30 Mother of the Bride and Groom Makeup Ideas

Bride in Wedding Dress and Lace Cape With Mother of the Bride in Orange Pleated Dress — Photo by Lev Kuperman

If your child is about to get married, besides helping them figure out the logistics of the day (while offering emotional support, of course), choosing your day-of look is probably at the top of your pre-wedding checklist. While the spotlight will undoubtedly be on your son or daughter, you’ll also be walking down the aisle—whether it’s to escort the bride or groom or make your entrance solo—so it’s only natural to want to look and feel your very best. Your outfit will definitely play a large role in expressing your unique style and imbuing confidence, but the makeup that you wear will take your attire to the next level.

There are so many ways to embrace cosmetics on your child’s wedding day if you’re the mother of the bride or mother of the groom. When deciding on your makeup, you’ll want to select a look that coordinates with your getup and reflects your personal tastes and preferences—without overshadowing the bride or groom. If your dress is the main moment or you typically wear minimal makeup, you might prefer a more subdued look with neutral hues and a natural complexion. But if your ensemble is more modest or you love playing with bold hues, you may gravitate toward a glamorous look with a smokey eye or a deep lipstick color.

Whether you’re hiring a professional makeup artist or doing your own makeup, we have all of the inspiration you’ll need right here. Read on for 30 mother-of-the-bride makeup ideas and mother-of-the-groom makeup ideas that will radiate sophistication on your child's big day.

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Add a Little Color

bride in lace-embellished wedding dress hugging and kissing her mother in traditional attire — Photo by Hannah Greenwood

Neutral makeup is a popular choice for mothers of the bride or mothers of the groom, but adding some color will take your look up a notch. We recommend injecting a splash of color into one particular facial feature, so the effect is intentional, not overwhelming. For instance, this mother of the bride's pink lipstick shade brought a delicate flair to her look, and slightly rosy cheeks and a subtle pink eyeshadow enhanced the impact.

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Pair a Dark Lip With Dark Eyes

mother of the bride in teal lehenga smiling with bride in pink and gold lehenga — Photo by Stephanie Velez

Even if you are wearing a striking getup, you don't have to keep it low-key. Go all out with dark eye makeup and a dark lip color, such as this mother of the bride's makeup look—which featured black eyeliner and mauve lipstick. The rich shades complemented her glitzy lehenga and olive skin tone.

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Coordinate Tones

For a cohesive makeup look, work with monochromatic shades. For example, the mother of the bride at this moody New York City wedding used similar tones of pink throughout her glam, including pink lipstick, blush, and eyeshadow. Rimmed eyes and fluttery lashes added an edgy touch to her otherwise soft, delicate aesthetic.

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Go for Gloss

Mom in Pink Pajamas Looking Behind Her at Bride in White Getting-Ready Outfit — Photo by Shannon Skloss

A few swipes of lipgloss will make your lips look fuller and filled with glass-like shine. This mother of the bride's makeup for her daughter's timeless Dallas nuptials featured glossy pink lips and rosy cheeks, which were elegant and romantic touches that made her appear more youthful and vibrant.

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Embrace Highlighter

Side Profiles of Bride in Halter-Neck Wedding Dress and Mom in Sparkly Dress — Photo by Andrea Camarena

Highlighter is one cosmetic product that should be on your radar for your daughter or son’s wedding. Gliding this item across your cheekbones (like this mother of the bride did for this glamorous beach bash in Mexico) will make your skin look naturally radiant. You can also add highlighter to other high points of your face, such as your brow bone and the bridge of your nose.

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Prioritize Rouge

groom holding hands with mom and dad as he enters ceremony with his parents — Photo by Blue Note Weddings

Another way to augment your cheekbones? Add blush to the apples of your cheeks, stroking the brush toward the temples. The colorful pop will soften your features and inject warmth into your complexion. A light pink hue is the perfect choice for mothers of the bride or groom with fair skin, such as this mother of the groom at her son's glamorous affair in San Francisco.

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Concentrate on the Eyes

Mother of the Bride in Glamorous Makeup and Teal Wrap Helping Bride Put on Colorful Floral Lehenga — Photo by Logan Cole

If you aren't afraid of embracing an attention-grabbing makeup look, concentrate on defining your eyes: Framing these facial features will elicit glamour—without overpowering your face. This mother of the bride at her daughter's multi-day soirée in California, for instance, selected dark eyeshadow, thick liner, and voluminous lashes, which offered a dramatic flair to her otherwise subdued, soft look.

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Focus on Soft Shades

Mother of the Bride in Updo and Sparkly Dress Helping Bride Put on Lace Wedding Dress — Photo by Adovasio Studio

There's nothing more elegant than a natural makeup look that simply elevates your inherent features. For a glow that looks authentic, take cues from this mother of the bride: For her daughter's garden-inspired fête in Rome, she prioritized a clean, clear complexion with a touch of pink blush and lipstick, which let her silver sequined frock shine.

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Include a Sparkly Touch

Mother of the Bride With Short, Curly Dark Hair and Natural Makeup With Sparkly Eyeshadow — Photo by Jen Huang

For those who love the look of effortless, subtle makeup but prefer something a bit more upscale, consider picking a glittery shade of eyeshadow (which this mother of the bride did at this European-inspired wedding in Vancouver). A light pink hue with a sparkly sheen will make your eyes pop, especially when it's paired with simple blush and understated lipstick.

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Consider a Smokey Eye

Mother of the bride in navy dress putting on bride's fit-and-flare wedding dress — Photo by Jenny Quicksall

Looking for another way to underscore your eyes? Try a smokey eye, which is what this mother of the bride chose for her daughter's intimate wedding in California. This makeup look entails blending layers of dark eyeshadow, which will produce a smudgy, sultry feel. This mother-of-the-bride makeup idea will instantly add lavishness to your attire, perfect for an evening soirée.

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Create Almond-Shaped Eyes

Bride in Lace Long-Sleeved White Dress Smiling With Mom in Colorful Floral Dress — Photo by Kristen Marie Parker

Give your eyes an almond-like shape by lining your upper eyelid, above the lash line, and part of your lower waterline with dark eyeliner. The end result? Your eyes will look larger and more defined. If you have blue eyes, such as this mother of the bride (who is pictured here at her daughter's modern nuptials in Miami), besides the classic black shade, you can also complement your undertones with brown or copper eyeliner.

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Complement Your Glasses

Groom in white tuxedo walking down the aisle with his mother in green dress — Photo by Grace Gatto Photography

If you're a mother of the bride or mother of the groom who normally wears glasses, you don't have to skimp on glamour. Since wearing frames draws attention to your eyes, this is an excellent opportunity to try a smokey eye, like this mother of the groom did at her son’s disco-inspired bash in Colombia. To create some balance, you can also direct the focus toward other parts of your face with bright lipstick.

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Welcome Full Glam

bride in strapless sparkly dress looking at mother in sequined dress — Photo by Kristen Curette

Whether your child is throwing a luxe wedding, you're wearing attire that's littered with sparkles, or you simply want to dress to the nines for the big party, consider a glamorous makeup look. To go full glam, select defined eyes, dark eyeshadow, big lashes, and regal lipstick.

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Call Attention to High Cheekbones

Mother of the Groom in Green Dress and Mom in Colorful Floral Dress — Photo by 515 Photo Co.

For moms with high cheekbones (like this mother of the groom at her son's tropical Bahamas event), make these stunning facial features the focal point of your beauty look by pairing highlighter with blush. This combination of cosmetic products will sculpt your face and act as an instant anti-aging element. Be sure to keep the rest of your look unfussy, so your cheeks maintain the primary focus.

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Make It Minimalist

groom walks down the aisle with his mother in traditional red Vietnamese attire — Photo by Meg Messina Photography

Maybe you feel more comfortable opting for a toned-down makeup look. For example, this mother of the groom embraced no-makeup makeup for her son's worldly wedding in San Francisco. With neutral-toned cosmetic products, she looked like an elevated version of herself.

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Layer on the Liner

mother of the bride in mauve sparkly dress helping bride put on off-the-shoulder sparkly dress — Photo by Hanri Human

Dark eyeliner around the perimeter of your eyes will illuminate and enlarge them, an exceptional option for mothers of the bride and mothers of the groom with bright eyes. This bride's mom also chose a subtle smokey eye, which compounded the effect.

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Keep Things Simple

bride in strapless wedding dress with appliques and mom in gold embellished dress — Photo by Branco Prata

Colors are always fun, but for moms who want to keep things simple, a neutral eye makeup and skin-colored lipstick are stunning choices. We especially love this pared-back idea for embellished dresses, like this mother of the bride's gold embroidered gown.

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Brighten Up Your Look

mother of the bride in pink dress and pink lipstick with daughter in red dress — Photo by Samm Blake

Don't feel like you have to limit your makeup choices with a bright-hued dress. This mother of the bride proves that you can rock a bold lipstick color and a bold dress color—even if they aren't the same shade. She wore a poppy-toned lipstick with a fuchsia gown that brought energy and vitality to her overall look.

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Match the Bride

mother of the bride in floral dress with bride in floral lace wedding dress — Photo by Joel Serrato

For a precious mother-daughter moment, match your makeup look to hers. This mother of the bride opted for a smokey eye and peach lipstick, which complemented that of her daughter. As an added bonus, they also both wore floral-inspired gowns.

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Get Inspired by Your Outfit

mom in sparkly dress and groom in blue suit — Photo by Branco Prata

Unsure which shades to choose for your glam? Look to your outfit for inspiration. For example, this mother of the groom sported a feather-trimmed gown composed of silver and black tones, so she mimicked those hues in her makeup look, which consisted of black eyeliner and sparkly eyeshadow. The cosmetics stood out even more with her hair pulled back.

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Wear a Glossy Mauve Lip Color

bride in feather dress with mom in red dress and dad in tuxedo — Photo by Sidney Bensimon

Another lip color you can't go wrong with? A glossy mauve hue. This shade looked beautiful on this mother of the bride, especially set against her fair skin, dark hair, and rich red gown.

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Balance Dark Eyes With a Neutral Lip

mother of the bride looking up at daughter in floral robe — Photo by KT Merry

For the right mix of subtle and glam, pair darker eye makeup (like this smokey eye) with a more neutral lip shade. Since the two balance each other out, your look will be concentrated and intentional, rather than overbearing and uncoordinated.

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Aim for Functionality

bride in off-the-shoulder nude dress looking down with mom in plum dress — Photo by Picture Me & U

If your daughter or son is getting married outside, aim for a functional makeup look that takes the climate into account. For weather conditions that are expected to be hot and humid, a neutral, subtle makeup look will stay intact. Plus, it will match the vibe of the venue.

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Offset a Statement-Making Gown

bride with mother and mother in law — Photo by For Love & Light Photography

Perhaps you're wearing a dazzling ensemble for the big day; in that case, simplicity is also key. For example, both the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom shown here opted for statement-making gowns (one bright floral dress and one covered in sparkly gemstones), so natural makeup emphasized their getups.

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Sport a Soft Pink Lipstick

mother of the bride in navy embellished dress laughing with bride in floral dress — Photo by Caroline Yoon

Not sure what to put on your lips? For a little bit of color that still feels refined, choose a soft pink lipstick, like the one this mother of the bride wore. A light hue on your lips is extremely versatile, no matter your skin tone, your dress color, or your child's wedding locale.

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Shape Your Brows

bride in lace wedding dress with mom and sister in law — Photo by Joel Serrato

Your eyebrow shape and color are an essential part of any makeup look. If you want yours to look natural yet defined, compose a trim, arched look (like this mother of the bride's). Dark, filled-in brows with accentuated arches will soften your face and balance out any dramatic eye makeup.

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Swipe on Gold Eyeshadow

bride in open-back wedding dress hugging her mom in black dress — Photo by Dacia Pierson

Give your makeup look a regal flair with glittery gold eyeshadow. A gilded touch will instantly brighten up your face and make the color of your eyes stand out. Not to mention, a black gown will spotlight the shimmery shade.

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Think About Your Dress

mother and father of the bride groom — Photo by Flora + Fauna

Whether you're wearing a boisterous ensemble or a no-frills one, consider matching the color of your gown with that of your makeup. For example, this mother of the groom selected fuchsia-colored lipstick and blush, which coordinated with her multicolored getup.

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Don Rosy Hues

glenn close in sophisticated beige suit turning around at wedding ceremony — Photo by Corbin Gurkin

Actress Glenn Close rocked the ultimate mother-of-the-bride makeup look at her daughter's wedding by donning soft pink makeup on her lips and cheeks. A rosy blush will add luminosity and youthfulness to your face, while a light lip color will evoke romance.

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Bolster a Fresh Face

Bride in robe holding hands with mom in navy and teal getup — Photo by Stepan Vrzala

Sometimes, a striking lip color is all you need to complete your beauty look. We love how this mother of the bride picked out a deep hue for her lips, which was even more eye-catching on her fresh face.

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