Mother-of-the-bride sparks debate over outfit to daughter’s wedding

A mother-of-the bride has sparked fierce controversy online after wearing a flamboyant dress to her daughter’s wedding. 

A video taken at the event with the caption ‘The most stunning MOB dress we’ve ever seen!!!!’ showed Lori DeWitt, 53, strutting down the aisle in her bespoke Audrey + Brooks outfit.

The Louisiana mother’s green dress featured a loud floral design, a plunging neckline, and a removable train and bow. 

For her wedding, Dewitt’s daughter, Amanda DeWitt Leblanc, 26, wore a comparatively-tame white off-the-shoulder gown.

Not long after wedding-content producer Chloe LeBlanc posted the video on TikTok people drew lines in the sand, with some commending DeWitt’s bold choice and others arguing that she had tried to upstage her daughter. 

‘Why does the MOB want to be the center of attention???’ one puzzled viewer wrote. 

‘Why upstage your daughter???? Shocking,’ another remarked. 

‘It’s not about the MOB!’ someone else lamented. 

One commenter even mused on DeWitt’s motivation for wearing the dress, quipping: ‘This mom is looking for all the attention, very sad.’

And another user remarked: Glad she’s not my mother.’

But there were plenty of users who rallied to DeWitt’s side, praising her for her taste and defending her decision to wear such a unique dress. 

‘Finally! A MOB dress that is NOT DOWDY. Love this for both of them,’ one viewer stated. 

‘Stunning! I want my mom to shine like this on my wedding day,’ another encouraging user wrote.

One commenter said: ‘There’s no way ANYONE can outshine a bride. She’s the bride. The mom of the bride deserves to look fabulous as well.’

Click here to resize this module

Many other users heaped further praise on DeWitt by calling her ‘beautiful,’ ‘classy,’ ‘tasteful,’ and ‘an icon.’

The mom, who works as an interior designer, defended her decision, saying: ‘I would never do anything to hurt my daughter. Everybody just wanted to look their best,’ DeWitt told Today.com.

She says she was blindsided by the controversy her dress caused.

‘We didn’t realize my dress was going to spark a debate, but we’re laughing about it,’ she said. 

Lori Dewitt and Amanda, the bride, purchased their dresses while on a shopping trip in New York City. 

Mrs. Dewitt even took pains to make sure the dress would be suitable for the church in New Orleans, where the wedding was held. 

‘It was originally strapless – but I didn’t think that was appropriate for a Catholic Church, so they changed the neckline.’

Throughout the ordeal, Amanda has stood by her mother, describing her dress as ‘perfect.’

‘I love what she wore,’ the bride raved. ‘My mom looked absolutely stunning. 

‘It was just as much her day as it was mine,’ Amanda said, before adding: ‘We wanted our family members to shine.’

Despite the negative online comments, which she admits to being ‘a little heartbreaking,’ Lori Dewitt has maintained her sense of humor.

‘For my next daughter’s wedding, I think I’m going to show up in a burlap sack that says MOB,’ she said.