How Real Brides Wore Short Wedding Dresses

Who says you have to wear a floor-length gown on your big day? Short wedding dresses can be just as appropriate as more conventional gowns—plus, they're more popular than ever before. Whether you're throwing a casual celebration or just want to make a fashion statement, you've got plenty of options when it comes to wearing a wedding dress that falls above your knees or ankles. To prove it, we've rounded up some of our favorite examples of real brides who donned short looks to their nuptials.

Not sure what style of short wedding dress to buy? You've come to the right place. The following short white wedding dresses (and one blue one, too!) showcase a range of different designs. A popular fabric choice is lace, but you can definitely wear tulle, satin, or chiffon, as well. There are also plenty of silhouette options (from fit-and-flare to shift) and plenty of sleeve types (from long to off-the-shoulder).

As for when to wear a short wedding dress, it really depends. Some of these brides chose their numbers to elope, while others wore them throughout their more traditional weddings. Still others picked short second wedding dresses, which they slipped into for their receptions.

No matter your desired vibe—be it bohemian or elegant—there's a style in this roundup to inspire your bridal look. Click through to find out exactly how to style and wear a short wedding dress on your special day. This bride's pretty tea-length garment by Babushka Ballerina is just the start!  

This mod lace wedding dress by MacGraw featured a high neckline, flared sleeves, and a skirt that fell just above the bride's knees.

Self-Portrait designed this bride's chic garment. The mix of sheer and opaque fabrics made it both elegant and sexy.

This bride sparkled in her C. Madeleine's wedding dress, which was embellished with metallic beads and shimmering sequins. She actually bought it long and has it shortened herself!

This couple found their boho wedding dresses at Francesca's—the bride on the left wore a long garment, while the bride on the right picked a short one.

If you're searching for a second wedding dress, try a short one. This Parker style was worn during one couple's send-off.

Going vintage is actually a great option when it comes to buying a short wedding dress. This bride scored her beaded midi gown from The Cat's Meow.

For her elopement, the bride chose to wear a little white sheath with long pleated sleeves.

This short "dress" wasn't actually a dress. Instead, the bride paired a BHLDN camisole with a feather Carol Hannah skirt for her reception.

This bride chose a short-sleeved lace wedding dress for her pop-up elopement planned by Flora Pop.

This short-sleeved lace wedding dress featured a mock neckline.

Floral beading adorned the top of this bride's short, vintage wedding dress.

Maria Mendez and Patrícia Viera teamed up to create this wow-worthy wedding dress. Its floral appliqués and a dramatic back definitely turned heads.

Long sleeves and floral lace made this A-line Oscar de la Renta wedding dress a head-turner.

This bride chose a Sandro number that had flouncy sleeves and sheer panels for her wedding day.

Your hemline doesn't have to be uniform. Consider a high-low wedding dress that's short in the front but longer in the back. This bride stepped out in a Sachin & Babi gown with the modern skirt style and an off-the-shoulder neckline.

We love how fresh ankle-grazing garments look. This bride opted for a vintage one with a V-neckline and barely-there cap sleeves.

This bride may have broken with one wedding tradition (a long white dress), but she honored another: her Garden Study look became her "something blue!"

Here's more proof that if you're both wearing dresses, mismatched silhouettes can help you each stand out. The bride on the right had her short number custom-made by French Knot Couture.

This bride's bow-accented Valentino dress was the definition of elegance.

Lovely Bride designed this whimsical spotted sheath, which was the bride's second wedding dress.

This bride's body-hugging Missguided wedding dress fell off the shoulder and ended just above her ankles. 

This bride donned a limited edition Anoushka G. gown with a detachable train for her wedding. She accessorized with Jimmy Choo heels and a bee necklace from Alex Monroe.

This bride wore a simple-yet-elegant shift to her wedding, along with a veil she borrowed from a friend.