Trash The Dress 2012

"Herring happen" - (to eat herring the Dutch way is to open your mouth widely, head backwards and 'go') the bride on the far right almost lost her fish, as the sea-gull took a dive straight at her - Trash The Dress group event at the Scheveningen Beach, 20 May 2012

VW car meeting @ the boulevard, brides play 'fishermen's wifes' and watched over the ocean

Trash The Dress photography is a wellknown phenomenon in the US since the late 90's. "Trash the dress" is the art of destruction or deconstruction of a brides wedding dress to create a new artwork that the bride would be proud to display on their wall. [Wikipedia] 'Drown the Gown', 'Running of the Brides' and 'Rock The Frock' are similar names for this fine art photography, mixed with beauty, fashion and glamour photography.

In the Netherlands fine art photographer Melanie Rijkers (MeRy) & Hans van Nunen of Artstudio23.com created the first group event in 2007. 09.09.09 was the first group Trash The Dress event to be known worldwide, with 99+ women wearing their wedding dress once more. (actually there were over 150 brides :) 10.10.10 (100+) and 11.11.11 (8) followed. Also in 2011 Melanie was asked to come and shoot Running of the Brides in Niagara, Canada and a 'Mass Trash The Dress' in Adelaide, Australia.

Being the very last 'special wedding date', 12.12.12 would be very cold, so Melanie planned her last group event ever 20 May 2012 at the Scheveningen Beach, the Netherlands. More and more copycats and a decreasing lack of interest of models/brides made Melanie decide to definately stop organising group Trash The Dress events, even though all women participating keep shouting that is's FUN FUN FUN to be part of an event like this. Sorry ladies, but organising these events drains my creative energy, and when there's nothing in return, after 5 years, I feel it's time to stop.

If there's a sponsor or company interested in 12.12.12: my intial thoughts were Aruba, Melbourne...even Las Vegas!? But please let me know if you'd like to create the 12.12.12 event @ one of those locations. Trash The Dress events can be booked via info@artstudio23.com in group or individual shoots. You DON'T have to wreck your dress, you can also 'just' pose together with your husband once more, we'll create a beautiful photoshoot of the two of you. E.g. to celebrate your 1st wedding anniversary??

Be different, feel the love! Wear your wedding dress once more and relive the feeling of your wedding day...