We’ve all experienced heartbreak. We’ve all heard stories of being left at the altar. So, what do you do? How do you cope? Most of us would probably lie down and mourn while the world went on around us, but not Shelby Swink.
Swink, a 23 year old native of Memphis, Tennessee decided that she would rather stand and face her ordeal. Her ex-fiancé broke up with her five days prior to their November 1, 2014 wedding date. Amidst all the calls and cancellations, Swink was presented with the idea to “trash the dress.”
“Trash the Dress” or TTD is a nontraditional form of wedding photography, in which the bride poses in unconventional places that invariably ruin the dress, such as wading in the ocean. TTD has become very popular, and the idea, although it seemed crazy at first, of literally trashing her dress aligned with her philosophy of overcoming adversity. She donned the dress, and her bridesmaids and parents joined her with bottles of paint!
In a guest post to Offbeat Bride, Swink shared her story, and commented that “the moment the paint hit my dress… I was free,” adding “I can't even describe how liberating and cathartic the experience was for me.”
From the first squirt of paint…
…to the toasting of champagne,…
…the entire event was photographed by Elizabeth Hoard Photography. Her amazing photos capture the vibrant paint and strong personalities prevalent.
Swink told Buzzfeed that “Nov. 1 was supposed to be a fun and happy day surrounded by friends and family who loved me,” and “I decided that I would not let my ex-fiancé’s mistake of letting me go take that away from me.”
When asked what she would say to him now, Swink replied, “Thank you for sparing me greater pain and loss down the road. Thank you for pushing me to realize my own strength. Thank you for teaching me that no one can take away my happiness. Thank you for letting me go so I can one day experience true reciprocated love. THANK YOU!”
I think Swink had a great time, and using the TTD trend as a way to stick it to her ex has been an inspiration to thousands! If you want to try this out for yourself, Swink tweeted that the paint they used was water based paint from Hobby Lobby. The dress is another matter. Kudos to you, Swink!
This “Trash the Wedding Dress Video” was posted by Swink’s father, showing the process of the destruction of the dress, or perhaps we should say the creation of the piece of art since it is now on display at The Barefoot Bride.
Images courtesy of Elizabeth Hoard Photography