Show off your wedding dress in a whole new way

Aug 01, 2011 6:51 AM by Jessica Padykula

Posted in Love & Sex / Weddings / Wedding Fashions & Style

Trash The Dress
Photo Shoots

Over the past few years, more and more brides are giving their gowns new life by wearing them in a post-wedding photo shoot that showcases all that lace, satin and chiffon in a whole new way. While some women have been known to literally destroy their dress, most new brides see a trash the dress shoot as a fun way to reinterpret their frock – either alone or with the groom. Read on for some insight into how to do more with your dress.

Drown the gown

From formal to funky

We got the inside scoop from photographer and designer Harleene Bonales about brides who want to showcase their dress in a whole new way after the ceremony. "We're so used to seeing dresses in a church or at the reception, etc. that, as a photographer, it's so fun to take it out of such a formal setting and basically just play with the idea of showcasing it differently," she explains.

Bonales sees the trash the dress trend as something that's here to stay. "I can see this type of shoot evolving and growing in a huge way," she says, adding that she'd like to see trashing the dress go in an even more creative direction. "For me, I see more thought and production going into the shoot. I get tired of the same old, and I don't want to just see another dress be trashed at the beach." For her, the ideal trash the dress shoot would go beyond the basics in favor of a theme or more stylized shoot. "If a bride is down to trash her dress, then I'm more than sure she's down to get more creative too," the photographer adds.

Why trash the dress?

There are lots of reasons to do a photo shoot that takes your dress out of the context of tradition and allows you to have fun with your fancy frock. A trash the dress shoot allows brides to be themselves and relax, Bonales says. "They get to take all the seriousness of throwing a wedding and just have fun." After months of planning and prep (and often stress), it's nice to have an opportunity to let loose and do something totally different.

Bonus: You're likely to get some great shots. Couples are often more comfortable during a trash the dress shoot because they've just spent a whole day in front of a camera for their wedding, so you end up getting some great intimate shots that you might not have gotten during the ceremony or reception. One of the best trash the dress shoots Bonales has done was at the beach, but she said what set that one apart is how into it the couple was. "It never felt like I was shooting a trash the dress. It felt more like a sexy fashion shoot. They were covered in sand and had so much fun with it."