Trash the dress? Surely not?

'Trash The Dress' is a term which originated in the States and has started to gain popularity over here in the UK. The name can be quite off-putting for some but it doesn't have to be taken quite so literally - in fact 'Shoot The Dress' might be a more appropriate term for us Brits!

On the one extreme, you can literally put the dress through the mill and photograph yourself rolling about in the sand, wading through water up to your waist or running through bramble bushes in the middle of a forest! Whatever tickles your fancy basically. Whilst a little extreme for some tastes, there's no doubt this could be a fun experience which can produce some amazing results. It also tells your hubby in no uncertain terms you no longer need this dress now that you're married! There's an interesting article about this phenomenon in the Times Online.

At the other end of the spectrum is perhaps the more reserved approach but no less impactful. You'll still need to throw a degree of caution to the wind and be a little less precious about the dress but nothing which won't come out in the wash. A lot of women just want some stylish, flattering bridal portraits in interesting locations which are more edgy than the traditional wedding portraits. The photos also tend to be more creative as you're less worried about getting a grass stain on your bum! Let's face it, that's not the sort of thing you want as you walk up the aisle!

How you intepret 'Trash the Dress' is entirely up to you - we certainly won't force you to do anything outside your comfort zone. But rest assured both approaches are fun and can produce some breathtaking results more akin to fashion photography than conventional wedding photography. You can see an example from one of our 'shoot the dress' sessions here.

If you're getting married soon and like the idea of including this as part of your wedding package, feel free to ask. There's a good chance they'll be the best photos in your wedding album!