Trash the Dress : Urban Decay + Grunge Look with tips for your shoot

Happy Monday. I'm back from a wonderful week away with my hubby and daughter. There's something so calming and amazing about a week at the beach - I'm back, refreshed and recharged. And, to start the week off, I'm sharing with you a fun and artistic trash the dress session with Judi {whose daughter actually took these photos, you can see her a bit later in the photos}. And, you are all going to LOVE this - the wedding dress Judi is wearing is actually a prom dress made by Masquerade Dresses and only cost her $25 {it was new with the tag still on it}. She bought it from her daughter's high school. And, after the photos, Judi joins us with her great Trash the Dress Tips.

For this particular Trash the Dress session, Judi did not want to get her hair wet so she opted for the urban decay / grunge look which would be best suited to her personality. And, Judi is sharing some great Trash the Dress Tips with us today . . . 

1. A professional cleaning service should be able to restore the dress to brand-new quality so you can do what ever you like with it after the shoot.

2. If you are not sure about trashing your own wedding dress, consider buying a cheap dress off the rack.

3. If you want a bouquet, you can pick up one at a local grocery store or make one from fake flowers bought from the local craft store. Mine are fake.

4. Bring some props to add a unique touch and that is exactly what your looking for.

5. Wear comfortable and contrasting shoes. And, don't be afraid to break out the bling as it really adds to your photos.

6. Not sure what to do? Or are shy? Search Google images for trash the dress photos and print out the ones you like. Your photographer should also be able to walk you through body placement and facial expressions to help you get creative and loosen up.

7. The sun is NOT your friend! The sun will wash out your photos and makes you squint your eyes like crazy. Schedule for an overcast chance of rain day or later in the day as the sun starts to go down.

8. Bring your improv skills and don't be uptight. This shoot is where you want to have fun and NOT do the norm. Relax, be silly, get dirty, goofy and bring out your personality in these photos.

Now, you're probably wondering why I'm now showing you hand-painted glassware, right? Well, if you are looking for something custom made for your wedding or a personalized thank you gift, then you need to check out Judi Painted it. The very same Judi that you see above custom paints dishwasher safe glassware specializing in the wedding industry. Her big sellers are the huge 20 oz wine goblets in the sunflower and stargazer lily design and the custom painted iced tea pitcher set as a shower gift for the bride to be. You can visit her Judi's etsy site, her blog, her web site, or become a fan of her facebook page and share for a 10% discount.