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For Love & Lemons

26 short wedding dresses for stylish brides

From Grecian midis to flirty minis 💐✹

By , , and Jessica Burrell

Short wedding dresses are having a serious moment. We really rated Sofia Richie donning a custom-made Chanel mini to her wedding afterparty, and our memories of Kourtney Kardashian’s teeny-weeny Dolce & Gabbana corseted dress are still fresh. Then, there was Sophie Habboo, who stunned in Vivienne Westwood at her London ceremony and we’ll never forget Emma Stone making headlines by re-wearing her feather-trimmed Louis Vuitton wedding dress to the Met Gala back in 2022.

In short (pardon the pun), opting for a phenomenal leg-baring look for the big day is the MO for the most stylish brides.

Not only does a thigh-grazing wedding dress provide a chic break from tradition, they’re also perfect for differentiating between ceremonies – should you have more than one – and they make getting down on the dance floor way easier. Plus, why stop at one dress? There’s the rehearsal dinner, the reception afterparty, the honeymoon destination – perfect opportunities to remind everyone you’re the bride, but in a cute, cropped ensemble.


Cosmo’s bestselling short wedding dresses

Best long-sleeve mini dress: The Kooples Frilled-Trim Floral-Lace Mini Dress, ÂŁ267.50

Best sequin mini dress: Club L London Lumi White Sequin High-Neck Feather Trim Mini Dress

Best corset mini dress: Vivienne Westwood Sunday Mini Dress, ÂŁ675

Best A-line mini dress: Reformation Zenni Dress, ÂŁ298


Whether you’re looking for a sophisticated design for your civil ceremony, a gorgeous ‘fit for your rehearsal dinner or a showstopper to wear all day and into the night, we’ve rounded up the best short wedding dresses ranging from mini to midi and designer to high street. Happy shopping, brides-to-be...

Shopping Editor’s Pick

Khanum’s Kerena Mini Dress Ivory

Kerena Mini Dress Ivory

“I would wear this dress to welcome drinks with a strappy white heel! I’m usually an 8 (Small) but would size up to a 10 (Medium) in this style.”

Shopping Writer’s Pick

The Etta Collection Acropolis Dress White

Acropolis Dress White
Credit: Shadé Owomoyela

“If I were to elope in Ibiza or on some gorgeous Greek island, this flirty mini is undoubtedly what I’d be wearing. I’m 5ft 9, so if you don’t mind showing a fair bit of leg, I’d say this is tall bride-approved.”

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Best short wedding dress with pockets

Whistles Vivian Wedding Dress

On Sale
Vivian Wedding Dress

If you’re not after a thigh-skimmer, this just-below-the-knee pick from Whistles is gorgeous for civil ceremonies and town hall weddings – the strapless, ruffled neckline and broderie anglaise make it the perfect summer wedding dress. Plus, it has pockets! Ideal for tucking away your lip gloss and tissues when you reach the altar.

Best A-line short wedding dress

Reformation Zenni dress

Zenni dress
Credit: REFORMATION

A boat neckline, sleeveless design, and v-shaped back are putting in the work to ensure your bridal look is nothing short of phenomenal.

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Best asymmetric short wedding dress

Whistles Ivory Clementine Wedding Dress

On Sale
Ivory Clementine Wedding Dress

Want to channel ‘Grecian Goddess’ without the fear of tripping over a long train? This floaty bardot number will look beaut with strappy gold heels and a tousled up-do.

Best balloon-sleeve short wedding dress

Sister Jane Snowfall Jacquard Mini Dress

Snowfall Jacquard Mini Dress

Getting hitched in cooler temps or after a leggy reception dress? This shimmering mini is fully lined and the balloon sleeves make it perfect for breezier days. It’s another one with pockets, so we defo approve.

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Best drop-waist short wedding dress

Whistles White Ruffle Trapeze Mini Dress

White Ruffle Trapeze Mini Dress

Easy-breezy brides looking for a dress that’s unfussy but still cute, this one’s for you. With short sleeves, ruffled details and 100% cotton fabric, it’s the perfect summer wedding dress.

Best embroidered short wedding dress

Farm Rio Embroidered Balloon-Sleeves Linen Mini Dress

Embroidered Balloon-Sleeves Linen Mini Dress

Farm Rio might be on our radar for its bold prints and eclectic silhouettes, but it sure knows how to design something cute and classic up too. This embroidered beauty is screaming to be worn at an intimate ceremony.

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Best Revolve short wedding dress

Elliatt Elder Dress

Elder Dress

Revolve’s wedding shop has some incredible budget-friendly options—case in point: this embellished satin mini.

Best floral short dress

Amayce Rowan Floral Mini White Dress

Rowan Floral Mini White Dress

We love to champion a UK-based brand and Amayce have seriously caught our eye with its luxurious designs and accessible (as far as quality wedding dresses go) price point. Not feeling bold enough for a micro-mini? This exact design comes in a midi dress too.

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Best designer short wedding dress

Vivienne Westwood Bridal Bagatelle Satin Minidress

Bridal Bagatelle Satin Minidress

As with all of Vivienne Westwood's signature bridal designs, the Bagatelle mini dress comes with the brand's exceptional corsetry and ultra flattering cowl neckline.

Best halter-neck short wedding dress

Nobody's Child White Halter Neck Mini Bodry Bridal Dress

White Halter Neck Mini Bodry Bridal Dress

The bow detail! The A-line cut! The halter neck! If you’re into your vintage looks, this swishy mini is a big fat yes. With ivory pointed court heels and a little veil hat, you’ll look like a ‘60s icon.

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Best sustainable short wedding dress

Blue Nude Jardin Scarf Mini Dress in Pearl

Jardin Scarf Mini Dress in Pearl

This chic mini is locally handcrafted in London at Blue Nude's studio in Hackney Downs. Ideal for a civil ceremony or reception outfit change, we love the on-trend scarf detail that's one of the biggest wedding dress trends of 2025. Better still, it's cut from plant-based materials and is biodegradable at the end of it's life.

Best lace short wedding dress

For Love & Lemons Annabelle Lace Mini Dress

Annabelle Lace Mini Dress

Thought you'd have to give up on your dream of a fairytale frock in order to show some leg? Think again. This mini is full-skirted and fabulous.

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Best sweetheart neck short mini dress

Elliatt Espousal Dress

Espousal Dress

Is there such a thing as too much on your wedding day? We think not. Especially when it comes to this flirty, fun mini featuring a sweetheart neckline, bardot sleeves, and lustrous finish.

Best short wedding dress with scarf

Khanum's Kerena Mini

Kerena Mini

From the high neckline and hand-embellished pearl trim to the chic scarf detail, every inch of this mini is *chef's kiss*.

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Best satin short wedding dress

Galvan Satin Halterneck Mini Dress

Satin Halterneck Mini Dress

We’re obsessed with the minimal elegance of this hater neck dress by Galvan. And apparently, so are a lot of soon-to-be-married individuals because this beaut is selling fast.

Best strapless short wedding dress

House of CB Noele fitted-bodice bow-embellished woven mini gown

Noele fitted-bodice bow-embellished woven mini gown

We don’t know much, but we do know that all eyes will be firmly on you once you've wrapped yourself in this bow-detail mini dress, which is precisely where they should be during your bridal era.

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Best plus-size short wedding dress

ASOS DESIGN Curve Long Sleeve Embroidered Mini Wedding Dress

DESIGN Curve Long Sleeve Embroidered Mini Wedding Dress

A delicate lace fabric, long sleeves and scalloped hem are just the sort of special features you want when celebrating what could be one of the most exciting days of your life.

Best high-neck short wedding dress

Clio Peppiatt Embellished Stretch-Crepe Mini Dress

Embellished Stretch-Crepe Mini Dress

Clio Peppiatt is our go-to for embellished little white wedding dresses or LWWDs, as they'll soon be known (to no one but us).

Headshot of Kara Kia
Kara Kia
Ecommerce Editor, Women's Lifestyle

Kara is the Ecommerce Editor, Women’s Lifestyle at Hearst UK. Leading Cosmopolitan’s digital shopping strategy, she shares style advice for life’s big moments, reports on the latest fashion collaborations, and creates beauty reviews across skincare, makeup, and haircare.

Kara’s most popular guides include ‘Affordable Jewellery Brands to Shop’, ‘Ski Wear to Shop, According to an Editor’, and ‘The Best High Street Wedding Dress Brands’, while covering deals events such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. When she’s not behind a laptop screen, she’s hosting shopping videos and livestreams for Cosmo’s TikTok Shop. Kara also creates shopping content for Red and Prima, and was previously contributing Fashion and Beauty Ecommerce Editor at ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar.  

Since starting her career as a journalist in 2018, she has held the role of Fashion Content Editor at NET-A-PORTER’s Porter Magazine, Associate Editor at PopSugar, and written for Refinery29 and LOVE Magazine, where she covered fashion and beauty news, trends, and features. An experienced interviewer, Kara has spoken to Zendaya, Alicia Keys, Simone Biles, and Tyla about life, work, and style. Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Kara lived in Toronto, Canada before moving to London.   

Follow Kara on Instagram @kara.kia  

Lettermark
Maddy Alford
Fashion Editor

 Maddy Alford is the Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan UK and Women's Health UK, covering fashion content online and in print. Maddy specialises in shopping galleries and first-person reviews of the best fashion buys, from jeans and jewellery to wedding dresses, gymwear, and winter coats. She also writes op-eds on on pop culture, viral fashion moments, travel journalism, fitness, and the LGBTQ+ community's relationship with style. Maddy is also a fashion stylist who has worked on over 100 photoshoots at Hearst, including those starring Raye, Niall Horan, and Lena Dunham. Previously, she has worked in fashion PR and e-commerce, including stints at ELLE US and UK, Net-a-Porter, InStyle, and Time Out New York. Maddy has ten years of experience in the fashion industry in both London and New York City, after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She is passionate about second-hand shopping, inclusive fashion, running on Regent's Canal, and finding London's cosiest pubs. 

Headshot of Shadé Owomoyela
Shadé Owomoyela
Senior Fashion & Lifestyle Ecommerce Writer

ShadĂ© (pronounced sh-ah-day) is the Senior Fashion & Lifestyle Ecommerce Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. From what to shop in the latest Revolve flash sale to how to style the hottest new trends, she shares shopping advice, reports on new collabs and reviews your fave fashion brands.   
 

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