Traditionally, bridal sessions took place in a studio before the wedding so that brides could display a bridal portrait at the wedding reception. However, I usually recommend that couples plan bridal/couple sessions for after the wedding. If you do the session after, you don't have to worry about planning time on the wedding day for all those dreamy, romantic couple photos that you want. You can pick the time of year, the location, the time of day for the best lighting etc, and, unlike the wedding day when you're rushed and stressed, you can relax and spend the time you want getting all the photos you desire. Best of all, unlike a traditional bridal sesison, you can do it together.
One of the biggest advantages to having the session after the wedding is that you don't have to worry about getting the dress dirty. Wedding dresses are notorious for starting to get dirty the moment you put them on. Of course you can carry sheets or towels and be extremely careful to keep it clean, but you can't do the fun, cool poses when you're worried about keeping a dress clean.
Some brides and photographers have taken this post-wedding bridal session idea to the extreme with "trash the dress" sessions, and there's even
a blog to document this phenomenon.
This is what the blog's creator
Mark Eric has to say about it:
Go ahead, you know you want to. Trash it. Get it dirty. Get it wet. Roll around in the mud. Drench it in the ocean. Totally trash it.
Why? … Why not? You’ve made a commitment to your husband. He’s your one and only true love, right? Then you’ll never need the dress again. And no, your daughter won’t wear it in 20-30 years. So you have two choices:
1) Suffocate it in plastic and throw it in a closet
2) Show your husband how committed you are by trashing the dress, and get some great fun pictures while you do it!
Then after you do it- send the pictures to us to publish for all the world to see. What are you waiting on?
Just think about the amazing photos you can get when you aren't worried about the dress! Admittedly, you will get your dress dirty and wrinkled, but for the most part even "trash the dress" sessions will probably not cause irreparable harm to the gown. You have to get it cleaned after the wedding anyway so why not have some fun before you do?
If you're a fun-loving bride looking for some adventure and unique, out-of-the-box photos, send me your ideas for a "trash the dress" session. Whether it be in an abandoned warehouse, in the forest, at a firehouse, or even in a junkyard, if you have a great idea then contact me. Let's have some fun and create some gorgeous photos.
