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Like a good kiss, ballerina length wedding dresses, like these ones made by Stephanie Jones and Candy Anthony, make me weak in the knees. SO perfect for an informal wedding - like a garden party, or a quickie marriage at City Hall. The best bouquets for these dresses would be small nosegays or posies, or even a small prayerbook or a heirloom hankie. Pair with short gloves, and top with a wee hat and a birdcage veil - Sweet!
However, although these dresses are adorable, and I would sell my left kidney to wear them everyday, I have reservations about wearing a short gown on one of the only days of my life when it’s okay to wear a huge gown.
Does anyone else feel pressured to go “all out” because you only get to “do this once” ?
i do! especially by my mom - i keep pushing for something simple and she keeps pushing for more, because it’s my wedding dress. she probably has a point.
i love the ballerina length dresses (especially since i’m getting married outside), but i’m worried that because i’m not very tall (only 5′6″) and very long in the torso, they’d make me look really bottom heavy. : ( boo!
I totally had the same thing in that I was convinced, because I wear tea length dresses all the time, that my wedding dress should be tea length. Then I got pressure from people who were like “Why aren’t you wearing a gown?”
But at the end of the day, it all came down to the one that felt right for me. I didn’t end up going tea length, but I didn’t pick my dress just because it looked weddingy.
Try things on and see what feels right for you. I think you could rock it either way. 
oh yes ma’am. yet my tight pocketbook holds me back considerably, lol….
i wanted to wear a traditional gown but i did change during the reception into a chinese -style dress. you could always wear it just for the reception! those dresses are SUPER CUTE - i would get one and have a garden party just so i could wear it!
i love your taste in dresses. all of these are gorgeous.
i’ve designed my dress in my head already and it’s far from a ball gown (although it will have a train, but the train will be detachable… WOO!). it’s also not going to be white. while i have been pressured to reconsider it a few times, it all really came down to practicality. i want to be able to wear my dress again and i want to be able to walk, dance and party on Church street (where there will be a Halloween street party) the night of my wedding. i also never look good in white, so it only makes sense for me to be comfortable in what i’m wearing instead of worrying about how bloated i look in it. so in the end, there are no worries for me
I absolutely feel your pain - those dresses are all gorgeous, and very retro-chic. I have a desperate craving for a white, 1960s style, mod mini dress and a kitschy veil, but can’t seem to get my mother to buy into the idea. I’m dying to wear a short dress.
In my opinion, our shared love for retro style may be to blame - I’m thinking about printing out pictures of 1960s and 1970s brides in minis to show any family members who don’t think the style feels wedding-y.
Miss Shortcake - I LOVE these dresses. I would love to wear one! However, I did not go with a tea-length dress (although my girls will be wearing a tea-length dress). Mine is a-line, and ivory with a champagne lace overlay. It is very different from the big ball gowns and what is “popular” right now. It has a very vintage-y feel to it, and it’s just lovely! I wish I could wear tea-length dresses everyday!
Oh yes, me too. I love the tea length dresses, so much so I let out a little moan as I looked at your pics. The Candy Anthony with the pink sash makes my heart skip a beat!
But I didn’t really consider wearing one for the wedding as I wanted the old ‘once in a lifetime’ dress. I really want two weddings, so I can wear both! A girl can but dream….
i would never wear a short dress because i am a giant and it would look like i couldn’t find a dress that fit.
that said, mrs onion was a short dress bride and she ROCKED it!!
I’m wearing a cocktail length dress, and I’m so happy that I chose to! I’m just not a big-poufy-wedding-dress kind of girl (or even a sleek, sophisticated wedding gown kinda girl). When trying on the more traditional full length dresses, I always felt more like I was dressing up to play the part of ‘bride’ than an actual bride to be.
I wanted something fun and different, something that will surprise everyone, just a little, when I walk down the aisle. For me, that ended up being an ivory cocktail-length silk dress with beautiful tulle detailing. And the best part? Showing off my fabulous shoes!
Miss Shortcake - these dresses are to die for!!! I absolutely love them! Do you know what the price range are?
I would buy them in a heartbeat if I had an outdoor ceremony. Thanks for sharing these with us. =)
I know what you mean about the pressure to look like a “bride” and be traditional. I really loved slim-fitting gowns, but everyone and their mother told me I was “too young” for a slim-fitting gown, but really…I am only going to have a young body that looks nice in a slim dress for a limited time! So, anyway, I gave in and went a little poufier and I do love my dress. Just make sure that the dress you get is the one you want, not the one others want you to wear…and if it matches with your theme, even better!
I flip flop between really extravagant ballgowns and fish tails and my very own version of my favorite dress in all the world to me which is the wedding dress in Funny Face..that to me is a perfect dress.
I have a plan to go and try on many many fancy outrageous dresses but think I’ll end up with my perfect Funny Face dress in the end.
I like that it’s unexpected and different!
I knew from the start I wanted a tea length dress. Our whole wedding is outside and I don’t want to be thinking about getting the dress dirty the whole time. I’m actually wearing the Stephanie James dress at the beginning of the post. Mine is ivory lace over a champagne silk rather than pink, and the bow is dark brown on the edges fading into ivory in the center of the ribbon. It looks so perfect. I think it is pretty wedding-y though as there are still layers of crinoline under there making a pretty poufy statement.
I love love love the Stephanie James dresses - does anyone know what the price range of her dresses is?
Despite the saving of fabric with a short length they are still designer prices. Generally around 2500-3000ish?
i LOVE the ribbon and lace on the first dress, where is it from?
whoops. *blushes* it says RIGHT there. my mistake!
i JUST was on Stephanie James’ site this morning, and I had never seen it before. It’s so funny how once you find out about something the first time, then you start to notice it mentioned everywhere. Her dresses are fantastic. I am such a fan of the vintage quality.
[...] been living in a hole before I discovered Weddingbee because Miss. Shortcake pointed me toward two (1, 2) previous Weddingbee posts highlighting Stephanie James. [...]
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Mrs. Shortcake, Vancouver Age and Occupation: 24, Marketing Manager/Children's Lit Writer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Master's Student/Personal Trainer Engagement Date: August 7, 2007 Wedding Date: October 2008 Blogging Since: Venue: Ceremony in a historic church, tented lawn reception at a golf and country club About Me: 1950's housewife sent to the future, reborn as crafting-obsessed, jill of all trades. I enjoy decorating, writing, baking sweet things, singing show tunes/dancing in public, wearing pearls, and knitting sweaters for my furbaby, Harvey, to chew upon. I heart pink, and believe that sparkles are the new black.
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