Trash The Dress Wedding Photos Laguna Beach

In the world of weddings, traditions often reign supreme. From the white gown to the tiered cake, there are countless customs that couples adhere to in order to create the perfect day. However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend that goes against the grain of these traditional norms: trashing the dress. This bold and unconventional practice involves deliberately damaging or destroying the wedding dress after the ceremony, often in a dramatic and creative fashion. In this blog, we’ll explore the phenomenon of trashing the dress, its origins, motivations, and the controversy surrounding it.

Trashing the dress may seem like a modern concept, born out of a desire to rebel against convention, but its origins can actually be traced back several decades. One of the earliest documented instances of trashing the dress can be found in a 1971 photograph by Arthur Elgort, which featured a bride wading into the ocean in her wedding gown. This iconic image captured the imagination of brides-to-be everywhere and planted the seed for what would later become a full-fledged trend.

So why would anyone want to deliberately destroy their wedding dress, a garment that holds so much sentimental value? There are several motivations that drive couples to embrace this unconventional practice:

For some couples, trashing the dress is a way to break free from the constraints of tradition and create a wedding that reflects their unique personalities and tastes. By eschewing the idea of preserving the dress as a precious memento, they are able to inject a sense of fun and spontaneity into their celebration. Plus, who doesn’t want really amazing photos of their wedding. You would never be able to have these type of photos on your actual wedding day!

Trashing the dress provides an opportunity to capture stunning and unforgettable photographs that go beyond the typical posed shots. Whether it’s jumping into a pool, frolicking on the beach, or rolling in the mud, these images have a raw and authentic quality that perfectly encapsulates the joy and excitement of the wedding day.

For some couples, trashing the dress serves as a symbolic gesture of closure, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. By destroying the dress in a dramatic fashion, they are able to let go of any lingering attachments to the past and embrace the future with open arms.

In a world that often celebrates perfection, trashing the dress is a refreshing reminder that beauty can be found in imperfection. By intentionally damaging your dress, you are able to let go of the pressure to uphold unrealistic standards of perfection and instead embrace the messy, chaotic, and unpredictable nature of love. After all, isn’t that what real love is anyway? It is wild, messy, and beautiful, just like this trash the dress session in Laguna Beach.

While trashing the dress may be embraced by some as a liberating and empowering act, it is not without its critics. On the one hand, traditionalists argue that deliberately destroying a wedding dress is disrespectful and wasteful, especially considering the time, money, and effort that goes into creating it. On the other hand, others worry that the trend perpetuates a culture of excess and materialism, sending the message that it’s acceptable to discard something valuable once its purpose has been served. However, I feel like it’s even more wasteful to let a dress just sit in a closet in perpetuity. At least this way, it actually gets another use. Moreover, anytime I have done a trash the dress session, my clients have told me that they simply dry cleaned their dress and it went back to pretty much the same state it was in before.

If you are drawn to the idea of trashing the dress but are hesitant to fully commit to its more extreme manifestations, there are alternative approaches that offer a middle ground. You could opt to repurpose or donate your dress after the wedding, turning it into something new and meaningful rather than letting it languish in the back of a closet. I have had others clients choose to rent or borrow a dress for the explicit purpose of trashing it, allowing them to fully embrace the experience without the guilt of destroying a cherished heirloom. We could also do a trash the dress without getting your dress really dirty or really wet. We could just do more of a portrait session than actually trying to trash it. At least we have more time to take photos and you won’t be as worried about getting the dress a little dirty.

Listen: Trashing the dress may not be for you, but if you  are willing to embrace its unconventional spirit, it offers a unique opportunity to break free from tradition and create lasting memories that defy expectations. My clients end up laughing so much and I think it’s the best memory you can make together! Whether it’s jumping into a pool, dancing in the rain, or running through a field of wildflowers, trashing the dress is a celebration of spontaneity, creativity, and the unbridled joy of love. So if you’re a bride-to-be looking to add a dash of adventure to your wedding day, why not consider trashing the dress? After all, some of the best memories are made when we dare to step outside the lines and embrace the unexpected….. RIGHT?!?

Edna Eudave is an extensively published award winning fine art wedding and portrait photographer. She is a photography educator, mentor and a fine artist painter. She is also a contributor to several photography columns and loves her daughter and 3 huskies!

She has been is business for over 30 years and had thousands of thrilled clients all over the world!