spot to find an affordable dress for any special event. Check out the selection at Birdy Grey.
Nordstrom
Nordstrom is known for carrying high-quality mother-of-the-bride dresses, from a number of leading designers and brands. Stores like Nordstrom are particularly helpful, if you're having time constraints and can't wait for the lead times you'll see at some stores. It's also nice to be able to either go in-store or shop online for ready-made dresses and have them arrive with fast shipping within a week. They have a pretty good selection (almost 500 dresses at last count) of MOB dresses that retail for less than $200 and, thanks to sales and markdowns, go down to under $50 in some cases. See more MOB dresses under $200 at Nordstrom.
TJ Maxx and Marshalls
TJ Maxx and Marshalls and other similar stores usually have a few special occasion dresses on their dress racks. While we still think of TJ Maxx and Marshalls as brick-and-mortar stores you can actually shop both of them online and their offerings are amazing and beyond what you'll find in stores. They have top designers like Teri Jon, Marchesa Notte, Mac Duggal, Kay Under, and Adrianna Papell, all marked down significantly, but they go quickly so be ready to buy one when you see it! Check out the designer MOB bargains at TJ Maxx and Marshalls.
Nordstrom Rack
Over the years we've featured so many mother-of-the-bride dresses from Nordstrom, and if we're looking for them after a season or two, we often find them at Nordstrom Rack for a fraction of the price. Most of the special occasion dresses here are well under $150. Look for brands like Marina and other dresses from Nordstrom who might have turn up at Nordstrom Rack later in the season.
Dillard's
Any department store sale rack in the occasion dress department is a great place to look for affordable Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom dresses. Dillard's in particular seems to have fast turnover of styles, which means we see things go on sale quickly there. The best way to virtually check is to look for dresses under $200 and mark downs in their sale section online.
Sachin + Babi
Sachin + Babi at Nordstrom - $244
This is not a name you'd expect to see on this list, but we have a tip for how to get this look for less. You see, Sachin and Babi has gorgeous high-end mother of the bride dresses (those were some of the $700+ styles we were mentioning!) but they also offer a bridesmaid dress line that is just as regal, and still perfect for mothers of the wedding. The bridesmaid dresses are in the $250-$325 range, so still not under the $200 we promised to stick to, but it's a way to get their signature high-end and extremely elegant style for a little bit less. Sometimes they are found at Nordstrom, and the dresses go on sale more frequently there, so you can get these gorgeous gowns for a little bit less.
Lulus
As a part of the over-45 crowd ourselves, we tend to think of Lulus for the younger generation of wedding guests, but that's really not the case. If you delve into the reviews and look at pictures, you'll see that so many 45+ or older mothers of the brides have worn these dresses. Since Lulus has a ton of formal dresses under$100, it's a great place to look for an affordable and stylish floor-length gown. Their bridesmaid section can be a great place to look at well, but Lulus has a section dedicated to mother of the bride styles, and most Lulus dresses are under $100.
Rent the Runway
Rent the Runway - Rental fee varies based on plan - $138 single event
Rent the Runway is always a surefire way to get a gorgeous designer dress for less. Now, we'll admit it can be a bit stressful to not be able to have the dress fit to your proportions or even to be able to try it on, but if you are a part of their unlimited program then you can do a trial run and then reserve it for the date. Hopefully, their customer service can help you to make your rental a priority for a special day. The other advantage is that then you can rent other dresses for all the wedding-related events you'll be attending like the bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, welcoming parties, and day-after brunches.
Macy's
Macy's seems to stick to carrying mother of the bride dresses under $300, with plenty of dresses in the $100 to $200 which means that when these go on sale most of these mother of the bride styles are available for less. We particularly appreciate that they carry the Papell Studio line which is the more affordably priced line from Adrianna Papell.
Amazon
Ever Pretty on Amazon - $92.99
Amazon has so many wedding guest dresses under $60, and while it takes some searching, some of them are lovely! The brands we see on Amazon that routinely have formal mother of the bride styles for under $100 are Ever Pretty and Grace Karin. Best of all you know there will be fast shipping and you can sometimes use the "try it before you buy it" feature when available to check out the quality of these dresses to make sure you're happy.
Shop The Look
Additionally here are some of the MOB designer labels available mainly at department stores that tend to have dresses in the $200 range or less. We hope this helps you find the perfect mother of the bride dresses for the big day! If you want more tips, there are more money saving MOB tips, including the practically free options we spoke of after these dresses.
Alex Evenings Adrianna Papell Ignite SL Fashions Betsy and Adam Papell Studio RM Richards Xscape Evenings Eliza J Ever Pretty
Other Ways to Save on Mother of the Bride and Groom Dresses
Here are some other tips for seeking out a perfect dress for the mother of the bride for much less money.
Sales (Of Course!)
It probably goes without saying, but checking the sale racks, especially at department stores, and special occasion boutiques is a great way to find something. Also, bridal boutiques have sample sales for wedding dresses, but if they also carry Mother of the Bride styles then those will also sometimes be offered.
Coupon Codes and Discounts
Be on the lookout for making your own sale through online discounts. If you have a dream dress or designer in mind, not only do you want to check often to see if the style you like goes on sale, also look for coupon codes online. Also sometimes a dress will be offered many places so doing a Google image search can often show you where your dream dress is available for a lower price.
End of Season Turnover
Pay attention to end-of-season sales. This works wonderfully if you have a year or more before the wedding. The best tip is to watch the season before the sales on dresses. For instance, if your child's wedding is in the Summer of 2025, watch the sales during the Spring and Summer of 2024 for summery special occasion looks for less. We're sure you can find plenty of options that will still look great a year later.
Department Store Racks
Department stores, either in person or online, are a great place to look for mother-of-the-bride dresses. Trying on in person is of course always best for special dresses like this, but if you don't have one near you, online is still a great way. Nordstrom, Dillard's and Macy's have some of the best selections of mother of the bride dresses.
Online Secondhand Stores
Getting a dress that has had a previous life is a great way to be sustainable. And sometimes you'll get lucky and get NWT (new, with tags) anyway through these sources.
So many of the most beautiful dresses from past seasons come back on the market through Ebay and Poshmark. Many of the dresses at Ebay are new with tags and in their near-original condition. And if you go with ThreadUP or the Real Real or Poshmark re-wearing someone else's dress can be a very smart, eco-friendly, and sustainable thing to do.
Vintage Thrifting
Thrift shops and consignment stores, especially in high-end neighborhoods can be a great place to find formal wear treasures. It's a great idea if the wedding has any type of retro theme, and it's a sustainable option too!
Buy Nothing Groups
These are the free dress options we spoke of! These groups usually exist on Facebook within your local zip code, and are free to join after answering a few questions and agreeing to the rules of the group. While it's mostly for housewares and casual clothing, occasionally, someone will gift a formal dress that is perfect for a wedding. Depending on the admin rules of your local group, you can also sometimes do an "in-search of post", and ask the other members if they have a MOB dress for you.
Wedding Guest Dresses
Wedding guest dresses are getting more and more formal these days, making them have a great deal over overlap with mother of the bride dresses. Especially if the wedding is more casual, then a wedding guest dress can fit perfectly! In general, shorter dresses are much less expensive than gowns. We have shared our finds for wedding guest dresses under $150. Another tip, if it's is a formal wedding, or you'd prefer a long gown - usually maxi dresses are long and formal but slightly lighter weight and often less expensive than true formal gowns, so they can be a great way to get a floor length style for less.
Bridesmaid Dresses
As we mentioned with some of the brands like Birdy Grey and Azazie above, bridesmaid dresses can be a great place to look for formal dresses. Not only does it allow you to look at so many different colors and styles, with brands like Birdy Grey, Azazie, and Kennedy Blue, the dresses usually almost always under $150.
Friends and Family
Friends and family members. Do you have a friend, sister in law or other family member that has recently attended a wedding? They might have a mother of the bride worthy style you can borrow!
What to Avoid When Looking for Mother of the Bride Deals
There are so many scammy sites out there that purport to sell mother-of-the-bride dresses but sell poor reproductions. Before ordering with an unfamiliar company, check out the reviews or see if there are any issues listed with the BBB. Doing a reverse image search of a dress can also point you to the original source so that you can be sure it's coming from a reputable store.
We hope this guide has helped you find the perfect dress for your child’s wedding day. Be sure to check out all of our ideas for styling a mother-of-the-bride outfit.
More Mother of the Bride Dress Ideas
If you're still looking for the right dress, don't forget to check out our picks for elegant mother of the bride dresses by color scheme, as well as mother of the bride dresses in our top colors like pink, navy blue, light blue, and neutral and gold mother of the bride styles. we also have plenty of ideas for how to accessorize and style a mother of the bride outfit.
