The long and short of it
Wedding planning requires that you make a ton of choices (cue all brides saying: duh!). A band or a DJ? A buffet or a seated dinner? Write your own vows or use the traditional? There’s so much to consider, but luckily there’s really no wrong answer. Whatever you and your fiancé like is the right choice! When it comes to bridesmaids’ dresses, one of the first decisions you have to make is long versus short. If you’re in the middle of this “lengthy” debate, here are some things to consider:
Formality – In the past, the thinking seemed to be formal venue = long dresses. That’s not necessarily true. It’s more a question of the vibe you’d like to achieve for your big day. If you’re asking your guests to wear black tie, for example, then yes, long bridesmaids’ dresses are a must. If the men are wearing tuxes – long again. Basically, if you’re going for a super formal, black tie type of wedding, floor length dresses are your best bet. Other wedding styles tend to have more flexibility.
Our gorge bride Lexi had her wedding at the formal Oyster Harbor Club – so long bridesmaids’ dresses were a great choice for her big day! Photo credit: Molly Anne Photography
Weather – Having a July wedding? Do your girls a favor and highly consider short dresses. If you’re having a black tie, indoors (aka with AC) affair, though, you can still think about long. Vice versa for winter; make sure your girls aren’t shivering down the aisle and put them in long. Having a Spring/Fall wedding where anything can happen weather-wise? Then just choose what you like and cross your fingers!
“You’ll wear it again.” – Ahh, the classic bridesmaids’ conundrum. If having your girls more easily re-wear their dresses is a top priority to you, then you may want to lean towards short styles. Let’s face it; most of us have far more casual events on our social calendars then formal. Therefore, they’re probably more likely to have the opportunity to wear a shorter, more casual dress again.
Religious ceremony – Having a religious ceremony doesn’t necessarily negate one or the other length. It’s more a reminder that if you do opt for short, make sure your girls don’t hem them so much that they become inappropriate in your given place of worship. When in doubt, long is never a bad choice for a more traditional, religious ceremony.
Most of all, though, always remember what we said up top. There’s really no right or wrong when it comes to weddings. It’s the biggest day of your life, so above all else just choose what you like! Happy shopping, brides and ‘maids 🙂