Short and Sweet: How to wear a short wedding gown

One of the wedding trends we’ve been thrilled to see extend to multiple seasons is the short wedding gown. While long, traditional wedding dress styles are always lovely, these summery alternatives seem to be rising in popularity every year and we think that they are adorable.

To get the best short dress for you, consider:

1. Length – The difference between a short wedding gown looking amazing and ridiculous can be only a matter of inches. You’ve probably experienced the feeling that a dress doesn’t look quite right even though it fits you well.  The problem is usually the dress’ length. Thankfully, dresses can be altered so that they are the perfect length for your height and body type. Bring your wedding gown into Parkers and our expert tailors will make your dress look just right.

2. Wedding Venue – Because we do wedding gown cleaning and preservation, we get to talk to a lot of brides. We’ve learned that the best planning advice we can give is to choose the venue of your wedding before you choose your dress. It’s tempting to run into a bridal shop as soon as the ring is on your finger, but the overall style of your venue will greatly affect your attire – especially with a short dress.

3. Fabric and Details – The best part about a short wedding dress is that it allows for so much playfulness with accessories, fabric, and dress details. Overly simple short wedding gowns can seem too casual, so keep in mind that you’re the bride and don’t be afraid to make a statement with your dress!

Here are some of our favourite short wedding gowns:

Source: Pure Magnolia

We’ve talked about Canadian designer Pure Magnolia before and I’m sure we’ll do it again. They do a great job of keeping short wedding dresses formal, but still full of personality. Check out our post about how they rework vintage dresses!

Source: J.Crew

This J.Crew wedding dress uses fabric flowers to create stunning texture. A gown like this is perfect for someone who doesn’t feel comfortable in a full ball gown, but who still wants to look beautifully bridal.

Source: BHLDN

As we said in our tips, great accessories and fabric details can turn a pretty white dress into a wedding gown. BHLDN’s Lively Chevrons uses a traditional silhouette, but pairs it with patterned details and unique accessories.

And, just in case you need one more piece of evidence that short wedding gowns are amazing, here’s Audrey Hepburn in her iconic dress from Funny Face.