When it comes to choosing a wedding dress, the rules are - there are no rules. You can do princessy or sexy, white or black, embellished or unadorned, lacy or silky. But whatever you decide, one of the biggest factors is length. If floor-sweeping gowns aren't your style, a tea-length wedding dress is a timeless alternative.
Stopping somewhere between your mid-calf and ankle, it's a length that has got significantly more airtime (at least on Instagram) as more people opted for micro or low-key weddings during the pandemic a few years ago. In 2024, it's also a popular choice for second dresses to change into after the ceremony but before the dancing gets started (nothing will kill the mood like a muddy footprint on the train of your big-day dress).
A tea-length wedding dress is also perfect for the main event, however, if you've always been a midi person. On the fence about a sweepingly long train in the style of Princess Diana? But also unsure about something a bit shorter and sexier à la Kourtney Kardashian? Why not seek the middle ground with a simple wedding dress in a midi length? Think Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, whose full-skirted wedding dress finished about a foot above the ankle. (Incidentally, Hepburn also wore a tea-length wedding dress for her marriage to Mel Ferrer.) That sweet spot is the gold standard when it comes to tea-length wedding dresses that manage to look classic yet modern.
The Best Tea-Length Wedding Dresses At A Glance:
Editor's choice: Nobody's Child Cream Puff-Sleeve Zora Midaxi Dress
Best timeless tea-length wedding dress: Ghost Mari Satin Midi Dress
Best off-the-shoulder tea-length wedding dress: Reformation Butterfly Dress
Best traditional tea-length wedding dress: Self-Portrait Off-Shoulder Bouclé Midi Dress
SHOP: The Best Tea-Length Wedding Dresses
Editor's choice
www.nobodyschild.com
Nobody's Child allow you to rent its bridal collection - you can borrow this particular dress from £18.90 - meaning it's a great option for second wedding dresses when you're ready to hit the dance floor.
Best strapless tea-length wedding dress
www.cos.com
Part of COS Atelier, the high street brand's premium collection, this simple bustier dress has a fitted waist and flaring skirt that, together, mean it's so easy to wear.
Best timeless tea-length wedding dress
www.ghost.co.uk
Falling to that sweet spot just below the mid-calf, Ghost's Mari Dress is made for minimalist weddings. Understated yet elegant, Ghost has a stunning collection of bridal dresses.
Best off-the-shoulder tea-length wedding dress
www.thereformation.com
If off-the-shoulder wedding dresses are more your style, Reformation's Butterfly Dress might be the one for you. A particularly fitting choice if your wedding is abroad, it's made from lightweight georgette fabric that will see you through the ceremony and well into the night.
Best traditional tea-length wedding dress
www.mytheresa.com
If you'd rather tea-length tailoring than a dress, Self-Portrait's off-the-shoulder bouclé number fits the bill (although it's actually a dress cleverly disguised as a skirt suit).
Best unique tea-length wedding dress
shrimps.com
The Cressida Dress is a midi that features puff sleeves, a gathered bust and a square neckline. The off-white ivory cotton lace panelling provides a delicate contrast to the luxurious ivory silk. A stunning choice for a city wedding, it combines the traditional with the contemporary for a unique twist.
Best beach tea-length wedding dress
www.theoutnet.com
Aje is famous for its wedding guest dresses, which tend to have puffed sleeves and statement cut-outs, but this cotton-twill number would make a lovely beach wedding dress.
Best sequinned tea-length wedding dress
www.ganni.com
With a soft pink tinge to its sequins, as well as bow-tie closures at the reverse, Ganni's elongated tea-length dress would be a romantic choice for a registry office wedding.
www.net-a-porter.com
Designed with a flaring skirt and a criss-cross back, Alaïa's crisp, cotton-poplin dress is perfect for more relaxed weddings at the height of summer.
www.net-a-porter.com
Hitting that sweet spot just above the ankle, Alessandra Rich's elongated tea-length wedding dress features a statement neckline, blooming with an organza-trimmed flower that balances out the simple hemline to perfection.
www.reiss.com
Reiss Atelier's tea-length dress has a such a simple cut - scoop-necked and full-skirted - which can easily be dressed up with accessories or left to speak for itself, channelling easy, breezy attitude, with flat sandals.
rixolondon.com
Rixo's tea-length wedding dress has a figure-flatting bias cut, as well as georgette blouson sleeves and a thigh-high slit, that mean it's simple yet stunning for city nuptials.
oliviavonhalle.com
For a thoroughly modern take on a tea-length wedding dress, Olivia von Halle's halter-neck gown, made of fluid silk-satin, is The One.
www.whistles.com
With an elegantly simple cut that nonetheless has careful details - like the puffed sleeves, the cut-out back and the sequinned surface - Whistles has hit the nail on the head with this tea-length wedding dress.
www.mytheresa.com
Taller Marmo's tea-length wedding might have a lot going on - the feathers, the sheer! - but it all comes together, creating a fashion-forward option for those who dare to stand out.
www.needleandthread.com
Needle & Thread allows you to choose several of its dresses in two lengths, either ballerina (tea-length) or gown. With its all-over ruffles and exaggerated sleeves, Nancy will ensure all eyes are on you.
www.karenmillen.com
If your bridal mission statement is simple yet effective, Karen Millen's sleeveless tea-length wedding dress is the definition of chic.
www.monsoon.co.uk
Now that boho is back with a decided bang, Monsoon's bridalwear is sure to see an uptick among those who want to channel the aesthetic. This handkerchief-hemmed dress, with spaghetti straps and criss-cross lacing at the reverse, is a winner for a summer wedding.
www.frenchconnection.com
For an abroad wedding somewhere sultry, French Connection's halter-neck midi dress in a shade called 'silver lining' is a tantalising option. either as a low-key wedding dress or a second dress for later in the evening.
www.arket.com
Another relaxed option - or a great night-before-the-big-day dress - is this scoop-necked style from Arket, which is made from a twill-satin weave.
What Shoes Should You Wear With Tea-Length Wedding Dresses?
Given that your shoes will most definitely be showcased, you don't want them to be an after-thought so much as a focal point of your wedding look. If you're wearing white or ivory, why not add a hint of colour, say, powder blue? Whether you choose heels or flats, meanwhile, is really up to you as both work brilliantly with a tea-length wedding dress.
What Accessories Should You Wear With Tea-Length Wedding Dresses?
It totally depends on whether you want a modern take on the tea-length wedding dress or something a little more traditional. For the former, you could always try threading pearl-embellished slides through your hair or even wearing a sheer pair of gloves. (Margaret Qualley accessorised her tea-length wedding dress - a halter-neck gown that fell to just above her ankle - with a pair of flat Chanel Mary-Janes. Modern and minimal, it felt like the cool-girl choice that many a bride will be copying this summer.) For something a little more traditional, however, you could finish your look with a polished bow headband, a beaded purse that can hold your lip gloss or a little cape that will cover your shoulders.
Natalie Hammond is Grazia’s Senior Fashion News Editor. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).