Melissa McClure Blog » trash the dress

Tami and Adam – Maui, Hawaii Wedding Photography {Trash the Dress}

Melissa McClure — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:22:24 +0000

I know quite a few people have been waiting for this post! Since I had never met Tami and Adam and didn’t get a chance to shoot an engagement session with them, we decided to shoot their Trash the Dress Session for them before the wedding! Tami had a completely different wedding dress for the day of!

It was pretty much raining through this entire shoot! In some of the images you can spot a rainbow and in most of them you can see spots all over their bodies – raindrops!

Oh, and for those destination brides looking at this post, a Trash the Dress or Day After Session is always included when I shoot Destination weddings!

LOTS of rain started here!

This image is not perfect from a technical standpoint but there is something I love about the pure joy in their faces after shooting under water!

Even though it was raining quite hard, the water was still pretty warm! Gotta love Hawaii weather!

I have to say, A+T were such troopers for this shoot! Climb through 4 foot high weeds? Ok! Hold your breath as long as you can underwater and look happy about it? Ok! I adore these two and I hope you all enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed taking them!!!

xo, M

ps I miss Maui <3

Las Vegas Trash the Dress – Charise and Mandi

Melissa McClure — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:24:40 +0000

When I went to WPPI in 2009 I didn’t get a chance to shoot at all! So I knew when I went in 2010, I had to make that happen! I helped organize a group trash the dress for my friends and even got some tag-alongs along the way! And Mandi and Charise decided to don their wedding dresses and play model in front of the camera instead of behind for once!

We had fun traipsing around the Strip of Las Vegas, with lots of onlookers and catcallers and even Spiderman!

This is what a group trash the dress looks like!

You tend to get a lot of arms in your way…

These were my Vegas roomies! Such a fun group of girls!

Couldn’t resist a photo of us! New About Us photo maybe?

Cannot wait to see what WPPI 2011 has in store!

xo, M

Mike and Felicia – Plaster City Trash the Dress

Melissa McClure — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:20:03 +0000

This blog is way overdue! I shot this session over a month ago! I’ve known Felicia and Mike for almost a year now! I actually shot their rehearsal dinner last May at Ocean View Villas. They love going out to the desert and riding around in Mike’s jeep so we figured that was the perfect location for their Trash the Dress!

They took me out to Plaster City in Ocotillo and we had a blast!

Nicholas had to jump in a few photos, of course!

It was pitch black and we were driving home. I asked Mike to pull off on a deserted road and they probably thought I was crazy! But I got an idea in my head and wanted to try it out…below is the result and Mike’s favorite image of the day! (I think its’ my favorite too!)

Felicia, Mike and Nicholas, thanks for sharing your Saturday with me, I had a blast!

xoxo, M

FEATURED: Rock ‘n Roll Bride – Again!

Melissa McClure — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:11:03 +0000

I adore Kat and her Rock N Roll blog! Every time she posts something new, I get a giddy feeling in my tummy! Can you imagine how giddy I feel when I see MY OWN WORK on there? Loni and Todd’s desert trash the dress (check out my post below this one!) was featured yesterday on one of my favorite blogs

Check it out here and leave a comment if you wish!

Thanks Kat!

xoxo. M

Trash the Dress – Desert Style! Part 2 of 2

Melissa McClure — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:27:21 +0000

Loni + Todd

I only met these two about 3 hours prior to this shoot, but I have to say they know how to Bring It! I could have sworn Loni had a model background, but no! She is just that photogenic!

But see for yourselves…

And yes, she rides dirt bikes too

My favorite <3

Todd is a fireman so I told him to pick her up in a fireman’s carry!

It was so great to meet you two! You are so cute together, I love how he makes you laugh!

xoxo, M

Trash the Dress – Desert Style! Part 1 of 2

Melissa McClure — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:02:22 +0000

Milisa + Chad

These two are former clients of mine, they were married at Ponte Winery this past September. Milisa had approached me last year about shooting her Trash the Dress session in Ocotillo Wells. I am a big fan of the desert so of course I was up for it! We had such a good time! Their friends Loni and Todd also wanted in on the TTD action, but you will have to wait until the next blog for theirs!

‘

Nipple alert!!

<3 this one!

Thank you so much for a fun desert weekend! Tim and I had such a blast with you two! Buffalo wings are in our future!

xoxo, M

Elisa and Ryan – One Year After Session

Melissa McClure — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:00:15 +0000

For their one year anniversary, Elisa and Ryan hired me to take some fun portraits of them – with Elisa in her wedding dress! Sometimes these sessions are known as Trash the Dress shoots, but we didn’t even come close to trashing her dress! We were still respectful of her dress (her mom will be happy to hear!) but got some awesome photos for them to hang on their walls!

They spent their anniversary weekend at Jamul Haven, a little Bed and Breakfast in East County where they spent their Wedding night!

Elisa is a good friend of mine – and I love it when my friends laugh, it warms my heart.

Ryan is so gentle and sweet to her

One thing they love to do – picnic!

Since the one year is the Paper Anniversary, Ryan made this flower for Elisa!

And since they didn’t have a cake smash at their actual wedding…they reenacted the feeding with their year old wedding cake (I tried it – it wasn’t bad!)

Elisa and Ryan – Congrats on the first year of wedded bliss, here’s to many many more!

xoxo, M

Lisa and Niels – Trash the Dress – Balboa Park and Sunset Cliffs

Melissa McClure — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:25:01 +0000

Lisa and Niels again! The following Monday after their wedding, before they hopped a plane back to North Dakota we got together for a trash the dress session!

First stop, Balboa Park. Love coming here on Monday…there was no one around!

And then a bit later, headed to Sunset Cliffs for a total trashing of the dress! (ok not really, water doesn’t actually trash it!)

The waves were strong! I had them lay down…

and they didn’t even know what hit them! Too funny!

Thanks you two for trusting me and being such willing clients! I adore you two! It was so worth getting wet!

xoxo, M

Sara – Peoria, IL – Trash the Dress

Melissa McClure — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:35:55 +0000

My blogging is a bit behind! I still have two sessions from Illinois to blog! Sara (and Kati) have been patiently waiting for this blog, its a long time coming!

Sara is an amazing wedding coordinator out of Peoria Illinois! She also happens to be my sorority sister and friend! She married her college sweetheart a few years ago but wanted to get back in the dress for some awesome post-wedding shots!

This is one of the first shots I took and also one of my top 3 favorites! The girl is a natural!

And she was willing to do anything! Sit on this dirty nasty stained couch we found? Okay!

Okay I admit it…I miss Peoria…a little

Fav <3

One thing Peoria is known for? Caterpillar Headquarters (there’s some fun trivia for you!)

Her Fab assistant Kati was there the whole shoot and even made this veil for her! Love it!

And of course, a standard headshot for her business!

Sara, it was so great to see you again! Thanks for letting me shoot you and being such a trooper! Love ya!

xoxo, M

Andrew and Janice – Trash the Dress, Vegas Style!

Melissa McClure — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:22:41 +0000

First thing, I want to wish my wonderful mother a Happy Mother’s Day! She is my rock and my best friend and is always there for me! xoxo

The day after Janice and Andrew’s fabulous MGM wedding, the lovely bride got back in her dress and we took some fun photos!

We started out with the girls at the MGM pool

Work it!

Later that afternoon, we drove out of the city lights to the Dry Lake Bed for the bride and groom trash the dress session!

HOT!

So gorgeous!

*Fav*

You can’t come to the desert without getting a little dirty!!

Big thanks to my awesome assistants, Anginet and Chelsea Nicole!

And of course, to my amazing clients Andrew and Janice who trust me 100%!

xoxo, M