Google ‘short wedding dresses’ and you’ll find heaps of references for fabulous options.
Google, ‘why do western brides wear long dresses’ and you’ll get crickets.
Further google why western brides wear white and you’ll discover that it is a relatively recently created tradition. White wedding dresses became a fashion choice in the 1840’s after Queen Victoria of England married Prince Albert. Before that, even the wealthiest brides wore gold, or blue (which symbolised purity back in the day), or, if they were not rich, whatever color their best dress happened to be.
The rise of photography, and of wedding portraits in particular, also went a long way in popularising the white-wedding-dress trend. White dresses looked good and stood out in the muddy black and white and sepia toned photos of the era.
Like fashion choices, bridal or not, and technological advances like that highlighted above, lifestyle and our concept of marriage has changed drastically over the past 150 years or so. No longer simply a business arrangement between families, the vast majority of people who want to marry now do so for love. Yay to that!
Though many people still associate the occasion with a woman in a long white dress and a man in a tux (or in England a morning suit), traditional gender roles among heterosexual couples, and an increased recognition of non heterosexual marriage means that marriage ceremonies and the associated traditions need to be examined. And one of these is the wearing of the long white dress. Right, we’re back on point!
See some of our fav short wedding dresses here.
We love short wedding dresses. The reasons are not complicated. Here are a few:
- Emotional comfort. If a short style is what makes you feel best and most confident (perhaps you have killer legs to show off!), go for it. No reason to stick to tradition for the sake of it…
- Practical comfort. South African weddings are often summer affairs, and that long white dress can get HOT!
- Formality. Short wedding dresses iare usually less formal than long ones, but less formal definitely doesn’t have to mean less stylish! A short dress gives you lots of scope to up the fashion stakes!
- Versatility. Short dresses suit all types of settings, venues and moods. If you’re marrying on a farm, a Cinderella dress may not ‘match’ the aesthetic so think how all elements of your wedding fit together cohesively.
- Budget. Short dresses oten require less fabric, and are quicker to make and are therefore less costly. It’s easier to find a short store bought white dress too, rather than custom, which can definitely help the budget too.
- Cost for wear and eco conscious creds! You are undoubtedly more likely to wear a short dress again than a long one.
- Loo stops. If you’ve never peed in front of a friend and don’t intend to start on your wedding day, then perhaps the long dress is not for you, as you’ll definitely need help navigating the ladies room safely!
- Awesome wedding shoes! We love a bold wedding shoe and short wedding dresses obviously highlight them way more than a longer one ever will…See some of our fav wedding shoes on Pinterest here.
All that is really important with regards to your wedding fashion choice (we luuuurve a wedding suit too) is that you wear something that is true to yourself and that YOU really love because weddings entered into with joy and full commitment and big love are moving and wonderful, whatever the bride(s) wear!
Learn more about our mobile micro weddings on our FAQ page here.