Trash the Dress - Part II

This is a great article I found with such a good explanation about Trash the Dress (TTD), to help me introduce the concept into our area.  The thing I love about this idea is that it's all about making a woman (and sometimes even her groom) feel glamorous for not just a day, but every time she looks on her wall and sees the incredible portrait of herself.


TTD (or Rock the Frock, or Wedding Glamour) photos can be for brides certainly, but why hold to that standard?  I think that a woman who had recently divorced and is about to donate her dress to charity, or a bride that called off her wedding but has a non-returnable dress should be able to get some POSITIVE memories of her gown and have some empowering photos to remind her of who she is.

Seniors are also adopting this trend to get some High Fashion Concept portraits of themselves in their prom dresses that they will never wear again.  What a great way to end their high school days, especially if they bring a boyfriend or group of friends to make the experience even more special for them.

Below the article I posted several examples of TTD that I found from Photographers I respect and admire.  These are to give you an idea of the type of work I'd like to start here on the Oregon Coast.  If this is an experience that you would love to have for yourself, contact me to set up a TTD shoot for yourself!


~ Carrie Grant Photography


WHAT WAS ONCE UNTHINKABLE IS NOW A TREND: GET THAT LILY-WHITE DRESS AND DIRTY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE SAKE OF MEMORIES.


Weddings are very much about tradition for most brides. There are reasons we wear the white dress, go to the church, exchange rings and gather our families around us. But for brides who want to add some punch to those traditions, the national “trash the dress” trend is gaining momentum locally. That means taking that traditional dress to nontraditional places for once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities. It might be gritty, you might get wet and you will certainly take risks. It’s all about an adventurous couple and a creative photographer teaming up for high-fashion, high-fun memory making.

Jeremy Lawson (J. Lawson Photography, 417-499-0399, jlawson photography.com) says he sees two main reactions to the idea of a trash-the-dress shoot, and they both revolve around money. “Some clients say, ‘I paid a lot for this dress, so I might as well get a lot of use out of it,’” he says. “But people who aren’t comfortable with it say, ‘I paid a lot of money for this dress; I don’t want to destroy it!’”

But it’s important to remember that it’s not always about destruction, and it’s never about disrespect. One school of thought is more abstract: If a bride values her vows and wants to stay with her husband forever, then she knows she’ll never need her wedding dress (or any wedding dress) again. So why not let it get a little dirty for the sake of art? It’s the last time in your life you’ll be wearing a white, billowy work of art.

Lawson says trash-the-dress shoots work best on destination-wedding days because the bride and groom don’t have as many friends and family around, and they are out of town and away from their routines. At times like that, it’s easier to get caught up in the moment and be willing to go a little outside your comfort zone. Honeymoons can provide that same kind of freedom. Dori Grinder, marketing director at 417 Magazine, got married in Marshfield in early November and took her gown with her on her honeymoon in Hawaii. While there, she found a local photographer and had a sunset photo shoot while playing in the surf with her new husband, Kevin.

At local weddings, though, Lawson says most trash-the-dress shoots are separate sessions scheduled after the wedding day, when brides don’t have to worry about keeping the gown clean. “You have to understand,” Lawson says, “that when you see this great photography in a magazine, the people wearing the dress have to go through a lot to get that picture. It’s more risky, and you get a little dirty.” Plus, he says, you have to be ready to let loose and have fun in front of the camera. One Springfield wedding that he shot ended with the wedding party getting drenched in the fountain at Jordan Valley Park.

“People visualize a girl in a white dress in pretty settings,” says Dawn Shields (Dawn Shields Photography, 417-880-6600, dawnshields.com). “But you can do the complete opposite and get great pictures, as long as the bride is open to doing it.” The key to a clever location isn’t always grunginess and dirt; it can be any spot you don’t expect a bride to be, Shields says. She has taken brides to shoot below gritty downtown overpasses, in urban alleys, in patches of flowers, in Missouri’s woods and in the fountain in Park Central Square. “It gives brides something cool to do with the dress besides put it in a box,” she says. “And their daughters are probably never going to wear it.”

People use the term “trash the dress,” but total destruction of your gorgeous white gown is not a requirement. Shields says most of the brides she works with are still able to easily get their dresses restored. Plus, careful brides and creative photographers can find ways to get great pictures with minimal damage. Sarah Kunau of Springfield went for a fast ride down a narrow track in her wedding dress, and photographer Preston Dial (Preston Dial

Photography, 417-889-2345, prestondial.com) got it all on film. “Preston had brought up the idea of going into a fountain, but I didn’t want to totally ruin the dress,” she says. “We tried to think of other ideas, and we realized that everyone in the wedding party had Silver Dollar City passes.” So after the wedding and reception, the wedding party hopped on Thunderation (along with the May amusement park crowds) for a photo op. She sat on a blanket to minimize damage to the gown, and she walked away with only some grime on the bottom of the skirt. No destruction, but fun and unusual pictures.

"Fashions fade; style is eternal."

–Yves Saint Laurent