I was invited to participate in a post wedding bridal session. Frequently referred to as a Trash The Dress or Anti-bridal session, these shoots aren’t really about the dress. The goal is to make some interesting images of the bride or bride and groom in a setting not usually associated with wedding portraits. If the dress gets a little soiled in the process… well, oh well! Honestly these things rarely result in the dress being truely destroyed, but I’m sure it’s happened. The real idea is to get some fun, playful, maybe even sexy or romantic photos of the bride or bride and groom. The location can be some place they think would be cool. Or it could have some special meaning to the couple. While these shoots frequently involve water shots there’s no reason that they have to. It really depends on what the bride and groom wants and how “playful” they’re willing to be in front of the camera.
So why put the dress at risk? Of the three “brides,” two were already married, one soon to be. For one of the married ladies it “seemed better than letting it hang in the closet drawing dust.” For another (paraphrasing), “I’ve been married 9 years, had two kids and have worked very hard to get back to a size that I was when I got married. This is a celebration of that accomplishment.” And for the bride to be? Well after purchasing the dress she found another she liked better. No one seemed to want to buy it on Craigs List so she figured what the heck, might as well have some fun!. Hope you enjoy the photos… oh and “no brides were injured during the making of these photographs!” Want to see more? Here’s the This Old Dress Slide Show
9 replies on “This Old Dress!”
Bob ~ These pictures just bring a huge smile to my face! This was so fantastic I can’t even put into words how great this was. To any brides considering it…DO IT! It’s fun, romantic, an amazing memory and beautiful pictures to top it all off! Thank you Bob! I love them!
Ditto Natalie!! Ladies if you are considering it for a nano-second… go for it!!! We had so much fun and best of all we have incredible images to show for it. You can trash your dress as little.. or as much as you want. Most ladies dry clean it afterwards and it comes out good as new. So if your Mother is fearful…tell her you can trash it and still suffocate it in that box in the back of the closet afterwards. Or better yet.. don’t tell her at all :-)) Enjoy your trashings future brides… and I want to see the pics!!!! Thanks again for an unforgettable experience!!
Awesome pictures! This was one of the best experiences of my life (third only to the first time I wore this dress and having my kids). I would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, I keep thinking I should clean my dress so that I can “re-trash” it. So if you are thinking about doing this, stop thinking and jump in (pun intended!) You will not regret it!
Bob,
These all ROCK!!!! The shot of Natalie and Sean in the dumpster reading the paper RULZ!!!! (well, they all do, but you know what I mean!)
-Neal
Ooooo…I love a GOOD trashing!!! Great JOB!!
Wow! I really love these. The ones in the river or swamp are incredible.
Sandra
Bob, these are great. I especially love the one with the couple reading the paper.
I did this with a girlfriend and her boyfriend. We had quite a shoot, and still have the pics. It was my wedding dress, but the BF wore it! It was easy working with him. We shaved his chest, put on the make-up, embellished his bust, and here’s the plus: he had dark, straight gorgeous hair nearly to his ass, and in most of the pictures his hair covered his face in such a way that he really looked the part of a beautiful-faced bride, albeit reluctant and quite melancholy at that. No BFs were harmed in the shooting.
Good job with the photos! They’re beautiful!