"Trash my wedding dress after I spent all this money on it? You're crazy!! I want to preserve it and pass it on to my daughter."

Let's start with the obvious question. Did you wear your mother's dress?

If you're like most brides, you went out and bought the perfect wedding dress that represents you and your style. Styles change. Trends change. Even with vintage weddings being so popular, you are most likely looking to wear the dress your grandmother wore over what your mom wore.

Trash the dress doesn't have to be exclusively about getting in the mud, having a food fight, spilling paint all over it or getting completely filthy. In the hands of the right wedding professionals, a trash the dress session can be an opportunity to grab some creative and unusual photos and video that you would never dream of doing on the day of your wedding. It can elevate the style in your photo album and wedding video with something out of the norm, completely unexpected and very artistic.

This session is about the "what if," "why not" and "just do it." It can be about the you that everyone sees everyday wearing the dress that made you feel beautiful and special in places you never considered the day of your wedding.

This is the story of one adventurous couple, two videographers, a photographer and the wedding dress that got to have one more glorious day in the spotlight.

The Wedding Professionals' Perspective - Jenn McClay Walker, Beautiful Memories

I have long been a fan of getting more use out of a wedding dress. You often spend more money on this one garment than you will ever spend on anything else you will wear in your whole life. After spending that much time, effort and money to get the dress of your dreams, why wear it only once?

My mother repurposed her gown as a Halloween costume (she made some minor alterations, made a pair of wings and a wand and attended a costume party as the tooth fairy.) I had my dress custom designed so after our wedding, I could get more use out of it by wearing the top with a pair of jeans.

One of our brides asked us to follow her to the gas station so we could film a funny segment with her pumping gas and buying a beer. There is nothing more interesting than a bride wearing her dress out of its element and the more "out there" the idea, the more I love it!

Ever since I first saw trash the dress photos pop up on a wedding blog, I've wanted to shoot a trash the dress video. What a great way to get more use out of the dress and take the time to get creative!

Most brides would never consider lying in the grass or walking a dirt path with her train down on the day of their wedding. Who can blame them? I certainly didn't want my dress dirty for my reception, so I don't ask my brides to do it on their wedding day either.

But after the wedding is over and you've had some time to reflect, a little grass, specks of dirt or even a little water may not be as big a deal. If you don't get it too dirty, you can always have it cleaned. Bottom line: you get more than one wear out of it and some great photos, an awesome video and, hopefully, you'll have more fun shooting it than you can imagine.

It was hard not to be giddy with excitement when Marissa told me that she wanted to trash her dress. On the day of their wedding, Marissa and her husband, Justin, were so into being filmed and were willing to try absolutely everything we threw at them. We had so much fun and got a lot of really great shots, but we reluctantly had to quit to be on time for their reception.

This trash the dress session was the perfect opportunity to continue where we left off, so on Memorial Day weekend, Marissa and Justin met up with Cheryl Bolton-Reuter, their photographer, my husband Mike and myself to do just that.

Although brides usually love the idea of getting in front of the camera again post wedding, grooms tend to shy away. Justin not only showed up to assist his lovely wife in getting around in her gown, but also came in his suit ready for photos!

Watch Marissa and Justin's Trash the Dress video below:

In the end, we all had a blast and have some really great work to show for it. Cheryl noted that working alongside a videographer both inspires her to create and supports and adds to the ideas she might have already had herself, thereby increasing the type and quality of her images. When your videographers and photographers are willing to collaborate in this manner, it's a win-win situation for everyone, but especially for the bride and groom who reap the benefits of several creative artists working together to give them both great photos and a beautiful video to display, watch, remember, and share with others.

Cheryl also said that during a trash the dress session you have the freedom to explore areas you may not have had time or the bravery to do on your wedding day, and these images can be seamlessly incorporated in an album design without anyone ever knowing.

The Bride's Perspective - Marissa Berryann

Most women are so excited to go dress shopping and find themselves that perfect dress. When I bought my wedding dress, I realized that I had to love the dress but since I was only going to be wearing it once, I didn't want to spend my life savings. (My family calls me frugal.)

I absolutely love my dress and it was perfect for me. I thought, "Why would it be any different for my daughter, if I were to have one in the future?" I would assume that my daughter, like myself, would want to find that perfect dress for her, the one that makes her feel the most beautiful she can possibly feel.

It is very sweet and sentimental when a bride wears her mother's wedding dress, but this does not happen too often. However, I know too many people who have preserved their wedding dress, put them in the attic or closet and when they pulled them out, the dress was no longer white. I decided that this was not going to be the fate of my dress.

After our wedding, we were approached by our videographer and asked if we wanted to do any other segments for our video. We absolutely loved our videographer and photographer and were thrilled at the thought of working with them again, but never thought that we would have the opportunity after we were married! I got extremely excited at the thought of doing a trash the dress segment. For over a month my husband and I tried to think about the perfect way to trash the dress. (He is actually the one who found the waterfall in the video).

When I told my sisters about the trash the dress session, both of them said, "Are you sure you want to do that? Your dress is so beautiful!"

My reply was, "Why not? I wore it the only time I ever thought I was going to wear it and this is a bonus to put my dress on again and have some fun!" Even Justin's mother and grandmother could not believe that I would do this. I think they were hoping I would preserve my dress. This is something new that most people have not done, so my family was skeptical.

When we met with Cheryl, Jenn and Mike to trash the dress on Memorial Day weekend, we went to several locations. The thing that we absolutely loved about getting back in our wedding attire was that we were not worried about the consequences of sitting on a rock or walking in the woods. I was not even worried about my hair and make-up.

This session allowed for us to do so many things that I would not have done on my wedding day. (Since you are trying to look your best on that day, dirt on your butt from sitting on a rock would definitely make you upset on the happiest day of your life.)

There are only so many things that you can possibly fit into your wedding day. Afterwards we were thinking, "Wouldn't it have been cool if we did this or that?" Since this was after the wedding, we were game for anything that Cheryl, Jenn and Mike thought of. We tried lying in the grass, sitting in the field, dancing at the train station, climbing on trees, and splashing in the water. When I first got in the water, Justin did not want to get wet, so he sat in the background on the shore while I splashed around. When he saw me having all of the fun in the waterfall, he just couldn't help himself!

There are so many awesome pictures and such amazing video from this session that is unlike any pictures from our wedding day or any I have ever seen of other brides in their wedding gowns. From the pictures and video of me on the log to the pictures in the woods with the chair, our photos and video are unique, different and fun. I really like the idea that we have pictures and video from our wedding day and these extras that are unusual and phenomenal at the same time. Cheryl, Jenn and Mike's work makes me look better than I have ever looked in my life.

Justin and I are so happy that we decided to do this because we had so much fun. Our only regret is that we cannot do it all over again! Unlike brides who have their dress preserved in a box, I have video and photos of some of the most amazing footage that I could have ever asked for and don't regret for one second that my dress is a bit dirty.

I want to thank Jenn, Mike and Cheryl for everything they have done. They are absolutely amazing at what they do! I also want to say to other brides that if you are thinking about doing this type of thing, just go for it! You will not believe how much fun and invigorating it can be!

Jenn and Mike Walker of Beautiful Memories (who shared this amazing trash the dress video) are a husband-wife team who produce stylish, modern wedding films.  Cheryl Bolton Reuter of Bolton Reuter Photography (who provided the gorgeous images in this blog) is a wedding photographer, designer and artist based in the Hudson Valley.  

A mutual friend introduced me to my future fiancée, all the time warning me that we wouldn't be a good match. Mike knew from the first conversation that I was what he was looking for. I, as I usually do, required a little more convincing.

Fast forward now--two years. We were camping in the beautiful wilderness of Sterling, NY with friends, as well as a couple hundred of the strangest strangers you'll ever meet. It was at a folk music festival in the woods, that my love announced, in front of crowds at the main stage, that he wanted me as his partner in crime for good.

I realized then that no matter how much you prepare yourself for that moment, dream about it and play it out in your mind, you never know how you'll react. As the applause grew all around us, I got light headed and started blacking out, much like the drunken sensation one gets after standing up too quickly. From his kneeling position, Mike grabbed me as I fell backwards. Then, in a humiliating act of anxiety, I grabbed the ring, still unsure that this was a real proposal. I didn't let him slide the gorgeous creation onto my finger until we returned to camp. There, we were greeted by our camp-mates with a bottle of Champagne and squeals of delight. Needless to say, they were in on the surprise.

I later found out the droves of people that made that one extremely special moment possible. From Mike's buddy at work that actually helped him hand pick and design the ring, to our camping buddies that made sure our weekend was flawless. It is truly amazing how much effort went into that spectacular moment. Months of preparation and planning, all while trying to keep a very nosey girlfriend at bay.

I must admit, I'm still digesting the whole engagement. We've been engaged for about a year now, and I still have a hard time using the "F" word: Fiancée. Yet with a year under our collective belt, we're still staring down the barrel of another year before the big day. August 6, 2011 is our goal. It's a daunting task, planning a wedding. The very thought of it sends shivers down my spine. The thought of being married to Mike is something from a dream, but the getting married part is something we are still sorting out. We are neither traditional nor conservative by any means. Striking a deal between what our loved ones expect and what we are hoping for has been a real conundrum.

Sterling Forest photos above by Karl McWherter

I've realized in the early stages of planning this wedding that the wedding itself, no matter how I try to convince myself otherwise, is for those around us; the friends and family who have watched and often nurtured this wonderful relationship into being. Each little bit of tradition that sneaks its way into my wedding becomes more than simply tradition when I see how much it means to the people involved. When I see how proud my mother is of the ring bearer pillow she made, I know how important it is to her that I give her that opportunity.

Obviously, all decisions are ultimately mine and Mike's to make, but by not being too stubborn about my unique and untraditional vision I have for my wedding, I can allow so many more people to be an intimate and important role in our big day.

Lena M. Sack is a 25 year old student of life currently working her way through Massage Therapy School. By day an Executive Assistant for a magnet company, by night, writer and artist, Lena's latest mission is planning a dream wedding with her wonderful fiancée, Michael. (Headshot by Jen Kiaba.)