Modest Wedding Dresses and Skirt Lengths: Choices for LDS Weddings

When you’re getting married, the traditional choice for a bridal gown is of course the full floor-length skirt. But if you want something unique, more casual, more suited to your wedding theme, or something guests will really remember, then there are a variety of other popular LDS wedding dress skirt lengths to try.

(To see larger images of any skirt length, click on its named link)

Knee Length Wedding Dresses

Mormon wedding dresses that fall to the knee aren’t often seen, but they are out there. They are more often seen in more casual affairs, afternoon ceremonies, second weddings, or weddings with an older bride. Knee length hems appear casual yet classy, and certainly make it easier to walk around all day than a floor-length ensemble with a train trailing behind you.

Tea Length Wedding Dresses

Tea length dresses have a hem that falls a few inches below the knee. They are a mix between formal and informal. This length is perfect for young brides, casual weddings, or outdoor receptions. If one of your best features is great legs, then a tea length dress shows them off in a tastefully modest way. Tea length skirts are usually less full and more fitted, but there are exceptions to the rule.

Ballerina Wedding Dresses

Ballerina bridal gowns fall just above the ankle for a fun, flirty, and ultra-feminine look. Their dainty appearance and above-the-ankle length are just perfect for showing off a really fabulous pair of wedding shoes. They are also great choices for vintage Mormon weddings with a retro theme. Most authentic ballerina skirts appear “fluffy,” with a soft tulle overskirt.

Ankle Length Wedding Dresses

Dresses that fall just at the ankle with the tips of the shoes showing are called ankle length bridal gowns. These appear very draping and formal, and can have either a very full or a very fitted skirt. They allow for freedom of movement and ability to dance without tripping while still maintaining the classic elegance of a floor-length dress.

Floor Length Wedding Dresses

Floor length or full length is the most conventional style of wedding dress. There are many variations in style and fullness for a floor-length skirt. Floor length dresses are also most suited for a train, a bustle, or tails draping behind the bride. They are best suited for evening, winter, or formal weddings and receptions.

Hi Lo Wedding Dresses

Hi lo wedding dresses are shorter in the front and longer in the back, whether by just a few inches or by a foot or more. The bigger the difference, the more dramatic the dress. Though some hi lo skirts may be full, most loosely flow around the legs, relying on their hemlines rather than their fullness to make a visual impact.

LDS brides today are experimenting with all sorts of modest wedding gowns styles and hemlines. Modest wedding dresses can come in any number of different skirt lengths, so feel free to experiment. Floor length, ankle length, knee length, tea length, ballerina, or hi lo – it’s your call!

♥ Jenny Evans
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