Wedding dress stock photo

I guess the traditional answer is yes. I definitely should wear a wedding dress to my own wedding.

And I am quite traditional.

But I don’t really like wedding dresses.

I’ve been to five bridal shops and a high street retailer and tried on about 60 dresses in total. Most of which I said no to as soon as I looked in the mirror. I tried to pick dresses that I thought would suit my shape but it’s something I’ve never had to think about before.

My fiancé keeps saying I should just wear this beautiful Adele Blossom dress as I walk down the aisle as he loves it. If I could get away with wearing this to my wedding I would, but not only would my mum be disappointed, I’m also wearing it as a guest to a wedding this summer. Definitely can’t be spotted twice in it when the guestlist will be similar.

So I’ve come to the conclusion that I just don’t like wedding dresses and to just choose the dress that’s the best of the bunch. So I decided to write down some of the pros and cons of wearing a short or long dress, as once I’ve got that decision made I’m halfway there.

Long wedding dress

  • Traditional
  • Lots of choice
  • You’ll stand out from other guests
  • A good excuse if you don’t want to dance
  • Get away with wear comfy shoes underneath all those layers
  • Feel like a proper bride
  • It will probably get filthy at the bottom
  • You might need at least one bridesmaid to help with toilet duty
  • You might struggle to dance in it
  • They can be quite heavy

Short wedding dresses

  • Often cheaper
  • Won’t get dirty on the bottom
  • Show off amazing shoes
  • Easier to dance in
  • No one will walk on the train
  • Won’t need help going to the toilet
  • Can be lighter and more comfortable
  • Legs are on show (if you have amazing legs this is a plus)
  • Fewer choices
  • You might get cold in Winter
  • Can be quite informal

The other option of course is to buy two dresses. I think that’s a little greedy for me, but I’ve heard of people doing it so they can dance in the evening.

Am I any closer to picking a wedding dress? No. Has it helped? I feel like I know which dress is more practical. But everyone tells me dressing shopping should be done with your heart. Which is where I falter as I haven’t been wowed by any of the 60 odd dresses I’ve tried on.

That’s a lie. There has been one. One very much over budget dress that was pretty much the first one I tried on. I tried it on again recently and I didn’t get the same feeling about it, but it’s still the best one I’ve tried on. In six months time you’ll see what dress I went for!

Would you consider a shorter less traditional wedding dress? Have you pictured your dream dress? Or if you’re already married, how did you know when your dress was “the one”?

Nb. I wrote this post a couple of days ago just before I went to try on two dresses and I picked one! I tried them on with shoes, veils and accessories and I knew which one I wanted instantly. I’m so excited!