The Final Touch to Your Bridal Look

Trains are the final touches for many brides, and a wonderful addition to your wedding look. Similar to veils, they’re not a requirement; wearing a train is your choice, one that depends on the style and formality of your wedding. In the past few years, they’ve become more prominent on gowns, perhaps because weddings themselves have turned more formal in tone.

Back in Victorian England, trains were a symbol of power and importance—the longer the train, the more significant the wearer. To this day, Royal Trains are the longest accessory of the bunch. They extend at least three yards from the waist, and symbolized the modern fairy tale when Princess Diana wore one to her marriage to Charles.

If you’re having a casual, beach affair, a Royal Train is not for you, and you might decide to opt out on a train altogether. (You’d need a few bridesmaids to carry a Royal Train.) From a fashion standpoint, trains instantly give you a classic look, dictating how the ceremony will proceed.

Sweep Trains are the shortest. Like their name, they “sweep” the floor, and are usually just a couple of inches longer than your gown. They are the least-formal of all the train styles, and can be worn for a somewhat casual affair. A Watteau Train is slightly longer, extending past the hemline of your gown.

Court Trains extend about one yard from the waist, and are the first of the trains to take on a formal quality. Should you opt for a Court Train, or any of the longer trains, your affair should be inside, in a formal venue.

Chapel Trains extend approximately 4 feet from the waist, Semi-Cathedral Trains extend to 4 and ½ feet, while Cathedral Trains extend about 9 feet from the waist.

Many shorter trains, such as the Watteau Train, are detachable, so you can take it off for the reception. If your train is not detachable, it should have hooks in the back so you can bustle the train for ease in getting around. Make sure you “hire” a reliable bridesmaid or member of the wedding party, who can practice bustling your train ahead of time, and will be there when you need assistance. You’re going to be too busy, and too nervous, to worry about the train yourself.

-David Toussaint

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