To Trash or not to trash…the dress!
Is a Trash the Dress session for you?
Wedding gowns are gorgeous works of art and, like most art masterpieces, they come with a hefty price tag.
So why on Earth would you want to “trash” it?
Trash the Dress sessions are growing in popularity, especially for destination weddings in the tropics. Is a Trash the Dress session right for you? Newly weds, Chris & Basia Marshall, share their experience of a “Trash the Dress” session with Shirleen & Troy Burnett of Burnett Photography after their Punta Cana destination wedding.
It had been a beautiful wedding. Everyone, including the wedding photographers, had had a fantastic time. Now that it was over and the guests had all departed, the newly weds found themselves together and alone. Well…almost alone…Troy and I were still enthusiastically prompting them to kiss–not a hard task to encourage!–and look this way and that while we photographed them against the stunning blue ocean and a spectacular sunset. The mood was relaxed and a feeling of excitement prevailed. After all, its not everyday that you get to make images of a bride in her wedding dress in a tidal pool by the ocean’s edge.
We started the session modestly, posing the newly weds by some colorful boats left along the beach by locals. Not having to worry about keeping the dress clean was a refreshing liberty that gave us the freedom to create at will. Basia could sit in the sand, on the boat’s edges, in the boats, by the water’s edge, amongst the rocks and seaweed, salt and sea life! I left it up to her to decide how “dirty” she wanted to get.
With the stress of the wedding day behind her, Basia was in a mischievous mood. The new Mrs. Marshall was enjoying herself immensely and as the session progressed so did her sense of boldness and abandon!
By the time our session was completed, ALL of us were completely SOAKED, head to toe, covered in sand and smiling. Basia and Chris were ecstatic, claiming that the experience had been one of the best moments of their wedding! Troy and I were excited about the images we had just made and were certain Basia and Chris would find them some of the best from the entire wedding. Indeed, it was the photographs we took that day that were made into the art that hangs in their home today. For, Basia and Chris, those images best capture the passion of the love they share and sultry romance of their tropical wedding. And that was worth “trashing” the dress.
For, Basia and Chris, those images best captured the passion of the love they share and sultry romance of their tropical wedding. And that was worth “trashing” the dress.
As Troy and I packed up our gear, Basia and Chris were still playing with abandon like little kids in the surf–laughing, splashing, trying to knock each other over as the tide pushed against them. A big wave took them down and they fell into each other’s arms. Lying there on the beach’s edge, they looked like a scene from From Here To Eternity. Loosing themselves in the moment and each other, they broke out into a passionate kiss, forgetting everyone and everything in their embrace. Troy and I shot each other bemused smiles–newlyweds!
Epilogue: Basia shook 3 buckets of sand from her dress before rinsing it off in cold water in the shower of her hotel room. She packed it in a waterproof bag and stuffed it in her luggage for the return flight home. Once home, she had it professionally cleaned and, amazingly enough, it turned out just fine! 😉
I entered 3 images from that TTD session in international competitions with WPPI and MPIO. All 3 won awards, including the coveted, “Best in Class” distinction.
Basia & Chris were over the moon! I was too. 🙂
Interested in A TTD Session?
Then this article on the pros & cons is a must read!
Learn More
Burnett Photography is a husband and wife team whose passion is creating bold, sexy, KICK-ASS wedding photography. Contact us today to learn more.
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linda harding
Shirleen Burnett