A full-length gown isn’t for everyone – and luckily, there's plenty of choice if you want to go shorter for your wedding.
While floor-sweeping dresses remain the norm, searches for short wedding dresses have doubled over the past 12 months. Naturally, both high-end designers and the high street have reacted to this surge in interest in higher bridal hemlines.
Once upon a time you'd have found maybe one or two short wedding dresses within a bridal collection, but now you're spoilt for choice!
You might be having a more informal wedding; you might be having a smaller or second wedding and want it to feel more relaxed; or you might simply prefer short wedding dresses because they suit you better. Whatever the reason, you can get short wedding dresses to suit a range of budgets and aesthetics.
We've searched the high street and the latest designer collections to help you join the high-hemline set on your wedding day. Happy shopping!
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- Short Wedding Dresses with Sleeves
- Tea Length Wedding Dresses
- Short Casual Wedding Dresses
- Short Beach Wedding Dresses
- Short Wedding Dresses for Older Brides
- Short Wedding Dresses with a Train
- Short Lace Wedding Dresses
- Short Vintage Wedding Dresses
- Plus Size Short Wedding Dresses
Short Wedding Dresses with Sleeves
Want to balance a high hem? Our favourite short wedding dresses with sleeves have you covered.
1. Rudi – Reformation
Reformation's bridal collection is one of our favourites on the high street – and with designs like the gorgeous Rudi dress, it's easy to see why. This simple, contemporary bridal style won't date in the photos, and at under £500, it gives you a designer look for less.
2. Style 117 – Jesus Peiro
This high-neck macramé number is very stylish, with a somewhat Sixties feel to the silhouette. It comes with a dramatic, frothy tulle overskirt, so you can easily switch up your look between day and night.
3. White Guipure Lace Mini Dress – Self-Portrait at Net-a-Porter
Self-Portrait's signature guipure lace has become a modern classic, and it's displayed to ultra-chic effect in this short wedding dress, part of the brand's collaboration with Net-a-Porter. The way the tiered lace skirt falls is simply glorious, and we love the loose-cut short sleeves.
READ MORE: 60 Affordable High Street Wedding Dresses That Look Anything But Budget
4. Feve – Otaduy
If you're looking for a short wedding dress with sleeves but want to keep the overall look light and carefree, a sheer sleeve is the perfect choice, as seen on Otaduy's Feve. That delicate chiffon is the perfect counterpoint to the minimalist gown.
5. Odette – Milamira Bridal
This short wedding dress is certainly unique, with a ballerina-style silhouette and an asymmetric sleeve. Finished in a sparkling fabric, it would look amazing under the lights for your first dance.
6. Leona – Solace London
Another option for a bride with a strong personal style, this Solace London dress is all about the sharp, contemporary cut – and those sculptural sleeves, of course.
READ MORE: Alternative Wedding Dresses: The Best Statement Styles
7. Anatole – Laure de Sagazan
French designer Laure de Sagazan is the designer to know for cool-girl wedding dresses. Anatole is a typically stylish design, featuring an easy-wearing trapeze silhouette, silk dot fabric and intricate cap sleeves.
8. Grace Dress – Retrofête at Net-a-Porter
A short sparkling dress is just the thing for a glamorous wedding, and Retrofête's chiffon mini certainly has plenty of sparkle. It's finished with a soft velvet belt.
9. Lara – Rixo
Sticking with sparkle, we love Rixo's Lara for the way it catches the light – and for the statement black bow at the back that adds drama.
Tea Length Wedding Dresses
A shorter wedding dress doesn’t have to mean a mini. A tea length wedding dress – falling mid-calf or just above the ankle – is an elegant choice for your bridal look.
10. Fontana – KITRI Studio
KITRI has rapidly become the high street label on every fashion editor's lips - and their foray into bridalwear has proved just as Instagrammable as the rest of their ranges. The floral lace fabric of their Fontana gown is wonderfully pretty, and a long see-through ruffle at the hem gives this tea length wedding dress subtle sexiness.
11. Audrey – KATYA KATYA
Audrey has elements of a classic wedding dress – A-line silhouette, fitted bodice into a full skirt, sheer neckline – but the dotted tulle keeps the overall effect fresh and contemporary.
READ MORE: How to Choose Your Wedding Dress
12. Lottie – Needle & Thread
Full of delicious details, this lace Needle & Thread gown is easy to fall in love with. We're particularly taken with the delicate embroidery on the sleeves.
13. Style D2498 – Essense of Australia
Why not ditch tradition and opt for a blush pink wedding dress? The shade works perfectly in this Essense of Australia wedding dress, steering towards elegant rather than sugary.
14. Stefani Dress – Alex Veil Bridal
We’re very taken with Russian designer Alex Veil’s handmade designs, which are available to buy on Etsy. They’re high quality, lightweight and easy to wear.
The textured tulle of this dress will look amazing in your wedding photos, and the shorter length means you can really show off your bridal shoes.
15. Enid – House of Mooshki
If you’ve been dreaming of a colourful wedding dress but you don’t want anything too bold, an ultra-light pink is a lovely choice.
This cute and fun vintage-style short wedding dress from House of Mooshki can be paired with a petticoat for extra volume and twirl appeal.
READ MORE: 25 Times Celebrity Brides Chose Non-White Wedding Dresses
Short Casual Wedding Dresses
A short casual wedding dress works beautifully at an informal wedding day. Look out for easy-wearing silhouettes and flowing fabrics for your relaxed bridal look.
16. Camellia Style 99092 – Justin Alexander
We love the petal skirt of this sophisticated short dress. The top gives a subtle nod to the fashion-favourite slip dress but with a timeless bridal twist.
17. White Gold Button Blazer Dress – Pretty Little Thing
A white blazer dress keeps your look chic without going too formal. This gold button design is an elegant choice for a city wedding, and at £35, it's ideal if you're on a budget.
18. Voluminous A-Line Mini Dress – Rejina Pyo x & Other Stories
This mini dress is a perfect example of designer Rejina Pyo's carefree, rules-what-rules? style. Made from organic cotton, it would be perfect for a destination wedding or a celebration at the height of summer.
19. Marilyn – Free People
Casual wedding gowns can still be sexy, as this short dress from Free People shows, with plunging neckline and lace trim. The chiffon fabric keeps the overall effect light and breezy.
READ MORE: Wedding Dress Styles: 22 Shapes and Necklines You Need to Know
20. Butterfly-Sleeved Dress – H&M
Keep your wedding look super-casual with this short wrap dress from H&M. It's a bargain at £19.99, and the lower price point makes it ideal for a thrifty backyard celebration or as a second dress for dancing in the evening.
21. Hamptons Mini Bridal Dress – Galvan London
This minimalist masterpiece is perfect for a simple but ultra-stylish wedding look. You can always amp up the effect through your accessories – or just let the dress's simplicity do the talking.
READ MORE: The Ultimate Wedding Hair Accessories Guide: 53 Gorgeous Ideas
22. Aline – Constellation Âme
This silk Constellation Âme mini is such a cool take on the classic bridal slip dress, with puffed, off-the-shoulder sleeves adding a playful edge. The silhouette is pleasingly fluid, skimming rather than hugging curves.
23. Mini Polo Dress – & Other Stories
This sophisticated yet laidback dress demands very little in terms of accessories – sexy bridal shoes, whether heels or flats, perhaps earrings, and you're good to go.
24. Linen Short Slip Dress – 12 Storeez at FarFetch
Chic and simple, this linen slip is ideal for minimalist brides who want a low-key short wedding dress. It
Short Beach Wedding Dresses
When it comes to beach wedding dresses, a shorter wedding dress is a smart choice – after all, you don’t want your hemline dragging in the sand! Light fabrics will create a stunning beach bride look, and remember, anything too structured or with thick lining could make you overheat.
25. Selena – Roksanda at Net-a-Porter
Beach wedding dresses are usually associated with boho floatiness – and don't worry, we will show you some of those styles! – but it's also possible to bring some sophisticated glamour to the sand. This Roksanda dress is made of crepe, which means it won't work for scorching temperatures, but on a pleasantly warm day, the loose silhouette will help you keep your cool.
26. Natasha – Loveshackfancy at Mytheresa
Loveshackfancy is the name to know for luxe boho, like the Natasha minidress. It's made from pure cotton, which is more comfortable to wear in high temperatures than man-made fabrics.
27. Annabell – Reformation
This short wedding dress is a sundress style that's had a chic bridal upgrade. The bodice is fitted but it's also smocked at the back for stretch, and the skirt has a loose fit.
28. In the Mood for Frills Mini Dress – Free People
This flowing short dress is ideal for a carefree, sun-drenched wedding at the beach. We love the ruffle details at the shoulders and the tie panels at the side.
SEE MORE: 35 Beach Wedding Ideas for the UK and Abroad
29. Cotton Sleeveless Midi Dress – La Redoute
Broderie anglaise is a romantic choice of fabric for a laidback beach wedding dress, and this midi really uses the fabric to full effect, with romantic edging at the bodice.
30. Cowl Back Bias Midi Dress – Shona Joy at Revolve
A silky slip dress makes for a glamorous look for a beach wedding – choose a midi length, as with this Shona Joy gown, to avoid a sand-in-hem situation. It's made from a luxe lightweight satin, so although synthetic, it should work in higher temperatures.
31. Crochet Collar Mini Dress – & Other Stories
If you're looking to the high street for your short beach wedding dress, this & Other Stories design is a chic, easy-wearing option, with beautiful collar detailing for an on-trend folksy finish.
32. Izabel – Grace Loves Lace
Ok, we know we said no ultra-fitted dresses – but remember, this gorgeous short wedding gown is from Australian brand Grace Loves Lace, and they know a thing or two about dressing for beach weddings! What looks like a structured bodice in fact has plenty of stretch for extra comfort. It pairs perfectly with the frothy lace skirt.
33. Mar – Rime Arodaky
Light, loose and and so romantic, we love Mar, an Ibiza-inflected design from Rime Arodaky's Resort collection. The sparkling neckline looks wonderful against the layers of linen and muslin.
READ MORE: 32 Best Wedding Destinations in the World
Short Wedding Dresses for Older Brides
Whatever you've heard, wedding dresses for older brides aren't about covering up; quite the opposite! We've chosen these short wedding dresses to showcase your sophistication.
34. Silk-Faille Mini Dress – Brandon Maxwell at Net-a-Porter
It's the silhouette that really makes this short wedding dress sing, with a figure-skimming bodice leading into a bubble skirt that, thanks to hidden padding, has plenty of volume.
35. Evette – Phase Eight
Off the shoulder styles are everywhere this year and dresses like Phase Eight's Evette make it easy to see why. The satin waist tie is a romantic finishing touch.
36. Style 780 – Daalarna
Part of the Rebelle collection, the puff sleeves and unusual embroidery make Daalarna style 780 a statement choice. We particularly like that floral illusion neckline – the oversized blooms make it a break from the bridal norm.
37. Ravel – Laure de Sagazan
This Laure de Sagazan dress manages to be both of the moment and utterly timeless. The textured silk jacquard fabric gives it a couture feel.
READ MORE: 38 Designer Wedding Shoes That Are Worth Blowing the Budget For
38. Ryder – Catherine Deane
Sparkle and fringing in one dress? It sounds like that should be too much – but Catherine Deane's Ryder is wedding dress perfection if you're aiming for a look that's both refined and showstopping.
39. Candice – Rixo
Here we go with another vision of older-bride showstopping sophistication. With Rixo's Candice, it's the combination of flowing silk crepe and delicate feathers that'll set pulses racing. The high neckline is perfectly judged.
40. Jax – Rime Arodaky
Rime Arodaky's Jax takes the classic blazer dress silhouette and gives it a romantic twist with the intricate lace trim and back.
Sexy and stylish, it would look amazing at all kinds of wedding.
41. Camellia – Roksanda at Matches Fashion
Roksanda dresses embody the principle that 'elegant' doesn't have to mean boring. Take the Camellia gown, which has sleeves that add a sculptural edge to a classic shift silhouette, creating a stunning effect that's only enhanced by the mesh lace trim at the neckline.
Short Wedding Dresses with a Train
Dramatic hems aren't just for long gowns - let our edit of short wedding dresses with a train convince you.
42. Lotte – Pronovias
If you're looking for a show-stopping short wedding dress, well, you can stop looking. The Pronovias Lotte design features sculptural shoulders and a tulip skirt, creating a notice-me silhouette.
The removable overskirt adds extra volume and is a cool twist on the traditional wedding dress train.
READ MORE: 30 Long Sleeve Wedding Dresses: Our Top Picks
43. Piera – Vagabond Bridal
This sleek cocktail-style wedding dress is another short gown with real impact. The detachable overskirt means you can have a train for the ceremony then whip it off to avoid getting tangled up on the dance floor.
44. Volant Flower High Low – Viktor & Rolf Mariage
Trust Viktor & Rolf to come up with a short wedding dress that has all the drama of a full-length design.
We love the way that ruffled skirt flows out into a frothy train.
45. Lennon – Rime Arodaky
Rime Arodaky's Lennon is a short wedding dress with a super-fresh take on the bridal train – namely, a removable bow at the back that's created from three metres of white sequins.
46. Look 5 – Oscar de La Renta
We expect nothing less than bridal heaven from iconic design house Oscar de la Renta, and the collection doesn't disappoint. Look 5 is a reimagining of the classic ballgown wedding dress, with a shorter hemline at the front that allows the rest of the skirt to billow out behind you.
Short Lace Wedding Dresses
Lace wedding dresses are a bridal classic, but you can also find designs that nod to the trends, particularly with a shorter hemline.
47. Tiffany Blanc Dress – Bronx and Banco at Revolve
This Bronx and Banco dress is the contemporary way to do pretty, combining lace-edged straps, a ruffled hem and a bodycon silhouette.
READ MORE: 30 Floral Wedding Dresses Perfect for a Summer Wedding
48. La Roux – Ortaduy
We love the energy of this easy-to-wear Ortaduy short wedding dress, which has intricate detailing at the neckline and sleeves rather than all-over lace.
The simplicity gives you the freedom to build your own personalised look.
49. Mini Azalea Dress – Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait's original Azalea dress graced red carpets and Instagram feeds when it came out in 2016; now they've released a 'mini' version – shorter but with the same neckline and all-over laser-cut lace.
We think the white would make a seriously stylish short wedding dress.
50. Strapless Lace Mini Dress – Boohoo
If you're looking for a wedding dress for under £150, Boohoo has some stylish options – including this chic white midi, combining a fitted corset bodice with a full skirt to create a flattering silhouette.
51. Ronan – Reformation
Reformation's Ronan is ideal if you want a shorter wedding dress with just a hint of lace – the detailing on the midi skirt is pretty without being overly so.
52. Glicine – Ivy & Oak
Keep it simple with Glicine, a cap-sleeved midi wedding dress that you can easily accessorise to suit your style, whether that's adding statement jewellery to dial up the glamour or wearing a flower crown for a boho effect.
READ MORE: 21 Beautiful Flower Crown Ideas
53. Madri – Bo and Luca
Bo and Luca have given the classic short lace wedding dress a high-fashion makeover in the form of Madri.
From the plunging neckline to the lace collar, every detail speaks to contemporary sophistication.
54. Anfitrite – Yolan Cris
Anfitrite manages to be both delicate and boldly sexy – and that's very much a look we can get behind. The embroidered tulle is wonderfully intricate.
Short Vintage Wedding Dresses
We've picked our favourite vintage-inspired wedding dresses at a shorter length, from 1920s glamour to cool Sixties and Seventies style.
55. Tracy – Khaite at Net-a-Porter
Bridgerton-inspired dresses are set to be one of the biggest 2022 wedding trends. Regency-era gowns were never short, but you can still buy into the look with this Khaite mini dress.
It may have a high hemline, but it also incorporates key elements of the period, like puffed shoulders and a cleavage-boosting neckline.
55. Coppée – Laure de Sagazan
This trapeze dress is giving us vintage Seventies vibes thanks to that flowing silhouette and the covered buttons.
It's finished with intricate lace at the shoulders for an extra shot of luxury.
56. Dolly Dress – House of Mooshki
For retro bridal glamour, check out this short wedding dress by House of Mooshki. From the cap sleeves to the circle skirt, it's pure 1950s elegance.
READ MORE: The Best Off the Shoulder Wedding Dresses
57. Strappy White Satin Slip Dress – Motel Rocks
Is it too early to count Nineties fashion as 'vintage'? We'll let you decide – but given that the era remains a huge influence on today's looks, we just had to include this cool slip as an option for an on-trend wedding dress. The cowl neck is total pre-Y2K chic.
58. Maisie Dress – House of Mooshki
The Maisie dress is a House of Mooshki bestseller – and for good reason. It's a gloriously frothy, vintage-inspired confection of a dress, with beaded sleeves adding a touch of sparkle.
59. Doris – Staud at Net-a-Porter
The Sixties were the era for short wedding dresses, and this Staud dress really channels the mood of the early part of that decade, combining a mini hemline with a demure silhouette.
60. 1920s Vintage-Inspired Wedding Dress – Gatsby Lady
This Great Gatsby-inspired dress feels very apt for a wedding – after all, we're supposed to be experiencing a Roaring Twenties reboot! With beading and fringing aplenty, it's a dream dress for any bride in love with Art Deco style.
READ MORE: The Best Vintage Wedding Jewellery for Your 'Something Old'
61. Gatsby – Naeem Khan at Net-a-Porter
For a sexy take on a 1920s party look, it has to be this sequinned mini dress. It's a riot of beaded and sequinned fringing, and features a deep v-neckline and a mid-thigh hem.
62. Isadora – Elizabeth Fillmore
Inspired by Victorian day dresses, Elizabeth Fillmore's Isadora is a beautiful vintage-inflected wedding gown with a regal feel.
Plus Size Short Wedding Dresses
We've found the best plus-size wedding dresses that celebrate your beauty with a shorter hem.
63. Style D2189+ – Essense of Australia
This high-low design is such a chic, classic-with-a-twist plus-size wedding dress, with intricate lace embroidery on the bodice spilling onto the tulle and organza skirt.
64. Tassel Hem Bodycon Dress – Pretty Little Thing
Looking for a short wedding dress on a budget? Pretty Little Thing's plus-size collection is well worth a look – this bodycon dress is £30 and is cut to flatter the figure.
65. Floral Lace Bridal Dress – Joanna Hope
Ignore the misleading model picture – this wedding dress is available up to size 32. We love the way the lace falls at the front of the high-low hem and the detailing at the neckline.
READ MORE: The 6 Things I Learned Finding My Perfect Plus-Size Wedding Dress
66. Plus Size Bridal Midi Dress – Chi Chi London
We particularly appreciate the way Chi Chi London have combined an on-trend square neckline with a timeless bridal silhouette in this design.
The embroidered fabric will catch the light beautifully.
67. Carrie – Monsoon
Just in time for the Sex and the City reboot comes this satin midi, which we could definitely picture Ms Bradshaw wearing – if it were made by Dolce e Gabbana, that is. In fact, it's high street stalwart Monsoon, so rather than a price tag in the thousands, it'll come in at a more budget-friendly £249, and it's available up to size 22.
68. Anais – Needle & Thread
One for the bride who loves sparkle, Needle & Thread's Anais is liberally embroidered with iridescent sequins.
The tulle fabric and flutter sleeves keep the overall effect light and pretty, rather than disco.
69. Blonde Lace Bodice & Chiffon Dress – Chesca
We've seen a lot of removable overskirts with short wedding dresses, but a removable top can work just as well if you want different looks for your ceremony and reception. This Chesca design features a sleek white dress with an elegant lace top, available to size 24.
70. Scarlet – House of Mooshki
Scarlet is one of those short wedding dresses that easily has all the impact of a floor-length gown. That's thanks at least in part to the volume skirt – what a silhouette! – but also to the enchanting French lace illusion neckline.
Remember, wearing a short dress means your shoes will definitely be seen – choose an extra-special pair from our edit of the best blue wedding shoes.
