Advice for involving horses in wedding

[Hillary_Indiana]

OK, I had my heart set on my fiance and I riding off after our wedding (instead of the normal get away "car") Anyway my dress is kind of "form fitted" and I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to get my leg up over the horse without hiking my dress way up (yikes!)

So, what are my options?

Put some tights on to ride?
I've also been thinking along the lines of a buggy/carriage but we haven't trained the horses to pull one--not to mention the fact that we don't have one. I've thought about trying to find some kind of buggy hiring service...but I don't want to spend alot of money on this that's for sure. I'm sure it'd cost an arm and a leg to have one bring all their stuff out just to do the 10 minute ride

Thanks for any thoughts.
Hillary

BTW, wedding is Memorial Day weekend at an old country church. (just to give you the setting)

 

[chippie]

There are carriage services that do weddings without costing an arm and a leg. You shouldn't have a difficult time finding one. Check in the yellow pages or google it including your state/area.

If you choose to ride your horses at the end, you had better practice first so that your horse doesn't spook at your dress billowing around it.

I've been to outdoor weddings where the bride and groom were mounted the entire service (vows, etc...) The bride and groom were dressed 1890s style clothing. It was pretty neat.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Rode up on a friends horse for my wedding. I was in a princess style dress and was mounted side saddle.
There is a picture in a bar of our friend riding this same horse around the arena with him wearing a red and white checked tablecloth tied around his waist. He was getting the horse used to my skirt. we couldn't find a side saddle so we used a western saddle with a short horn.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Here's a pic. I had to use the picnic table to mount the horse.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Here's a second pic.

 

[Hillary_Indiana]

Thanks for the advice guys--I'm going to give the carriage services a call. If we do decide to ride, I will definitely practice. Thanks for the pictures

 

[turn&burn92]

You could always go sidesaddle! lol

 

[spinandslide]

My husband and I were mounted on our horses for our entire wedding ceremony. He wore and 1800's duster and my dress was western themed. I had it princess cut(I was 5 months pregnant) and it helped me be able to side astride. I also rode bareback (a friend of mine at the time rode the same way at her wedding)
At the end of ceremony, My husband took my horse's leadrope and "led me off"..

It was interesting enough we made the local papers!

 

[diamondn]

Well we had horses in our wedding. Groomsmen and ring bear rode in on horse back and myself and brides maids came in by hay wagon pulled by team of percherons.

Great fun.