Informal short wedding dresses are especially popular during the warmer months, particularly for beach wedding attire. Fancy dresses and weddings that cost thousands of dollars aren’t for everyone, and less expensive dresses in casual settings are a great solution.

Short dresses can come in several different lengths:

• Tea length (below the knee)
• Knee length
• Above the knee

Short dresses are particularly popular at informal outdoor weddings, beach weddings, destination weddings, and second and above weddings.

If you have a favorite designer, chances are, they have a selection of short dresses for you to choose from.

A short dress won’t have a train, and it typically won’t have a big fluffy skirt reminiscent of Cinderella’s at the ball. And unless you want to hang out with the cast of Dynasty, it’s probably not going to be smothered with beads, sequins, and/or puffy sleeves to make it scream, “Bride!” So? Unadorned doesn’t mean plain, boring, or forgettable.

How to dress it up:

• Pops of color: Add embroidery, a few beads here and there, or a dressy belt. You may even decide to let your kitten heel flip-flops be your “something blue.”
• An interesting neckline: Low-cut, sweetheart, scooped — the choice is yours, and it’s a great way to show off your décolletage and a warm weather tan.
• Choose a fitted skirt to show off your killer figure or an a-line skirt for a feminine flair.

You want to be comfortable; you want to be cool. But you also want to preserve a little bit of sophistication and elegance on your wedding day. It’s still doable in a short dress. You just have to accessorize appropriately and shop for your body type.

Petite frames can rejoice in the lengthening abilities a short dress can have on your silhouette. Long dresses—especially fluffy ones—can overpower a short girl’s body. Showing a little leg never hurt anybody.