For many brides, shopping for a wedding dress is a new experience! There are lots of things to take into consideration when deciding on “the one” – your wedding style, destination, body type and more. While some of the common cuts of wedding dress are quite well known, one aspect of the wedding dress that’s a bit more obscure is the train. In fact, there are several different types of wedding dress trains, so how do you know which one is right for you?

Below, we’ve broken down four different types of wedding dress trains. There is some information about what type of destination wedding each would be most appropriate for, but it’s ultimately up to your desire and taste. Hopefully, you’ll fall in love with a particular style and your train choice can help narrow down the endless beautiful options when it comes to wedding dress shopping! 

Sweep Train

Have you opted for an outdoor or slightly more casual destination wedding? The sweep train is an ideal option for brides who want a simpler look. It’s also less effort logistically, since there’s no bustle to fuss with. The sweep train is the shortest of wedding dress train options and usually brushes about six inches along the floor. 

Watteau Train

Perhaps the most unique of train options is the Watteau. This option would also work wonderfully for an outdoor destination wedding. The train attaches to the top of the dress at the upper-back or shoulders – giving the dress a dramatic look. This is also a great option for fuss-free brides who don’t want to have to hassle with a large or long train as the night goes on. A Watteau train can usually be removed, so you can opt-out after your ceremony or for your reception.

Chapel Train

If you’re unsure about what’s appropriate for your wedding, a chapel train is the perfect option for brides who want to make a style statement, but still want to keep their dress relatively simple. Traditionally, this is the most popular type of train and extends about five feet from the waist. 

Cathedral Train

Want to bring the drama at your destination wedding? A cathedral train is certain to do just that. A cathedral train measures about six or seven feet from the waist and will require some handy bridesmaid assistance. You will definitely need someone on-hand to keep your train in order during pictures and the ceremony and to help you bustle it later on in the day. We wouldn’t really recommend this train option for outdoor destination weddings – especially weddings in the sand. 

The dresses shown here are examples from Alexandra Grecco, Tara Lauren, Julie Vino, Mori Lee and Moonlight Bridal. Do you have additional questions about wedding dresses or destination weddings in general? We’re here to help! Please feel free to reach out to us here at Destination I Do via our social media accounts on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or Facebook. Happy Shopping!

Photos courtesy of (in order of appearance): Tara Lauren (1st), Alexandra Grecco (2nd, 5th & 9th), Julie Vino (3rd & 6th), Morilee by Madeline Gardner (4th & 8th) and Moonlight Bridal (7th, 10th & 11th).