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  6. How Real Brides Wore Short Wedding Dresses
Martha Stewart Weddings

How Real Brides Wore Short Wedding Dresses

emily-platt-contributor-0616.jpg
By Emily Platt
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short wedding dress couple standing field
Credit: Madeline Kate

These looks prove that your skirt doesn't have to hit the ground to be stylish and appropriate for the big day.

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short wedding dress couple standing field
Credit: Madeline Kate
Get More Wedding Dress Inspiration

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!  

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Short Wedding Dress with Long Sleeves

short wedding dress bride veil
Credit: Ashley Ludaescher Photography
See More Long-Sleeved Wedding Dresses

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

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Sheer Short Wedding Dress

short wedding dress black shoes hat
Credit: Días de Vino y Rosas
See More Sexy Wedding Dresses

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

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Short Beaded Wedding Dress

short wedding dress
Credit: Alisha Tova
See More Embellished Wedding Dresses

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!

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Short Wedding Dress with Empire Waist

short wedding dress couple waterfall
Credit: Natalie Puls Photography
The Prettiest Same-Sex Wedding Looks from Real Brides

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.

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Short Wedding Reception Dress

short wedding dress couple kissing
Credit: Art Is for Lovers
Do You Really Need a Second Wedding Dress?

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

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Beaded Midi Wedding Dress

short wedding dress beaded
Credit: Kayla Rocca Photography
Get Tips for Buying a Vintage Wedding Dress

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.

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Short Wedding Dress with Pleated Sleeves

short wedding dress bell long sleeve
Credit: Ibay Photography

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

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Short Feather Wedding Dress

New Years eve wedding bride groom dance
Credit: Alison Conklin

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

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Short Elopement Wedding Dress

short wedding dress turquoise shoes couple
Credit: Gaby J Photography
Get Our Guide to Wedding Dress Fabrics

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

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Short-Sleeved Short Wedding Dress

short wedding dress short sleeve crown
Credit: Jacoby Photo & Design

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

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Short Floral Wedding Dress

short wedding dress boat neck
Credit: Jessica Lorren Photography
See More Floral Wedding Dresses

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

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Voluminous Short Wedding Dress

short wedding dress short sleeve tulle veil
Credit: L&L Style Photo

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

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Fit-and-Flare Short Wedding Dress

bride groom cake cutting
Credit: Kristen Kilpatrick

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

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Short Casual Wedding Dress

short wedding dress high neck short sleeve
Credit: Rochelle Coote Photography

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

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Off-the-Shoulder Short Wedding Dress

lisa louis wedding couple pink flowers
Credit: Michael Radford
See More Brides Wearing Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Dresses

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.

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Lace Midi Wedding Dress

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

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Short Blue Wedding Dress

blue short wedding dress pink shoes long sleeve
Credit: This Modern Romance
See More Brides Wearing Colorful Wedding Dresses

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!"

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Custom Short Wedding Dress

lgbtq bridal inspiration studio xiii
Credit: Studio XIII

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.

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Elegant Short Wedding Dress

bride wearing short wedding dress
Credit: Katy & Co.

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

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Unique Short Wedding Dress

michelle-john-wedding-north-carolina-1-s111840-0215.jpg
Credit: Landon Jacob
Get More Whimsical Wedding Ideas

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

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Fitted Short Wedding Dress

off the shoulder wedding dresses the light and color
Credit: The Light + Color

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

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Short Wedding Dress with Detachable Train

aneta-phil-rw-e144.jpg

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.

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Simple Short Wedding Dress

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

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    1 of 24
    2 of 24 Short Wedding Dress with Long Sleeves
    3 of 24 Sheer Short Wedding Dress
    4 of 24 Short Beaded Wedding Dress
    5 of 24 Short Wedding Dress with Empire Waist
    6 of 24 Short Wedding Reception Dress
    7 of 24 Beaded Midi Wedding Dress
    8 of 24 Short Wedding Dress with Pleated Sleeves
    9 of 24 Short Feather Wedding Dress
    10 of 24 Short Elopement Wedding Dress
    11 of 24 Short-Sleeved Short Wedding Dress
    12 of 24 Short Floral Wedding Dress
    13 of 24 Voluminous Short Wedding Dress
    14 of 24 Fit-and-Flare Short Wedding Dress
    15 of 24 Short Casual Wedding Dress
    16 of 24 Off-the-Shoulder Short Wedding Dress
    17 of 24 Lace Midi Wedding Dress
    18 of 24 Short Blue Wedding Dress
    19 of 24 Custom Short Wedding Dress
    20 of 24 Elegant Short Wedding Dress
    21 of 24 Unique Short Wedding Dress
    22 of 24 Fitted Short Wedding Dress
    23 of 24 Short Wedding Dress with Detachable Train
    24 of 24 Simple Short Wedding Dress

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