What did you do with your wedding dress?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

http://www.chathamda....aspx?e=2773962

Trashing the dress with paintballs

By Erica Bajer

Sarah Maxwell and Trish Martin weren't gun-shy about trashing their wedding dresses Sunday.The pair donned their flowing, strapless gowns and loaded their weapons for a game at Splat Paintball in Chatham.

"I just thought it was a good idea because nobody ever trashed the dress playing paintball," Maxwell said.

She said paintballing in her gown was a way to celebrate her one-year anniversary with husband Ryan. They married on Sept. 19, 2009.Martin and her husband Joe tied the knot on Aug. 21, 2010.

She hasn't wasted any time trashing her dress. She's already worn her gown to the beach and into a pool.

"You love it completely for one day," she said. "It can't be sentimental. I don't want it to sit in the closet. I'm glad to be able to do stuff in it."

Martin and Maxwell were positively giddy as they geared up for the game.

"It's fun," they said in unison when asked why they chose paintball as a way to trash their dresses.

"Last year I was introduced to it (paintball) and I fell in love with it," Maxwell said.She said the day will be a lasting memory that she'll talk about for years to come. " I don't plan on washing it afterwards," she said. "I'm leaving the paint on it and I'm leaving the grass stains on it. I'm going to show my grandkids."

Martin explained that trash the dress is a popular movement for brides."It's just wearing an elegant outfit in an area that's completely opposite . . . like paintball," she said.

Maxwell said many brides go to the beach, roll around in the water and get pictures done."This is more fun based," she said.

Maxwell loves her dress but she picked it up for a bargain so trashing it didn't seem like a waste of money."For $99 I don't mind ruining it," she laughed.

The pair played a few games of paintball against each other, including a shootout where they stood back-to-back and walked 10 paces before

turning and letting the paintballs fly. Both women emerged from the paintball field laughing, out of breath and spotted with green and yellow paint.

Andy Morrison, owner of Splat Paintball, said this is the first time he's had players shoot at each other while wearing wedding gowns. "I'm surprised they could actually run in them," he said. "It was really entertaining to watch."

(link to video)

http://link.brightco...id=618561990001

Edited September 28, 2010 by Kathryn41

[trillium13 84]

I don't get the whole trashing the dress thing, but then I never had a wedding dress. To each their own, I suppose.

Apparently a good number of people have professional "trash the dress" photos taken.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Mine is still hanging in the closet. I couldn't do this to my dress - I fell in love with it and am happy to keep it safe and sound. I don't understand the 'trash the dress' movement either.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

How about the "use the dress" movement (which is actually a pre-existing practice amongst some such as the Amish)?

[Amby 490]

I don't know what I did with mine

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

I don't know what I did with mine

[TyandAllie 17]

I got married in a black Calvin Klein cocktail dress, no need to trash that

[milimelo 4,477]

I rented mine so returned it two days later. No way was I going to pay outrageous amount for something I'd wear couple of hours.

[Marilyn. 340]

i do kind of get the trash the dress thing but my mom made my dress so there is no way I would ever trash it..

[IndigoSkies 168]

From watching the wedding reality shows in TLC, American weddings seem to be more of a headache and heartbreak than it ought to be. Coupled with that and rampant divorces, I can understand the sentimentalities behind trashing one's wedding dress. Not to mention US Census says the number of wedding a year is falling sharply. Nothing else and nothing more.

[julesrose 0]

I went swimming in a fountain and then went home in my father-in-laws car (we borrowed) and then took a shower got dressed in normal clothes, put my wedding dress ($800) in a garbage bag, walked hand in hand w/ my new husband out to the garbage bin and dropped it in...