Understanding the Different Types Of Wedding Dresses

A wedding dress with a beautiful train gives a fairy-tale touch to your D-Day. The train is the most magical part of your wedding dress, and the fact that it extends and trails along the floor makes the bride feel like nothing short of a queen!

There is no rule regarding how long the wedding train should be; it can be show-stoppingly long like the one we saw at Priyanka Chopra’s grand wedding or as short as the bride wants, no matter what kind of dress she chooses on her wedding day. To make sure that you find the perfect style that resembles the wedding dress drawing you have set for your big day, we have put together this informative list for your convenience. So train or chapel? Let’s find out!

So, what Is a Train ?

A wedding dress train is a piece of fabric that extends from the bridal gown, which flows behind the girl of the hour as she walks down the aisle. Trains come in various styles and designs, and can be modified according to the look the bride wants. They can be attached to the part of the actual dress, the shoulders, over the skirt and can also be designed to be detachable to reveal a completely different look once the train is removed.

The Various Types of Trains

Wedding trains come in various lengths, ranging from extra long to super short. And, with a wide variety of styles, it can be quite hard to figure out which one is the right train for you. Few brides choose to wear dresses without trains, but many love an ethereal look that adds to the wedding dress. Depending on your vision for the wedding day, here are a few popular choices that are chic and trendy:

●        Court Train

●        Sweep Train

●        Chapel Train

●        Watteau Train

●        Cathedral Train

●        Semi Cathedral Train

●        Overskirt Train

●        Royal Train

Court Train

A court train is around 10 inches long, and looks spectacular for a casual or outdoor wedding. It sweeps 6 inches off the train on the floor, and steals the spotlight on a breezy day. This style extends from the waist, transforming the gown’s design into a formal yet chic look. The court train looks fabulous with trumpet and mermaid wedding gowns as well as with sheath, A-line and column gowns. The comfortable length ensures a hassle-free experience and creates a more sophisticated look.

Sweep Train

A sweep train is similar to the court train, as it also measures 10 inches and brushes 6 inches along the floor. If you want to keep things simple and short, a sweep train can be the perfect choice for you. It works perfectly with crepe gowns as the fabric does not bustle like chiffon or tulle dresses. Soft, A-line chiffon dresses with natural waistlines as well as mermaid wedding dresses look stunning with this wedding train style.

Chapel Train

A chapel train measures 36 inches and starts 3 feet from the waist, making it a perfect blend of practicality and elegance. This is why the chapel train is one of the most popular train types for wedding gowns. It’s perfect for brides who want the train to be noticeable, but not too flashy. It adds a blend of whimsy and chic to any gown type!

Watteau Train

A watteau train is detachable, making it an unconventional choice. It is a combination of a train as well as a veil as it attaches to the upper back or the shoulder to create a look that is out-of-the-world, without the commitment of wearing an actual train. It can measure to any length - from cathedral to chapel - to suit the type of dress the bride selects for the wedding.

Due to its detachable design, the watteau train Is perfect for outdoor or destination weddings, and it even gives your casual wedding gowns a formal look. The bride can also wear this train for her ceremony, and then remove it to perform a dance number during her reception.

Cathedral Train

A cathedral train measures 6 to 7 feet from the waist, and is the most sought-after look for black-tie weddings, which take place in formal venues. It gives you a dramatic look and enhances the whimsical effect while wearing ball gown wedding dresses. As the cathedral train is quite long, it draws a good amount of attention, so make sure that your bridesmaids are aware of the responsibility of keeping your train in place on your big day to prevent any slipping.

Semi-Cathedral Train

A semi-cathedral train measures somewhere between cathedral and chapel trains. It is approximately 60 inches or 5 feet long from the waist, which makes it ideal for the bride who does not want a full cathedral train. This design looks quite elegant without being too flashy and suits any wedding dress style!

Overskirt Train

An overskirt train is the perfect way to add an elegant look to a dress that is already gorgeous. This design is removable and allows you to instantly transform your look, without going for a different dress, as the skirt can be removed. If you are a bride who loves blending multiple styles, then an overskirt is the perfect addition to your dress, as it performs a function similar to a train, without being the real deal. The length of this train can range from short to too long, depending on your personal preference.

Royal Train

Just as the name states, a royal train is a design for extravagant weddings and elegant looks. At first, this style was mostly seen in royal weddings like Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, but now many celebrities like Anne Hathway have created a buzz wearing the exceptional royal wedding train. It measures approximately 12 feet from your waist and works with any wedding dress designs, including your imaginative wedding dress drawings. So, gear up for a day of royalty if you choose to wear this design.

Tips on Choosing the Right Style

You might have set your eyes on the type of train you would want for your big day, but before you fix the design in your heart, here are a few things to consider:

Bustle

If you want an extra-long wedding dress train, then you are most likely to bustle it to your wedding dress and constantly work on keeping it out of the way until it’s time for the reception. It is ideal that you research and choose the type of bustle that is right for your look, otherwise you will be tripping and stumbling everywhere.

Wedding Venue

When and where will you be getting married? Is it in your parents’ backyard? Is it in a church? Or is it a destination beach wedding? The wedding setting plays a huge role in selecting your wedding train. If you’re planning to get married in a formal setting or inside a church, you can choose a longer and more dramatic train. For destination weddings and outdoor venues, it is safer to go for shorter train styles.

Body Type

While most of the wedding trends work with any body type, there are some options which look spectacular with certain body shapes. For instance, watteau trains are perfect for brides with small shoulders - these can give you a boxy look if you have broad shoulders. If you have a pear-shaped body, you would want to stay away from court or sweep train wedding dresses as they can make your waist look even more heavy. Cathedral, chapel and semi-cathedral trains look perfect on any body shape!

Conclusion

Any kind of wedding train can enhance the elegance of your wedding dress, especially if you go for a train with minute detailing like beads and lace! Even though there are a few standard wedding trends like this, it is not mandatory that you have to choose an exact length of these trains. This list is just to give you an idea, so you can improvise on your wedding dress drawing, and create your ideal wedding dress. 

Wondering how long is too long? While traditional trains have a maximum length of 12 feet, Princess Diana chose a dramatic train which measured 25 feet, and Priyanka Chopra wore a massive train that measured a whopping 70 feet. So, the sky is your limit, girls! 

To make sure that your dream wedding dress looks just like your wedding dress drawings, make sure that you rope in professional fashion manufacturers from Fashinza. Whether you are a bride yourself or you own a bridal boutique and your clients have crazy ideas, Fashinza provides you with apparel and clothings to make a fairy-tale wedding dress fit for a queen!