Tea length, Knee and Short Wedding dresses

Whether it’s a fifties flirt or a demure tea-length wedding dress, shorter dresses have had a real come-back recently. It makes a change from always dealing with full length and trains! Here is a selection of dresses I have made where the bride has opted to show off her pretty ankles – or more!

Examples of tea length and shorter wedding dresses from my archive

short wedding dress and veil made to measure
aine19 silhouette kiss short knee length wedding dress

1950’s Wedding Dress for Aine: Aine commissioned a 1950s style wedding dress made up in white taffeta. The flared, knee length skirt has soft white tulle peeking out below.

Wedding photography by Michael Dillon

angela 10 bride with friends shirt wedding dress wrap over jacket
angela 15 fitted jacket and skirt with peplum and fan pleat detail custom made


Oyster satin Wedding Dress and Jacket for Angela. Wedding dress with knee length pencil skirt with kick pleats in oyster silk duchess satin and chantilly lace.

Photography by www.christellephoto.com

Tea length wedding dress for Clare. Clare commissioned a flamboyant 1950’s style dress made in burnt orange satin and ivory chiffon. Beaded lace and sequin chiffon were perfect for her Florida wedding.

Official wedding photographs by www.gingermidgett.com

ivory silk satin wiggle dress with peplum

Photoshoot: City Burlesque Wedding. I designed a tea length wedding dress in ivory duchess silk satin. It had a fit and flare skirt that was graduated to show off the purple and teal petticoats. This vintage style 1950’s wedding dress was made for a London based photoshoot. This sample dress has now been sold but you you buy other dresses I have made for photoshoots from my Etsy shop.

Photography by Jessica Partridge

candler 10 1950's knee short midi tea length wedding dress bespoke
candler 4 autumn fall wedding ornage silk dupion short full skirt dress petticoat

Autumn colour Wedding Dress for Rebecca. I made a beautiful 1950’s style short wedding dress with delicate cream lace over Autumnal golden-orange silk. The skirt is a tea length full circle over many layers of ivory netting, each edged with orange satin ribbon.

Photography by Gregg Brown, http://www.greggbrownweddings.com

A Titanic inspired wedding dress. Common features from that period were empire waistlines and square necklines. This particular era was a lot more relaxed and bohemian compared to previous decades, which had been much more restrictive and hemlines were rising!

Photography by Darren Kirwan⁠

lace applique to customise wedding dress

Vintage Wedding Dress Upcycle for Madelie: I used the skirt from her mother’s 1970’s wedding dress and created a new bodice and lace detailing for Madelie’s upcycled wedding dress.

lou 6 buttermilk silk crepe satin bow sash wedding dress
lou 1 informal kimono inspired short pale gold silk wedding dress

Informal Wedding Dress for Lou. Lou commissioned a simple Kimono style dress in soft sand-coloured silk satin to wear for her wedding day. The short dress has a midi/tea-length skirt. I made the design with a high boat-neckline and is loose fitting but pulled in at the waist by a sash.

Blue halter neck wedding Dress and Veil for Angie. Angie wanted something really different for her wedding, as an older bride she wanted to feel extravagant special without wearing a long white dress. Together we created the design for this tea length dress in torn layers or lace and muslin. I also added lace details to her shoes and gloves for the finishing touch.

alternative wedding dress tufor inspired red velvet fit and flare skirt

Red Velvet Wedding Dress for Tracey: I designed a two piece ensemble made in deep red silk velvet. This alternative wedding dress has tea length skirt and a firmly boned bodice cut in a ‘Tudor’ style with a ‘flat front’. The pencil skirt is fitted to the knee then flaring to mid-calf and supported by ivory netting.

Halloween Wedding Dress for Ellie: Gorgeous Ellie was married in Vegas on Halloween. Her short wedding dress was a wonderful mixture of fifties shape, modern styling and subtle Halloween detail.

knee length informal wedding dress with shrug made to measure

Brown and pink tea length wedding dress for Suzanne. I designed this short wedding dress in shot taffeta and brown chiffon, suitable and pretty for a mature bride. A matching bolero and Swarovski pearl beading finished the ensemble.

pale blue cocktail wedding dress with scalloped lace overlay

Pale blue cocktail wedding dress for Isabelle. This cute, short wedding dress has a tiered lace skirt and pale blue lining.

Photography by  Miranda Virgo 

bride and her sons custom wedding dress

Rose pink tea length wedding dress for Clare. Clare was a mature bride who asked me for a sophisticated and pretty wedding dress with a touch of lace. The tea length skirt is straight in front with flirty flared panels behind.

bespoke custom made to measure uk surrey london fairy princess wedding dress

I made this three piece ensemble for a photoshoot with a Marie Antoinette theme. In fact it incorporates elements of not just the 18th century but also the 1950’s and the Victorian era too. The tea length wiggle skirt qualifies it for inclusion on this page but with so many sources of inspiration you’re going to see it again and again through my website! It was also featured in another photoshoot at Lainston house.

Photography – Tanya Flannagan Photography and NK Photography

To talk about your ideas for a bespoke tea length or short wedding dress just get in touch.

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Felicity Westmacott

I write about all aspects of weddings, dressmaking, fashion history, and the human relation to clothing. I welcome comments and debate.

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I found this sheet music in my house, and I was so surprised by what it was 🎹🎵

There’s a music stand in my childhood home, and when I was having a look, I found this: “Three Songs composed by Ethel M. Lightfoot”. And my curiosity was peaked. So I sat down at the piano.

When it comes to reading music, I can play piano and sing a little. Nothing outstanding but enough that I could put the music in front of me and have a go at playing it. And I was surprised to discover that I found it was really easy to sightread and sing. Ethel liked the same key signatures, melodies and intervals as me. The things I wrote in my teens (usually quite a bit more angsty) were really similar in terms of structure. Her themes were different, of course, like “Cradle Song”, where a mother sings to her child about their father being away at war.

Ethel, as it turns out, is my great grandmother. Ethel was a musician, and it was so wonderful to find some of her published work, play it and somehow feel connected to her through our similarities. Somewhere in my blood is Ethel’s love for music, and it was so special to find her sheet music flowing so easily from my fingertips.

I love learning about history generally, but there’s something extra special about learning about your own personal history 💜

Is there something from your family history that you’re particularly proud of?
With leaves starting to change to colour, my thoughts have turned to autumn. So I'm sharing my process for this autumn inspired dip dye wedding outfit;
🍁 deciding I wanted to layer a dip dye overskirt on top of the bridal playsuit
🍁choosing lots of warm, rich colours that make me think of autumn leaves carpeting a forest floor
🍁 cutting the tulle of the skirt to the right length 
🍁 gradually blending each layer of colour, using an ombre of yellow, orange, brown and just a little bit of gold at the end
…and then the finished product!

Doesn't this bridal outfit look right at some in the woods?

If you love the idea of an overskirt for your wedding dress, drop me a DM and let’s talk colour palettes!

~
Photographer: @charlymaephotography
I'm a regional finalist for the Wedding Industry Awards! ⁠
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Not only that, but in both my categories; Best Designer/Independent Dressmaker and Best Seamstress/Tailor. So thank you to everyone who voted for me. Your time and effort is not only appreciated, but has also paid off 💜⁠
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And well done to my fellow regional finalists; @alexandersharpebridal, @harrietchristelow, @shell_stitches_kent, @stitchesbykristine, @nicolaleverington.⁠
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There are a few finalists outside of my categories that I wanted to give an especially loud shout out to - well done @alexjaggermua and @lushcurvebridal!⁠

Thank you to the organisers and Damien at @twia_official
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Wishing everyone the best of luck! 🪡✨️⁠

Photo by @altweddingco
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in
from design to completionbespoke wedding dressesFelicity Westmacott
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in