Anybody have experience w/removing a train? Good? Bad?

Julie2013

I'm planning a 15 yr vow renewal for my hubby and me. It'll be mostly a formal dinner party that we kick off with the Hand Ceremony (reworded to exchange new rings), preferably in the same banquet hall/room in which we intend to be eating. If you can envision that, you might see what I mean about a train. I won't be walking down an isle to show one off like so many of you lovely brides. I'm pretty sure I'd just end up tripping over it as I table hop to chat. Or my nephew will be playing peekaboo in it. LOL  I don't have a problem with the wedding-ish look for vow renewals, but the hubs and I are going for a bit less of a just-married look and I've seen some nice gowns that would be more our style if they just didn't have a train.

So, I'm curious if anybody out there has found a beautiful dress for your event but had the train removed. If so, did it hang right after it was altered? Or was the drap of the gown thrown off in a way you wished you just picked a different gown?

Thanks.
Julie

timsflower81

I had my train removed from my bridal gown.   It was a bit costly but well worth it to me.  My dress is a perfect length and you would never know it used to have a train by looking at it.   I think it is really going to depend on the dress, material and detail.  Mine was layers of chiffon - no beading, or fancy anything - just multiple layers.   

My dress is Alfred Angelo #2100:

kd.joseph

It may be cheaper to find the dress you want and just have it bustled throughout the day.

artbyallie

Ditto kd

naomikb

It totally depends on the dress.  If there is edging around the bottom, lace, details around the train then it will be tougher to remove the train without it looking weird.  If you get a plain bottomed dress it will be much easier.

Alternatively just look for a dress with no train.  Look in the "destination" or "beach wedding" sections, or get a bridesmaid dress and order it in white/ivory.

GettingMarried122

Ugh I hate trains.... Im planning on taking off the train of my dress but hae no idea that I would be difficult. Let us know when you bring it to a steamstress what they say.

Julie2013

Timsflower, thanks for telling me your experience! Such a lovely dress, too!

Kd.joseph and artbyallie, I think bustling it would add more than I want to my already ample backside! LOL

Naomikb,I agree that the dress would have to have an unadorned hem if I wanted to remove the train and I'm ok with that. I agree it would be better to find a gown I like with no train and I'm still looking. Thankfully, I've got plenty of time.  

I really appreciate all your input! Thank you!

Julie

sbradke

I will be seeing my seamstress next week and asking her to remove the train on my dress. I'll try to remember to report back.

Julie2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_anybody-have-experience-wremoving-a-train-good-bad?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:6708ea34-6771-4072-a592-b1f3f1c9ae6bPost:25ecfe65-3514-40cd-95a3-7d22fc560ec3">Re: Anybody have experience w/removing a train? Good? Bad?</a>:
[QUOTE]Ugh I hate trains.... Im planning on taking off the train of my dress but hae no idea that I would be difficult. Let us know when you bring it to a steamstress what they say.
Posted by GettingMarried122[/QUOTE]

GettingMarried, if I go that route, I'll come back to say what my experience was, for sure! :)  I don't have one picked out yet, though.  The hunt is on!

Julie

Julie2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_anybody-have-experience-wremoving-a-train-good-bad?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:6708ea34-6771-4072-a592-b1f3f1c9ae6bPost:4ea62ba8-7ff8-4ce7-b812-64f353260f4d">Re: Anybody have experience w/removing a train? Good? Bad?</a>:
[QUOTE]I will be seeing my seamstress next week and asking her to remove the train on my dress. I'll try to remember to report back.
Posted by sbradke[/QUOTE]

Thanks, sbradke! :-)

Julie

ginadog

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_anybody-have-experience-wremoving-a-train-good-bad?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:6708ea34-6771-4072-a592-b1f3f1c9ae6bPost:a273b85d-c6d3-4939-9514-84ce1678eee1">Anybody have experience w/removing a train? Good? Bad?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm planning a 15 yr vow renewal for my hubby and me. It'll be mostly a formal dinner party that we kick off with the Hand Ceremony (reworded to exchange new rings), preferably in the same banquet hall/room in which we intend to be eating. If you can envision that, you might see what I mean about a train. I won't be walking down an isle to show one off like so many of you lovely brides. I'm pretty sure I'd just end up tripping over it as I table hop to chat. Or my nephew will be playing peekaboo in it. LOL  I don't have a problem with the wedding-ish look for vow renewals, but the hubs and I are going for a bit less of a just-married look and I've seen some nice gowns that would be more our style if they just didn't have a train. So, I'm curious if anybody out there has found a beautiful dress for your event but had the train removed. If so, did it hang right after it was altered? Or was the drap of the gown thrown off in a way you wished you just picked a different gown? Thanks. Julie
Posted by Julie2013[/QUOTE]

I agree it depends on the gown.  I had a gown that was lace with a very detailed scalloped lace applique as a hem and that would have been a PITA to remove by hand then to reattache after the hemming.  I am just selling the dress instead!

scstar17

Oooh I'm having mine removed.  I have the Maggie Sottero Presca - just got it in this week at the shop.  I hope mine isn't too difficult, and I dont' want to bustle because I want to take off some of the weight from this heavy dress.

Julie2013

Ginadog, I don't blame ya! LOL

Scstar, I googled that dress and it's beautiful! Would you mind coming back and telling us if removing the train changed it the way you wanted without messing up the way it drapes and hangs?

Julie

scstar17

Sure - I'm scheduling my first fitting for the end of August/beginning of September and I'll share then.  No one at my shop seemed to think it would be a problem since the pattern repeats from the feet down the train. 

Here is a photo of the train my mom took the other day:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e304/sc_star17/photo2.jpg

The only different that could hapen is the 'eyelashes' of the ends won't be there on the back bottom. 

Julie2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_anybody-have-experience-wremoving-a-train-good-bad?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:6708ea34-6771-4072-a592-b1f3f1c9ae6bPost:fde18344-305b-4ca3-9e4f-c1df86bb4d23">Re: Anybody have experience w/removing a train? Good? Bad?</a>:
[QUOTE]Sure - I'm scheduling my first fitting for the end of August/beginning of September and I'll share then.  No one at my shop seemed to think it would be a problem since the pattern repeats from the feet down the train.  Here is a photo of the train my mom took the other day: <a href="http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e304/sc_star17/photo2.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e304/sc_star17/photo2.jpg</a> <strong>The only different that could hapen is the 'eyelashes' of the ends won't be there on the back bottom</strong>. 
Posted by scstar17[/QUOTE]

I admit that when I looked up the dress you were talking about, I was curious how they were going to deal with the hem being lacy like that. I can't wait to see the results! :)

Julie

cwestra

I'm having the train taken off of my dress - it's very simple A-line dress, no embellishments on the bottom. Once my seamstress saw the dress, she said that it would be no problem at all. Because the back of the dress has more material all the way down to flow into the train (a wider angle, basically), there will be slightly more material in the back than in the front. She said this won't look wierd and will actually make the altered dress look more elegant than a similar dress that didin't originally have a train - basically because it will still flow a little like a train.

I haven't had the work done yet, so I can't give solid evidence based on fact, but I'm going ahead with this plan. I never wanted a train, but the dress I loved came with one. I'm not going to make myself deal with it all night! 

Molly&Andy

I had my first fitting a week ago and my seamstress cut my train off.  There wasn't any beading or anything, just chiffon and two thin layers underneather.  I actually think it would look weird with a bustle.  
Like PP said, I'll try to remember to check back in next month after my second fitting.

kschess

I just had my first fitting last week and they cut the train off no problem. It was a plain train though so I'm sure that helped. The first bridal shop I went to last year said they would not cut off the train. I made sure to purchase my dress from somewhere that would do this. Good luck!

Julie2013

Thanks for the input, cwestra, Molly&Andy, and kschess! Can't wait to hear how it goes for those waiting!

Julie

TiffiArt

I feel the same way about the train as you but I am a seamstress so I am just making my own dress because removing a train can actually screw up a dress that already had one, even if you pick one without embellishments at the hem the back is still built in a very different way than a dress without a train. there are two things that I would reccomend:

A) go with a tea-length dress, they are very fashionable and sweet and would go very well with your more laid-back vow renewal
look for somthing that is more statue-esque, something that hugs the body, there are a lot of gowns out there right now that have little or no train in that style and if it does have a small train it will be much easier to remove without making the whole dress look funky

But whatever of style dress you do choose, make sure you tell the stylist at the bridal salon that you do not want a train before she brings you dresses to try on, this will guarenntee you find something you love that will either be trainless or easy to alter. But be wary, they all work on commission and want to sell you the most expensive gown - which are always the big ones with lots of fabric and lace/beading, etc - so they may tell you that it won't be a problem to remove the train and then it will  either cost you more than the dress to have it removed or it will end up hanging very strange in the back. So be very firm about what you want and if you know anyone who sews take them with you! I went dress shopping with my friend because she wanted the same thing and they kept trying to get her into dresses that would look terrible with the train removed because in her case the stylist just didn't know anything about construction and just assumed that the train could just be removed from anything!

Julie2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_anybody-have-experience-wremoving-a-train-good-bad?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:6708ea34-6771-4072-a592-b1f3f1c9ae6bPost:635386d1-8638-4532-91da-51885c28fdf7">Re: Anybody have experience w/removing a train? Good? Bad?</a>:
[QUOTE]I feel the same way about the train as you but I am a seamstress so I am just making my own dress because removing a train can actually screw up a dress that already had one, even if you pick one without embellishments at the hem the back is still built in a very different way than a dress without a train. there are two things that I would reccomend: A) go with a tea-length dress, they are very fashionable and sweet and would go very well with your more laid-back vow renewal B) look for somthing that is more statue-esque, something that hugs the body, there are a lot of gowns out there right now that have little or no train in that style and if it does have a small train it will be much easier to remove without making the whole dress look funky But whatever of style dress you do choose, make sure you tell the stylist at the bridal salon that you do not want a train before she brings you dresses to try on, this will guarenntee you find something you love that will either be trainless or easy to alter. But be wary, they all work on commission and want to sell you the most expensive gown - which are always the big ones with lots of fabric and lace/beading, etc - so they may tell you that it won't be a problem to remove the train and then it will  either cost you more than the dress to have it removed or it will end up hanging very strange in the back. So be very firm about what you want and if you know anyone who sews take them with you! I went dress shopping with my friend because she wanted the same thing and they kept trying to get her into dresses that would look terrible with the train removed because in her case the stylist just didn't know anything about construction and just assumed that the train could just be removed from anything!
Posted by TiffiArt[/QUOTE]

That's what I was worried about, TittiArt. I sew as a hobby. And I know just enough about it to know I'm not going to touch the alterations! Leaving them to the pros! But I have altered less important clothes that just didn't hang as they should afterward. Or tried to make a bigger item of clothing fit a much smaller person and it just wasn't quite right.


Julie

sbradke

I went to my first fitting today and my seamstress said it would be no problem removing my train.  There no ornamentation on it.  The skirt kinda assymtrically pleats from the waist but the pleats disappear by the time they hit the floor so it's OK.  I'll see on August 22 if this was a good idea.  Fingers crossed. 

Julie2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_anybody-have-experience-wremoving-a-train-good-bad?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:6708ea34-6771-4072-a592-b1f3f1c9ae6bPost:6ddc8616-ccd3-4ab5-b146-2bf198597ec8">Re: Anybody have experience w/removing a train? Good? Bad?</a>:
[QUOTE]I went to my first fitting today and my seamstress said it would be no problem removing my train.  There no ornamentation on it.  The skirt kinda assymtrically pleats from the waist but the pleats disappear by the time they hit the floor so it's OK.  I'll see on August 22 if this was a good idea.  Fingers crossed. 
Posted by sbradke[/QUOTE]

What a beautiful dress! My fingers are crossed for you!

Julie

Peledreamsofrain

Alterationists can work a lot of magic, but there are a ton of styles out there that don't have trains.

I really like the earlier suggestion of tea-length dresses.  Why accrue the extra cost and effort if you can avoid it by just buying a dress that fits your needs right at the starting gate.  Good call!

Julie2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_anybody-have-experience-wremoving-a-train-good-bad?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:6708ea34-6771-4072-a592-b1f3f1c9ae6bPost:8aa491e9-77cd-4706-bbe4-f724134d4ef6">Re: Anybody have experience w/removing a train? Good? Bad?</a>:
[QUOTE]Alterationists can work a lot of magic, but there are a ton of styles out there that don't have trains. I really like the earlier suggestion of tea-length dresses.  Why accrue the extra cost and effort if you can avoid it by just buying a dress that fits your needs right at the starting gate.  Good call!
Posted by Peledreamsofrain[/QUOTE]

Plan A is definitely to buy a dress that fits the bill without removing a train. Removing a train from a dress I like everything else about is Plan B. Well, that is, if it seems others have had decent experiences doing that! lol 

As for tea-length, I'd prefer a long gown for this occasion. There aren't many opportunities in my social circle to wear a long, formal dress, so I plan to enjoy this one. I'm not hung up on color or style, just that it be a long dress.

Julie

sbradke

So my train was removed and the dress looks great. No problems!

Julie2013

That's wonderful, sbradke!! Thanks for coming back and telling us, too!

Julie