Top train styles for wedding dresses every bride should know

Why is bridal train style so popular in Nigeria? What is the perfect length for the bridal train and what is the most brilliant way to pick the bridal train? Learn more about it in our article below.

Bridal train styles are a huge thing in Nigeria. Ladies from all over the country pick this tradition for their wedding. Given the popularity it has in the state, new variations and styles emerge out there. It is a beautiful and trendy thing. Therefore, we have decided to introduce you to it in this article. So, meet everything you need to know about this tradition.

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So, let’s see what one has to know about this beautiful tradition, the colors brides choose for their dresses as well as different little details which they should take into accounts when considering this for their Big Day. Thus, if you are a bride or helping a bride with making up her mind, then this article is for you.

What is a bridal train?

It is very simple. In fact, it is a piece of cloth which is attached to the lower part of one’s wedding dress. It stays behind the bride when she is walking. Now all brides opt for wearing such a thing because some might view it as an impractical thing. The train might get dirty after taking long walks, especially in the wooded or grassy areas.

Nevertheless, it is a beautiful tradition, and it looks incredibly stylish with almost any dress. The length of the train might vary depending on the taste of the one wearing it as well as the style of the wedding it is worn for. And we are about to present you different types of trains which either used to exist in the older times or still exist now.

Bridal train tradition

The thing is that it is not a new trend or anything. This tradition roots back to the Middle Ages as some people claim. At that time, people believed that the longer the train is, the higher is the rank of a person wearing this dress. For this reason, daughters and members of royal families used to wear dresses with very long trains.

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Some brides used to wear such gowns as it helped them stand out from a huge crowd of bridesmaids who looked a lot alike the bride herself. The Maid of Honor whom the bride selected carefully had one of the main responsibilities which made her different from the rest of the ladies on her “team”: she was supposed to make sure that a long train of a bridal dress looked nice before the ceremony. So, she had to walk around her and organize all the pleats in a nice semi-circle.

Women also found it difficult to dance when wearing such dresses, so they came up with an idea of wearing a bustle which allowed them to move freely. So, instead of sitting the whole evening being “chained” with a huge but beautiful wedding dress, women got their hands free and could dance the whole night. The bustles were attached in such a way that they were not seen anywhere around.

Later on, the brides decided to step away from this tradition, as it caused them some trouble along the way given how difficult it was sometimes to move freely and enjoy the wedding day. So, more and more women decided to cut the expenses on such a dress, so they have opted for smaller dresses, equally beautiful but in a different style.

Today, as the times have changed so much, brides choose to have whatever dress they want, so some choose to wear dresses of this style. It is for them that we want to explain how this style works after all.

Different bridal train dresses and styles

Women from all over the world used to wear dresses made with such trains. So, depending on the area it emerged at as well as local culture and traditions, we now know at least four main train styles and around the same amount of unofficial styles.

They all differ in length as well as the occasions they were commonly worn too. So, let’s start exploring each one of them.

Sweep

This style is basically the shortest one among the rest. It only is around 15 centimeters long. So, brides who want to dance a lot, or who planned a photo shoot outside should definitely choose this dress. The thing is that it won’t cause you much trouble but will make you look gorgeous in a stylish wedding dress like this. In fact, it is one of the latest bridal train styles in Nigeria, as more practical ladies opt for it.

If you are thinking about getting a dress like this, then bear in mind another good thing about such train: it won’t get dirty after you walk a lot in the grass which is the case for most couples unless they ordered a photo shoot in the Arctic desert.

So, the first bridal train you should know about is called “sweep.”

Chapel

As you can understand from its title, such trains are a popular choice for the brides who have their traditional wedding at a chapel. The train cloth goes as long as almost 40 centimeters, so it looks breathtaking but still does not cause any troubles. Thus, ladies wearing such bridal train style for the wedding look extremely elegant but don’t have to wear long heavy trains the whole day.

Cathedral

The third bridal train style is known as the Cathedral. It might be as long as half a meter. Given that this train style might hinder one’s movements, some women choose to have their dresses with an individual removable train. It eases the dances and moving a lot while gives the bride a chance to look extraordinarily at the ceremony and during the photo shoot.

Monarch

This bridal train is the longest one on our list. It might be a whole yard long. It looks like a royal gown. For such gowns, people normally had special flower girls who carried the train and helped them walk both down the aisle and after the ceremony. Some people opt to have such trains dismantable, as otherwise, they will hardly get to walk without troubles. Meanwhile, other brides choose to have a different dress for the celebration which comes right after this.

Even though this is an extensive list of different bridal gown styles, there are still several more ones in between the ones we mentioned above. Thus, there is a notion of the semi-cathedral which is not as long as the cathedral but is definitely longer than the chapel style.

There is also a panel bridal train which comes in between the first two on our lists. Typically, it comes separately from the dress, but if the bride desires, she can attach it to the dress again. It does not come long but looks very elegant. The good thing about it is that it can be made separately even after the dress has already been tailored. So, if you have bought a dress without a train, you can always make a train of the same length as a standard “panel” and make it one with the wedding gown.

Another option here is called “Watteau.” It is different from other trains. It is worn over the shoulders and goes beyond the bride’s dress. It can be detached and only worn during the ceremony or another part of the celebration in question. It is perfect for emphasizing the slim stature of a girl wearing it as well as for active celebrations.

Hairstyles for bridal train

Depending on the bridal train the bride has chosen, she can also select different hairstyles which go with different types of train depending on what you find appropriate for your occasion. The only restriction here is that your hair must look as glamorous as the gown, so be sure to make everything match and fit in the picture.

For inspiration, you can check some of the images we found online. These ladies love what they do and do it very well. So, why don’t you take their lead?

When not to wear the bridal gown?

They say that it is not appropriate to wear bridal train gown styles in Nigeria in case it is not the first the first wedding of a girl. They say that the white color and the train should only be a decoration to natural and spiritual purity. In other cases, she can wear any colors she wants but avoid wearing the train itself.

Bridal train colors

To put it short, the color of such a decoration should be the same to that of a dress, especially if a girl is wearing something white. However, in case the bride is not wearing white, the only thing she should pay attention to is the meaning behind each color.

To help those of you who do not know such details, we have decided to craft a list of all colors and the meaning behind them.

Blue color stands for the purity and calmness. They say that blue means stability, security or in other words, loyalty.

The other popular choice for a wedding gown color is pink. It stands for child-like purity and naivety. They say that for some people pink stands for the good health, and good life. In other cultures, it stands for the flirtatious personality. It is often chosen by those who see themselves as feminine and kind people.

The black color is not as popular as those mentioned before. However, they are often chosen by brides who love to be elegant at all times as well as by those who want to emphasize on their slimness or anything of that kind.

The red color is often picked as a color for a wedding gown by those who are passionate and deeply in love. Thus, if you are such a personality, then red colors in all its shades can be the best choice. In some cultures, it is the most popular choice for the bridal gown. However, in Nigeria, not too many women choose this color of a dress with a bridal train. So, be careful: if you don’t like to stand out of the crowd, then it might not be your best choice.

Finally, ivory is very popular. The thing is that women who do not like how they look in a white dress might opt for milk or ivory shades, as they are slightly different. It is an excellent choice for those who believe in the meaning behind a color of the gown. The meaning is the same as for the white dresses, so it is perfect for the first wedding.

This is everything you should know about the bridal train colors, styles, and traditions which come with them. One should note these differences in mind when choosing a gown.