What Is a Trash the Dress Photoshoot? Johanna and Alexandre at Cap Ferret
What is a trash the dress photoshoot? It is a trend that came straight from the United States, and the name says it all: the bride "trashes" her wedding dress. After the wedding, the newlyweds celebrate their marriage with an original, offbeat couple photoshoot. In this article, I share Johanna and Alexandre’s trash the dress session at Cap Ferret, one year after their wedding.
John Michael Cooper, the Creator of the Trash the Dress Trend
An American wedding photographer, John Michael Cooper started the trash the dress trend in 2001.
Why "trash the dress"? He had had enough of traditional, overly polished wedding photos and wanted to bring a breath of modernity to wedding photography. The bride "trashes" her wedding dress, in a very rock and roll way!
Trash the dress is also known as "fearless bridal", or "rock the frock".
The idea of a trash the dress photo is to contrast the elegance of a wedding dress with an offbeat photographic style. The trash the dress movement aims to be glamorous, wild and romantic all at once. During the session, the couple can let go completely and play on their connection, and the result is wonderfully offbeat photographs.
A Trash the Dress Photoshoot at Cap Ferret
I have been following Johanna and Alexandre for four years now. We know each other very well, and their trust in me is unshakeable. I am still just as grateful to them as I was at our very first photo session together.
I took the pictures of their engagement session in Saint-Émilion in 2016, then their wedding photos at Château de Cujac in 2017, this trash the dress session in 2018 and, last year, their maternity photoshoot in Bordeaux.
A trash the dress session on the beach
Johanna and Alexandre wanted an explosive trash the dress session. So there we were, on the beach at the tip of Cap Ferret, near the Cabane Bartherotte and facing the Dune du Pyla, with an explosive cocktail:
- Two newlyweds madly in love
- A beautiful white wedding dress and a clean groom’s suit
- A surfboard
- Water pistols
- Coloured Holi powders
Johanna and Alexandre are a lively, dynamic and sunny couple. I had a wonderful time with them, and together we laughed so much.
At first, it looked like a classic after-the-day photo session, but as time went on the newlyweds really took the plunge! And I mean that literally: after an accidental dip in the ocean, Johanna’s wedding dress was completely soaked, and so was Alexandre’s suit!
The newlyweds are so close, so playful, and afraid of nothing!
To finish, we added colour to these photos, against a backdrop of white sand and ocean blue, by bursting the pigmented Holi powders.
They did not hesitate for a second before throwing them at each other like children! Johanna’s dress, once immaculate white, turned multicoloured: pink, blue, yellow, purple, orange! It was magical, and it gave the Cap Ferret beach a carnival air!
Trash the Dress Wedding Photos: Country and Romantic Spirit
Trash the dress in the countryside
Not every trash the dress session has to take place on the beach! There are many possible locations for a trash the dress photoshoot. You might well prefer trash the dress photos in the countryside, in a wheat field, among the vines or in a forest.
A country style can be perfect for a romantic couple photoshoot after a wedding. If a country theme inspires you more, you can read Zankyou’s blog article about an autumn trash the dress photoshoot.
A trash the dress session does not mean you have to ruin your wedding dress if that is not what you want. You may simply want a romantic photoshoot with your husband, to find yourselves alone together in a moment of relaxation, closeness, tenderness and romance.
Trash the Dress Photographer
Did you celebrate your wedding last month, six months ago or last year, and has this trash the dress article inspired you? On Arcachon Bay, at Cap Ferret, in the countryside or in the city, don’t hesitate to get in touch and tell me about your trash the dress photoshoot project.
Tristan
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “trash the dress” mean?
Literally, it means ruining your wedding dress. The trend is also known as “fearless bridal” or “rock the frock”.
Who started the trash the dress trend?
John Michael Cooper, an American wedding photographer, in 2001.
Do you have to ruin your dress during a trash the dress session?
No: the session can simply be romantic, on the beach, in the countryside, among the vines or in the forest.
Planning a trash the dress or couple photoshoot?
I photograph trash the dress and after-wedding couple sessions on Arcachon Bay, at Cap Ferret, in Bordeaux and across France, as well as weddings on Arcachon Bay and at Cap Ferret. Discover my photoshoot prices, or tell me about your project.
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