I can't say that "trashing the Dress" is particularly popular out my way, although plenty of photographers offer this so-called service, and I make sure to offer it to my clients... I have not had anyone take it up yet.
The guys aren't interested one way or the other; unless it is a hired garment and they might have to pay for the damage!
Some of the girls are worried about the dress itself... what if it gets dirty, torn, stained and they can't get it clean? Or about the tradition: it was Grandma's/I want my daughter to be able to wear it/ mum would kill me.
Mostly though, the idea of risking a very expensive garment is the issue, even if it is just to preserve its resale value. So I was very interested to bump into Lynne and Peter last week.
Lynne and Peter Smith are dry cleaners. More than that.... they have a unique Wedding Gown repair and preservation process which involves specialized cleaning and hand repair of the dress. One clean, it is placed in a sealed box to prevent mold, mildew, or insect damage.
Not just a clean dress in a box. This airtight container has had the oxygen replaced by an inert gas so that no yellowing or discoloration from oxidation can possibly harm the gown. The box - maybe I should call it a "vault" - has a clear window in it so you can see your dress, which has been carefully, lovingly folded and padded using acid-free tissue to enhance its form and show off any detail work.
That's not all: the box is then placed in an outer container that has extra features to control humidity, pH, and oxygen levels, so preventing sunlight & UV damage during long-term storage, while still letting you have a peek when the urge takes you.
Everything is acid-free - the storage chest, box and packing tissue. Which means each gown is properly stored in materials that will not yellow or “bleed” into the fabric over the years.
What a great fit for a Trash the Dress promotion, though I - I could do the shoot, and send the dress to Lynne and Peter who would clean the gown. The bride would be reassured and the groom would have no need to worry, knowing the dress was going to be properly repaired and cared for. Bad Idea, David!
Lynne must have seen something in my eyes: "You don't do Trash the Dress, do you?" - It wasn't so much a question as an accusation! I was really thankful to be able promise I never had, and then just sit quietly (innocently!) and listen to her horror stories:
- the mother-of-the-Bride, devastated by what had been done to her wedding gift (The Gown);
- the $8000 Designer Dress that would never be free of seaweed stains;
- what it means to get sand or soil or mud into the fine seams of a hand sewn gown (did you ever try to unpick and then resew a one-of-a-kind, or match hand made buttons that cannot be bought in any store?)
I won't trouble you with the details, but the conclusion was very simple: Lynne will not touch a dress that has been abused just for the sake of a passing photographic fad! As for entering into some arrangement with Practicaps Weddings to promote such vandalism..... I never actually asked!
What I did ask was the cost of her Heirloom Preservation service...can't tell you, exactly, it depends on the individual job; but for an off the rack gown that hasn't suffered too much on the Big Day, think of about $680 as a starting point. For a Couture Gown - POA!
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