train at outdoor wedding

jules3964

Hi ladies! Our ceremony is outdoors and involves pathways with wooden stairs, gravel, and the paths are surrounded by lots of plants/foliage. I'm concerned about the train of my dress dragging and getting dirty. Originally I did not want a dress with a train, but found it very hard to find any that I liked. The dress I fell in love with and bought has a train (see pic) but I'm contemplating having it removed with alterations.

What do you all think? How do other outdoor-ceremony brides keep their dress from getting dirty? Will it be obvious and show in photos? Should I just have them cut it off and be done with it?

Sugargirl1019

If it does get dirty, it shouldn't be noticeable .

Other girls bustle it immediately for the ceremony.

Please don't cut it off though!

SmileDamnit

I'm of no real help as I went train-less with my dress but I would think bustling it, as Sugargirl, suggested would be helpful if you're worried about it getting dirty.

jules3964

Would it be weird to bustle it for the ceremony, too, though? That seems weird to me. 

But maybe.

manateehugger

I was a BM in an outdoor wedding a little bit ago, and we just helped carry the dress around and/or bustled it in between picture sites (shoot for a simple bustle if you want to go this route). Do you have a mom or sister who could help out?

She came down the aisle with it unbustled. Honestly, she did have a couple small grass stains on it before the ceremony, but I doubt anyone noticed. The only reason I did is because I was helping to carry the train around. 

doeydo

I would just leave it as is and bustle it after the ceremony (you might get a few grass stains or dirt on it by then anyways, but it probably won't be very noticeable) but I personally don't like the way bustles look.  Or, you could have your seamstress remove the train.  Do you like the train/might regret cutting it off?

jules3964

@doeydo I can't decide if I'd miss the train, although most people act like I'm crazy when I talk about having it removed. So maybe I would miss it. But I generally like to keep things simple, so the whole idea of the train always sounded too complicated to me anyway! But most wedding dresses seem to have them.

@PDKH That's a good idea, although we're not having a bridal party. I suppose my mom or sister could still help me get to the "aisle" (which is a pathway with gradual stairs that go down to the ceremony site). I guess one of my main concerns is picking up stray twigs/leaves along the way, haha.

manateehugger

jules3964 said:

@doeydo I can't decide if I'd miss the train, although most people act like I'm crazy when I talk about having it removed. So maybe I would miss it. But I generally like to keep things simple, so the whole idea of the train always sounded too complicated to me anyway! But most wedding dresses seem to have them.

@PDKH That's a good idea, although we're not having a bridal party. I suppose my mom or sister could still help me get to the "aisle" (which is a pathway with gradual stairs that go down to the ceremony site). I guess one of my main concerns is picking up stray twigs/leaves along the way, haha.

If someone's helping you with the train, this shouldn't be too much of an issue. Then it's not much different than wearing a big dress anyway (which you'll be doing - train or no train). If someone can just help you get to the top, you should be golden.

And if it's stairs, you can just ask someone if they can make sure there's nothing obvious laying around before the show gets rolling. Honestly, we wondered around on a wooden deck with ivy and plants all around and in wet grass, and her dress didn't get too roughed up, and no leaves or twigs.

Trains are silly in reality, but I know I would miss mine (mostly because I'm shallow and I think they look fantastic in pictures).

QueerFemme

My dress went over concrete and grass. It was fine. You dress will get a little dirty. But it won't be a big deal unless the grass is wet

Dignity100

I originally didn't want a train as I'm having an outdoor wedding.  Every sales consultant I talked to told me not to cut the train and if I really didn't want it to consider a permanent bustle instead.  I have since changed my mind and wish to show off my train at my wedding and just bustle it after pictures.

selenathegreat

LOL, I was expecting an actual train and was picturing a whole bridal party riding around on it. Ditto PPs, I would just get a little help with it and not worry too much. I think it's too pretty to cut off!

tortoisebride

Me too, Selena. I thought it was going to be like this. Oh well!

Maggie0829

Whether you get married inside or out your dress will get dirty but mostly just underneath where no one will see it.  Just have someone help you to your starting position for the ceremony and you should be fine.  My MOH (also my sis) helped to carry around my train as we took pictures and then she bustled it before the reception.

Unless you have a super simple one point bustle I do not suggest bustling then unbustling and then rebustling multiple times.  Bustles can be a pain the ass with all those strings and buttons and hooks and whatever else they use.

countrygirl061513

I had an outdoor wedding for my first wedding with a train. The underside got dirty but nothing was visible on the part that people could see. I think you will be fine leaving the train down for the ceremony and then bustling it for the reception.

[Deleted User]

What about using a runner on the isle?

Maggie0829

Erikan73 said:

What about using a runner on the isle?

I would not suggest an aisle runner. They are huge tripping hazards especially for outdoor weddings where ground is uneven and heels can easily tear right through.

jules3964

Yeah, a runner won't work anyway for the part I'm most concerned about (which involves a pathway with steps). I can't imagine a runner looking good with that, and would take away from the beauty of the venue.

ETA: Thanks ladies for all of your advice! I'm just going to have someone help me get to the starting position for the ceremony and then not worry about it getting dirty. Then I'll have someone help bustle it after photos. (The more I think about it, the more I really want the train for photos!)

Sugargirl1019

Maggie0829 said:

Erikan73 said:

What about using a runner on the isle?

I would not suggest an aisle runner. They are huge tripping hazards especially for outdoor weddings where ground is uneven and heels can easily tear right through.
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Unrelated to the thread, but I just want to second this. I was a BM in an outdoor wedding that had a burlap aisle runner. My heels pokes holes in it the entire way and I even stumbled a couple times. Totally embarrassing..

lovesclimbing

I was at an outdoor wedding once where the dress was bustled the entire time. I thought it looked fine. If you're worried about the bustle looking weird, you can always have a "Ballroom bustle."  I looked up types, and supposedly this one makes it look like you have no train.

penelope4612

I would ask your seamstress what type of bustle you'd need.  Mine told me I will only need a 1 point bustle.  I similarly have a longish walk to the aisle, on a path outside.  I was thinking of having my maid of honor unbustle my dress when I arrive at the "alter" (I don't know what it's called if there's not really an alter) and lay my train out nicely.  Should be easy enough if it's really a 1 point bustle, but I guess we'll have to revisit that idea once my dress is done.

Sugargirl1019

penelope4612 said:

I would ask your seamstress what type of bustle you'd need.  Mine told me I will only need a 1 point bustle.  I similarly have a longish walk to the aisle, on a path outside.  I was thinking of having my maid of honor unbustle my dress when I arrive at the "alter" (I don't know what it's called if there's not really an alter) and lay my train out nicely.  Should be easy enough if it's really a 1 point bustle, but I guess we'll have to revisit that idea once my dress is done.

That's a super interesting idea! I'd love to see different kinds of bustles to make that not awkward.. Even though mine is a 3 pt bustle, you have to bring the train of the dress completely up to get to the underside ties. I wouldn't want my guests looking at the underneath of my dress and possibly my bottom haha.

CamiSelene

I'm having an outdoor wedding as well and I'll just be doing as PPs suggested, having someone help me carry my train as we get to the aisle and going from point a to point b for pictures since my dress will have multiple bustle points. All trains get a little dirty anyways, It will most likely be in areas that are barely noticeable though and will come out when you get your dress professionally cleaned. I'd keep the train, if I were you. One of my friends just lifted her dress and carried her train herself. Hahaha

andreamarie3615

You could always use an aisle runner. If you like the train, then keep it and let it be. In the chance that the ground is extra dirty or muddy the day of then bustle the dress before the ceremony. It's possible that the venue (or your parents if they helped pay for the dress) would sweet the aisle before the ceremony. I suggest an under bustle just in case your dress does get dirty, that way guests won't see the dirt during the reception.