One mother's dress is too formal

I think your mom will look fine, and plenty formal in the short dress. What matters is that they LOVE the dresses and feel comfortable. Because of the material of your mothers dress I feel it's plenty formal to match the other one.

I don't think these two dresses are tremendously different in the degree of formality.

My mom had a much more formal outfit than my MIL, but nobody thought it was important?

If those are their dresses they look great together I would let them both wear the dresses that they bought. They will both look great

I don't think your mom will be out of place. I think they are both beautiful and while your FMIL's dress is longer, I wouldn't say it necessarily is more formal.

This is so funny!!

because those 2 dresses are very similar to my mothers FMIL dresses.

My mother is semi-scandalous as hers is hiked up a little on the side and FMIL is teh bottom one, more conservative.

I think it will be fine and they will both look amazing on their own way

I agree with the other ladies, I don't think 1 dress is more 'formal' then the other, if your mom is younger then the short dress is perfect for her and vice versa for your FMIL

The short dress that your mom is planning on wearing is the same dress I got married in! (Mine was green though)

I actually think both those dresses will look awesome together. I have a feeling it might reflect the personality of the wearers and both will suit your wedding formality. The longer one, while long usually means more formal, isn't overly formal in my opinion. The short one is fun and the shine makes it pretty formal as well!

My FH said the same thing, I just wanted reassurance from my WW ladies. Thanks I feel so much better. I know I can come here and get honest opinions.

@futura esposa - yes, my mother can be scandalous too! haha

MOB here....I have to say I would be fuming if the FMIL went long and I said short. However, having seen both dresses, I actually think your mother's dress is more formal. It has more wow factor.

I think they will both look great.

But I wonder if women our mothers' age equate length with formality and feel really self conscious about it. My mom hemmed and hawed and agonized about her dress for over a year b/c she wanted to "stand out but not stand out too much" and the wedding was semi-formal so it just threw her into a complete tizzy.

I would maybe just reassure your mom that both dresses will look equally wonderful, that length alone doesn't = formality these days, and that you love her dress as much as she does, but offer to help her find a floor-length one if she's going to feel underdressed. Of course then you risk FMIL finding a totally different dress and your mom being back at square one.

You can also remind her that the number of times they will be standing next to each other are very few, so if SHE loves HER dress that's really more important.

Are your BM dresses short or long? If everyone else is in a short dress, your mom will blend right in!

And I agree with Carole, your mom's dress actually looks dressier to me.

Carole!! I was hoping to get your input. I know you can understand where my mother is coming from. The FMIL's dress is beaded up top so I has a wow factor as well. I guess now I just have to see if my mom is ok with it.

I'm with Carole, the first dress, while shorter, actually seems more formal to me. I wouldn't sweat it. Let them both wear what makes them feel comfortable and beautiful

I think they will look great together. Could it be that your FMIL wouldn't feel comfortable in a shorter style and that is why she chose a long dress? Mine was worried for my brother's wedding, because she doesn't particularly like to wear dresses period. She chose a pair of flowy pants and was so worried that my SIL would be upset. She actually had me call her from the store!

Ultimately, you want them both to feel comfortable and like they look pretty. I don't think that the short dress looks informal compared to the long dress.

They will both be fine. I have personally attended many formal occasions wearing a short, fancy and/or beaded dress. The length doesn't dictate the formality.

For my daughters wedding, I wore a long dress, the MOG wore one that was mid calf and my ex husbands wife wore knee length. We all looked equally as formal.

Your Moms will both look great.

Both dresses are very nice. They each have their own style while not to overbearing, both could be classified as semi-formal.

I think both dresses are very nice. The only problem I could possibly see is just their own self-consciousness.

I think they both look formal. I don't think either mother would look out of place if you just left it alone.

At my son's wedding, DIL said she wanted the mothers in short dresses. So I went and got one. Then DIL's own mother got a floor length dress with a train. Honestly, I just thought it was funny. She was the only one besides the bride in a floor length dress, much less with a train.

Honestly, unless it really bothers your mother, I'd just let it go. There are enough issues in melding two families that you really don't want to start off the marriage with hostility based on something so trivial.