Let’s Unpack *That* Viral Mother-Of-The-Bride Dress, Shall We?

When it comes to planning The Social Event Of The Season (aka your wedding), there are a lot of aspects to consider: Will you have an open bar (duh)? Which bridesmaid will win the Most Likely to Get Drunk and Become a Liability award? And how can you ensure everyone sticks to the dress code without stealing your spotlight? THESE ARE REAL CONCERNS, PEOPLE! One misstep and you might accidentally become an internet sensation for all the wrong reasons.

Take, for example, a recent Louisiana wedding where a mother of the bride went viral for the gown she wore to her daughter’s wedding. Lori DeWitt, the 53-year-old certified MILF, walked down the aisle in a fucking masterpiece of a gown. Green with florals (I know — for spring?), the custom Audrey + Brooks design is pretty much all anyone on TikTok can talk about. Featuring a plunging neckline and detachable bow + train, it’s the sort of gown you’d wear to a modern-day Bridgerton ball (if that existed and if we somehow got invited). Even better, the expensive AF decedent fabric and pretty hue perfectly offset Lori’s impeccable tan and shiny blonde updo. Again: Mama’s not here to play, fam.

The thing is, people aren’t losing it because a hot mom actually looks *gasp* great at her daughter’s wedding. Nah, turns out half of the internet thinks Lori looks *too* good for being a mother-of-the-bride (which, IMO, is maybe the best insult of all time).

Because I am very humble and fair, I’ll discuss both sides of the argument before declaring who is right.

To Those Who Claim M.O.B. Tried to Upstage Daughter

In the “Lori fucked up, and she shouldn’t have worn that” camp, I’ll admit, the train is a little much. Sure, the neckline is plunging, but there’s not an absurd amount of cleavage that feels awkward. Yes, the dress is form-fitting, but it’s not tacky or promiscuous. It’s really just the train that makes me pause because, as someone who has been tempted by a train dress for weddings, I always err on the side of caution. Trains are for the bride, y’all.

The exception, of course, is if the bride gives you the okay. You know how you’d NEVER wear white to a wedding? Well you obvi would if the dress code told you to. The correct thing to wear to a wedding is something within the dress and — if you’re a VIP — something the to-be-weds approved.

Did Mother of the Bride’s Dress Steal The Spotlight?

This brings me to the “Lori did nothing wrong” camp. First of all, the dress itself is sensational. Lori in the dress is sensational. Anyone who has anything negative to say about that is, honestly, jealous. I’ve seen MOB and MOGs wear gowns so light-colored they looked white, so tight they showed it all, or so cleavage-bearing even the priest couldn’t look away. Lori’s was none of the above — she just looks good.

Yes, she turned heads, but why TF isn’t the MOB allowed to turn heads? No one is going to forget they’re at the wedding for the bride (a bride that, in this case, wore three different gowns at the event).

Despite the fact that she birthed the star of the show, the MOB gets the least amount of attention at the whole shebang. They don’t escort their daughter down the aisle. They don’t get a spotlight dance. They don’t even get to say a slurred speech at the rehearsal dinner. All the bride’s mom gets is the walk down the aisle before the action starts. And tbh, after the pregnancy and the labor and the tantrums and decades of devoted care, I hope she gets a little appreciation during her two-minute strut.

Most important, though, is the fact that Lori’s daughter, Amanda (you know, the bride), helped her pick out the gown. The dress was originally supposed to be strapless, but Lori didn’t think that was appropriate, so she had it altered. Which, hi, shows respect! Again, why the train? First of all, it’s minuscule compared to the train on the bride’s Romona Keveza gown. Second of all, the bride approved the look, which is really all that matters. Well, that and the fact that Lori looked like a goddamn goddess.

“I love what she wore,” Amanda told TODAY.com. “My mom looked absolutely stunning. It was just as much her day as it was mine.”

The hard reality is that one day, if we’re lucky, our own kids will be getting married, and we’ll be faced with the whole “what the fuck do I wear to the wedding” situation. Personally? I’d rather take that opportunity to look like a knockout in a gown that makes everyone jealous than some frumpy sack that no one will look twice at. As long as the bride gives the okay, I plan to pull a Lori and win second best dressed.

Oh, and considering that there’s now a waitlist for Lori’s custom Audrey + Brooks gown, I’d say she did something right. Truly, they hate her ’cause they ain’t her. But don’t worry, Lori, we’ve always got space for cool moms here. Especially ones dedicated enough to rock a fitted Mikado dress at a June NOLA wedding.