It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone works ...

It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone works very hard to keep things rolling smoothly; someone else sails along for the ride.’ ? Jodi Picoult, Mercy Similarly the convention that only those women guests who were in deep family mourning should appear at a wedding wearing black is no longer operated. However, once again the majority of guests would themselves instinctively feel that pretty pastel coloured or printed clothes were more suitable.

Since the bride's mother and the groom's mother are likely to be pictured together in family group portraits and will sit near each other on the top table at the reception, it is best if they can compare notes about outfits beforehand, to ensure that they don't arrive at the church in clashing colours or, probably worse still from their point of view, the same dress.