Trash the Dress || What it is and Why You Should Do it

Trash the Dress has been on the photography radar for awhile now. Still, there’s a ton of people I’ve met who either haven’t heard of it, or seem to have a really terrible misconception of what this trash the dress session is for. So, I am here to tell you!

Trash the Dress isn’t about trashing your wedding (or prom) dress. This is the number one misconception. I’ve had people ask me if my clients “trashed their dresses” because they divorced! A trash the dress session is all about getting amazing images of you in the most expensive (and treasured) outift you will probably ever own. I mean, you spent a ton of money on it, and you only get to wear it a few hours, the entire time thinking about not messing it up, right? That sucks! A TTD session is for the bride (and sometimes bride and groom) after the wedding day, when you no longer have to worry about getting a little mussed up. We can sit on rocks, hay, or sand, get a little wet by playing in the rain or taking an elephant bath, or walk up and down the beach without worrying about messing up the dress. These images are so much cooler than the ones you got on your wedding day, and when you’re done you can ship it to the cleaners and get it preserved!

Why should I do it? because a TTD session is for you! It’s for the recent bride who wants to make Christmas gifts for her husband (or parents), for the bride who just celebrated her 10 year anniversary and wants to prove she’s still got it, and it’s for the bride who maybe was disappointed in her wedding photos and wants to get back in that dress and make some truly amazing images.

Trash the Dress is called trash the dress because some people really do trash it. I’ve seen people mess with paint or fire, and yes, that would be hard to recover from, and that’s cool, but that’s not what most brides do. Most go to the beach and lay in the sand, go to a fair and ride the rides, or wear their dress and play baseball. It’s not about trashing it, it’s about having fun! Some photographers call this session a “Cherish the Dress” session, simply because of the misconceptions. I’d rather just explain why it’s awesome.

Another reason I love it? It’s totally unique. It’s the one of the few sessions (besides boudoir and senior pictures) that are all about you looking and feeling great, all by yourself, just because. You can personalize the heck out of this session, and it’s soooo much fun!

The last, more “hip” reason people do this? It’s like a new way of showing your devotion to your hubby. It symbolizes that you don’t plan on ever wearing that dress again because you’ll always be with the man you married! You don’t need it for another wedding! Mostly, it’s artistic, creative, freeing, and fun, but it’s awesome that people attach meaning to it too!

I’ve always planned on doing a trash the dress session, and I hope it will be as cool as this one was at the Nashville Zoo! Thanks Kim for such a fun time and for the backstage passes!