Summary
- Wedding dress bustles transition a wedding gown’s train to floor length
- The type of bustle depends on the style, fabric, and train length of your wedding dress
- The most common bustles are the American, French, and Ballroom
- The Wristlet bustle requires no hooks or buttons, it loops around the wrist
- Be prepared with an emergency kit to repair or pin the bustle if it breaks
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Wedding Dress Bustles – Explained
Now that you have said yes to your dream wedding dress, the next step is wedding dress alterations. At your first fitting, your seamstress will pin the dress for the perfect fit. You will choose the right type of bustle for your gown style.
The right choice of wedding dress bustles depend on:
- the silhouette of the dress
- the fabric
- the train length
- your preference
What Is The Purpose Of A Bustle?
A bustle transitions your wedding gown train to floor length.
A long train adds to the beauty of your gown, makes a grand entrance, and will give you beautiful wedding photos. For your wedding reception, however, your train will need to be bustled to allow for moving freely on the dance floor and mingling with your guests without dragging a long train behind all evening. Without a bustle, your train will be stepped on, get caught on chairs, and sweep the floor all night.
Different dresses require different types of bustles. Your seamstress will show you the right bustle options for yours. At your first fitting, he/she will pin your bustle so you can see what it will look like.
How Are Wedding Dress Bustles Made?
A bustle is made by adding a series of hooks, buttons, or ribbons to the back of the dress.
Because the bustle is on the back of the gown, you will need your maids to help with this task. It is advised that you have your maid of honor or several of your bridesmaids to attend your final fitting and allow the bridal seamstress to show them how it is done.
If it is a complicated bustle, the hardest part will be remembering how to do it. We suggest taking a video at the final dress fitting for easy reference! This is very important to bustle the train of the gown correctly because your photographer will take photos of the back of your dress and it needs to look perfect!
What Is Best For My Gown?
American Bustle
Also known as an over bustle because the fabric is lifted and hooked over the skirt. This one will have hooks or buttons on the outside of the skirt, hidden in the intricate details of the gown (like lace or beading), so as not to be visible when fan out. These bustle pick-up points are usually placed at the waist line, although may be spaced at different levels depending on the length of your train. This style works well for longer trains and will have a number of points of attachment to ensure the proper length.
French Bustle
The French bustle is really the reverse of the American bustle. Also known as an under bustle, this ensures that there are not hooks or buttons visible on the outside of the gown when your train is fanned out. French bustle styles give a seamless look to gowns in crepe and satin fabrics by sewing a series of buttons underneath the gown instead of on the outside of the dress. It works well for gowns in column, sheath, fit & flare, and mermaid silhouettes. It is also advised for dresses with smaller trains and clean lines on the back.
Ballroom Bustle
This bustle transforms the dress silhouette from the back, essentially making the train disappear. With a ballroom bustle, it doesn’t even look like the dress has been bustled at all, but rather gives the illusion that it was a floor-length gown all along. To create a ballroom bustle, multiple bustle points are sewn around the bodice, and the fabric folds into itself delicately. This style, however, is typically the most expensive given that more bustle points need to be sewn in.
Wedding Dress Bustles: The Wristlet
Of all the various styles of bustles, this is the easiest one there is. No need for assistance from your bridal party! Also known as a wrist loop, these simple bustles have a loop that attaches to your wrist and you will physically lift your train yourself. This is a popular choice for dresses with lightweight flowy fabrics and/or simple trains.
Note: This is not the best bustle option for gowns with heavier fabrics or full skirts.
What If My Bustle Breaks?
Bustles can break. No matter how carefully your seamstress stitches your bustle, there’s always a possibility that it can break. Wedding dresses can be very heavy, and you’re relying on a few delicate bustle points to hold the whole operation in place while dancing, walking, and mingling.
So what if your bustle breaks on your wedding day? Be prepared!
Prepare for the worst case scenario by having safety pins of all sizes, a sewing needle, and clear fishing line on hand in your emergency kit in the bridal suite. If your wedding dress was bustled with ribbons and one of them comes loose, a bridesmaid can sew the ribbon back into the dress with the clear fishing line. If the problem is more complicated, you can pin the dress together at the broken bustle point with an oversized safety pin.
How Much Do Wedding Dress Bustles Cost?
The final price will depend on how many bustle points and what type of bustle you need. Bustling ball gowns with numerous pick-up points will be more expensive than a smaller silhouette. There are different ways to bustle certain dresses.
It is your personal preference what to choose with your seamstress. In general, the cost of adding a bustle to your wedding dress ranges between $50 to $250+. Don’t forget to add that cost to your overall wedding dress budget.
More Bustling Information & Options
When trying on dresses at your bridal appointment, your bridal stylist will be able to show you different wedding dress bustles for each dress you try. Remember some can be cumbersome and heavy. If you are concerned, there are ways to get the drama without having a long train, which will require a heavier bustle.
The best way to do this is to have a dress with a shorter train, and wear a cathedral or royal length veil. The veil is worn for the wedding ceremony and photographs, and removed for the first dance and reception celebration. This way you have a lightweight bustle, with the extra flair of a veil with ornate designs or pearls and crystals!
There are also detachable trains and over skirts that would be removed and therefore not require bustling. There are many ways to make your bridal gown your own and be perfect for your big day. See our video for additional details and learn more about types of wedding dress bustles.
About Us
Darianna® Bridal & Tuxedo is owned by Franco and Wendy Salerno. We founded the store in January, 2013 with a mission of running an honest, kind, and family-oriented bridal and tuxedo business. The name is a combination of our two daughters, Daria and Deanna. Today, our business is a Bucks County staple and the go-to place for wedding attire. Our long-time employees are kind, genuine, and truly part of the family. The lasting relationships we have made with customers, vendors, and designers are something we are truly grateful for.
Nationally Recognized, Locally Loved
Our store received national recognition in July, 2025 on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. In 2024, Darianna® Bridal & Tuxedo was named a Top 100 Small Business in America by the US Chamber of Commerce. We have been featured by Apple.com, ABC National News, TLC’s “Say Yes: Wedding SOS”, the Wall Street Journal, Square, and Axios. We surpassed 1,000 Google reviews with a 4.9 rating, and are listed in the Knot’s “Hall of Fame”.
Locally, we are active members of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, the Montco Gateway Chamber of Commerce (formerly the Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce), and the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce serving on committees and as board members. Franco was Treasurer, Executive Committee member and a Board member of the Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce and their 2024 Mitchell-Conner award winner. He was also a board member of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce for many years. Wendy is a former Chair of the Women In Business, awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in 2023, and named a 2025 Bucks County Parent Woman of Influence. Daria is a former wish granter for the Make-A-Wish® foundation. We proudly partner with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Angel Gowns, Wish Upon A Wedding, and donate to local schools and community band, choir, and theater programs.