Should My Wedding Dress Touch the Floor?
When having your wedding dress altered to the perfect length, you might be wondering if your wedding dress should touch the floor.
So, should my wedding dress touch the floor? Typically, the front of your wedding dress should come just above the top of your shoes, which would be 1-inch off the floor. The back of your dress usually touches as it becomes the train. Keeping your dress off the floor in the front ensures that you don’t accidentally step on your dress as you walk.
Here are some helpful hints for determining your wedding dress length and if it should touch the floor.
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Should My Wedding Dress Cover My Shoes?
Personal preference plays a huge role in whether or not your shoes should be covered by your wedding dress. However, traditionally, the dress covers your shoes just enough to keep you from tripping.
If your dress is too long in the front, there is a good chance that you will accidentally step on the fabric and trip. Therefore, the front of your dress should be approximately 1″ off the floor and gradually touching the floor on the sides toward the train.
However, there are some short wedding dress styles that are very cute as well. Short wedding dresses that are knee and calf-length are perfect for courthouse and beach wedding. They’re great for people who don’t want to worry about having a long, tedious dress to watch after too.
Additionally, if you’re a little on the short side, you may want to have your wedding dress as close to the floor as possible without actually touching the floor. This will help you look a little taller than you actually are.
You’ll also want to take into account how much dancing you’ll plan on doing at your reception. If this is the case, you’ll likely be ditching the fancy bridal shoes and going with something a little more comfortable. However, you’ll probably also have a bustle, so all that needs to be taken into account.
A floor-length bridal gown is the most popular option, but keep in mind that there are plenty of other styles for brides who want to try something a little different. Shorter lengths such as tea-length, ballerina, knee-length, or even minis are available for brides who don’t mind breaking with tradition and showing off their legs a bit.
Hallow to Hem Measurement
When you have your wedding dress altered, your seamstress should take a hollow to hem measurement. The hallow to hem measurements determines the length of a dress.
To get this measurement, your seamstress will measure the bride from the center of the collar bone (the hollow part) down to the floor. In order to get the most accurate measurement, the bride should not wear shoes, stand straight up, and be relaxed.
Once the seamstress has the hallow to hem measurement they will likely take off a certain amount, around an inch or so, to ensure the dress isn’t dragging on the floor and that the bride won’t trip over the material.
Wedding Dress Shoes
The type of shoes you intend to wear will make a difference with how short your wedding dress should be hemmed. Make sure that you have the exact pair of shoes that you plan to wear on your wedding day when you have your dress altered.
If you’re planning to wear stilettos or very high heels on your wedding day, you’ll want to limit the amount you hem your dress from the floor to 1 inch or less.
However, if you’re planning on wearing flats, you’ll probably only need to hem your wedding dress to around 1 or 2 inches to keep you from tripping over it.
On the other hand, if you plan on wearing brightly colored or embellished wedding shoes, you may want to hem your dress a little higher to help your shoes stand out more. This is becoming more and more popular among brides.
The Wedding Venue
Another way to determine the length of your wedding dress is to consider the wedding venue. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, you might want to have a slightly higher hem to prevent your wedding dress from getting too dirty from dragging on the ground. This would also prevent your dress from picking up fallen leaves or grass.
Additionally, if your wedding venue has a lot of stairs, especially on your way to walking down the aisle, a higher hemline can reduce the possibility of tripping and falling.
