Instead of letting your wedding dress gather dust in the attic in the hope that you can pass it on to your daughter in around 30 years, many brides are deciding to wear it one last time for an eccentric photo session known as �Trash the Dress�. By Amy Croffey
‘Trash the dress’, the fearless bride or ‘rock the frock’ is a style of wedding photography that first started in America, but has become popular with wedding photographers and brides in Ireland.
It is a far cry from traditional wedding photographs and ones you might decide not to hang over the mantelpiece, but these images are certainly something you and your husband will enjoy taking, as you will feel much more relaxed for a trash the dress shoot than you will on your big day.
They are the perfect opportunity to add different styles to your wedding photos as you have more time than on the day of your wedding. They also allow you to get into situations at some unusual locations that you would not dare try on your big day.
Photographer Ruth Foran says: “I find that before the wedding some brides think they would never go for a trash the dress shoot, but when the wedding is all over and there is a real feeling of anti-climax because the wedding dress is left hanging in a wardrobe, they think, ah sure, why not?”
ImageS by Ruth Foran Photography
Not all brides “trash” their dress. Some decide to only get them wet or dirty by rolling in a field of mud or wading through a river. A professional cleaning service can then restore the dress, enabling the bride to preserve it or donate it to charity. Other brides decide to totally trash it beyond recognition, by burning or painting it.
Rather than trashing your own wedding dress, you could consider buying a cheap dress off the rack and trash that instead. If your husband wants to get in on the act, he should consider getting some less formal clothes than his wedding suit.
Image by Kyle Hepp Photography
If you want to include a bouquet, have a new one delivered to you from your florist or use one of your bridesmaid’s bouquets. You could also pick up some beautiful flowers from your florist and decide to try your hand at some DIY. However, most brides go without bouquets.
You could also extend your hotel stay and shoot the photographs in your wedding reception room or suite. By doing so, you can also get some alternative ‘getting ready shots’ in the hotel room!
Most brides do their own hair and make-up for the shoot, but if you prefer ask your hairdresser and make-up artist for a special wedding package price that includes both your wedding day and a trash the dress shoot.
Talk to your photographer about the photographs that you would like. They might have some great ideas that will lead to dramatic, interesting, unconventional, creative and artistic photographs. The photographer might need you to kiss, laugh, dance or jump on command, so make sure you improvise. Do not be afraid to try new things. The more bizarre the photos are the better.
Image by Kyle Perison Photography
To some brides a trash the dress shoot sounds like a nightmare. After hunting for the dress, pouring over magazines, traipsing through bridal shops, dieting, exercising, taking things in and letting things out to create the perfect look for your walk up the aisle. For other brides, a trash the dress shoot helps preserves every inch of beloved beading and lace. It also acts as the final farewell to the dress rather than packing it up for storage or selling it on eBay.
Image by Jeremy Hiebert Photography
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