Trash the Dress: The Desert Rose

I don't think our generation realizes just how lucky we are to be living in the 2010s:  we can practically live off of our cell phones, the constant inundation of reality star abnormalities make our lives look like fairy tales, and couples these days actually have options for their weddings.  For example, in the not-so-distant past, brides had only two choices for their wedding dresses: wear their mother's or wear the one new dress style (and subsequently look like every other bride that year).  That's right, there's a reason that wedding photos past always have a bride looking miserable as she's drowning in an endless sea of puffy shoulders, tulle, & hair while sitting upon her wicker chair throne (I'm looking at you 1985!).  

So to honor those unsung blue-eye-shadowed brides who took a nuptial-style bullet to the head for us, let's have a moment of silence... (*crickets*)... Your hideous photo albums were not in vain, for today the sky is the limit!  Weddings can be whatever you want them to be and vendors have caught on to this concept.

The perfect example of this limitless trend, is the fact that wedding photographers are not constraining photos to the actual day of the nuptials!  You might think I speak of engagement photos, but no! What I speak of is the stuff of genius... 'Trash the Dress' sessions!!!  For those of you who aren't acquainted with this concept, "trashing the dress" simply means putting on your bridal gown after your wedding and taking pictures you wouldn't have taken on that day - e.g. in the rain, laying in a grassy field, or jumping into the ocean.

Today we bring you one of the most dreamy 'trash the dress' photo sessions we've ever seen!  Newlyweds Amanda and Julien had their wedding at the gorgeous Mountain Preserve in Phoenix, Arizona.  Their day was perfect but as with all weddings their photographer, Michael Kaal of Visionyard Photography, was constrained by the normal timeframe of the day.  So about a month later, Michael suggested that Amanda do a fabulous 'trash the dress' shoot with the gorgeous desert scenery of Watson Lake in Prescott, Arizona as their backdrop.  And if you ask us, Michael definitely knew what he was doing...

Special thanks to our stunning bride, Amanda, and the visionary photographer, Michael Kaal for sharing these photos with us!

Photography:  Visionyard Photography

Hair:  Pure Elements Salon

Makeup: Taylor Danovan

Location: Watson Lake

Photo Submission:  Two Bright Lights