Take 5!!!!!

I often ask my clients to go that "extra mile" for the shot. I like to be creative, spontaneous and in the moment with my couples and in pretty much all aspects of my life. Seriously. Last year I was driving around, running some errands, and thought about how much I loved Italy when I went backpacking through Europe the year before.  By the end of the day I decided I would move to Italy for a short period. By the end of the month I quit an amazing job where I made fantastic money as a sales rep (although I despised being confined to a desk), found an apartment in Rome on craigslist, and moved all by myself. Just because I wanted to figure some major life changes out and needed to do that in a space where I could really think and be creative. Umm, and I couldn't just do this in my apartment? Well, turned out to be the best thing I ever did, because now I am doing what I absolutely love. 

Okay, sorry for the derail. Anyway, while on a Trash the Dress shoot that I recently did, I was asking my client to go that "extra mile" and lay in the shallow water and hold onto her husbands leg. It looked so dramatic, romantic and pretty. Well, sometimes the unexpected happens, like a 3 foot wave crashing up on the bride! ha ha! My bride was terrific about it and laughed hysterically before going right back into pose! Seriously, she is so gorgeous that even when she is being crashed on by an unexpected wave she looks brilliant! I thought that these pictures were just too hilarious not to share! So I hope these pictures make you smile and to remember to dust yourself off and try again! These are the moments that life is made of. :)

Trash The Dress - Kari & Jay Reynosa

Trash the dress! Trash the dress! Trash the dress! (That is me chanting in pure childish excitement about this shoot).

Okay, so for those of you not familiar with this type of session, it is basically where a bride and groom take pictures AFTER the wedding. After the big day, where you are so worried about keeping your dress clean and pristine. When your dress is hanging in your closet, with a little dirt on the bottom, a smudge here and there and maybe a red wine stain hidden somewhere. All the evidence of your amazing wedding night. 

Back in the day, brides would have it cleaned and put away in a box somewhere to stay for the rest of it's life. However, now brides can take their dress and make amazing memorable photos! Dramatic, nitty gritty, show your personality, love and passion photos! There is nothing more liberating then when a bride is done worrying about keeping the dress in perfect condition, and is instead rolling around in the sand, hills, whatever making memories.  Plus..... it is so FUN!! Snapshots that in 20 years you and your husband can look back on and think.. wow.. we were pretty fabulous weren't we??!! 

So.. with that said.. I encourage all brides to go for it!  Capture this moment in time. One of the happiest times in your life, and why not do it in a fabulous dress! Life is too short right?

Oh and by the way, trashing the dress doesn't always mean "trashing" the dress! In fact, afterwards, you can still get it cleaned and hang it up in your closet! :)

Kari and Jay... THANK YOU!!!! I had such a great time with you guys! I have known Kari for 15 years! Wow Kari! I love you and you are still the same funny, beautiful friend that you were! And Jay, you are so wrong about not being photogenic. Are you kidding me? Calvin Klein is so calling you guys up after he sees these pictures. Because duh, I run with all the fab designers. :) Enjoy everyone, and if you are a bride, past, present or future and are interested in the details for a shoot of your own.. contact me at nicolekandrews@gmail.com