| February 25, 2022

A Dirty Wedding Dress Makes More Memories

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While some brides want to preserve their wedding dress others want it to carry the memories of the day their life changed forever. 

Marks from the puddles splashed through on the way to their ceremony location, grass stains from their first dance, and sand stuck in the lace from their walk on the beach at sunset. Parts of the trail and memories for their elopement are embedded in the fabric—a beautiful memento, if you ask me. 

Dirty wedding dress perks

  1.  Not being concerned about preserving material items over experiences. 
  2. Feeling free to play—walk through that stream, roll around in that field of flowers!
  3. The peace of embracing anything that day may bring, rain or shine.
  4. Some really badass photos to remember your elopement by.

What We Love Most about Dirty Wedding Dresses

“Without a care in the world”

One time I had a bride who wanted to wade out into the stream. After enjoying the water, she stood on a rock and wrung out her wedding dress. I’ll never not smile when I see that picture and I’m always reminded of how much fun we had that day playing in nature without a care in the world.

– Amber

“Embracing the day”

Getting your dress dirty does not equal a “trash the dress photoshoot”. You aren’t intentionally getting dirty—you’re simply embracing the day to the fullest. Your dress tells the unique story of your day as it slowly collects dirt from the trail, turning the bottom a beautiful ombre. 

– Maddie

“Being carefree”

A dirty dress represents doing what you love to do and being carefree while doing it! That dirty hem is a badge of honor, you got married how YOU wanted to. You hiked that trail, you said your vows on that mountain, you played in that river. And you looked incredible while doing it ;).

– Tori

The Best wedding dress fabric for adventure elopements

If you want to have your cake and eat it too, by getting messy during your elopement, but also returning your dress to its former glory afterwards—then consider a polyester wedding dress. Not only do stains come out of polyester easily, but it’s a durable fabric that’s less likely to snag or tear. Unlike tulle and satin, which are much more delicate and difficult to clean after the fact. Surely if dry cleaners are getting wine stains out of wedding dresses on a regular basis getting saltwater marks from the ocean out won’t be a problem.

These Dresses Filled Their Purpose to the Fullest

Check out these badass brides during their elopements!

Your Wedding Dress is a Symbol of Your Elopement Experience

We believe that the dirt on your dress is a huge part of your wedding day story. Rather than fussing over what you are wearing and being worried about getting something on it, why not just enjoy the heck out of getting married, live an amazing day, and let your dress live its best life. At the end of the day, the ombré skirt and little sticks or grass caught in the torn edges should make you smile and think, “today was amazing!” It should show that you went on an adventure.

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Maddie Mae

Elopement Photographer

& Planning Consultant

Three photographers

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Adventure Instead

Your Elopement Photographers & Planning Consultants. We are Maddie Mae, Amber, and Tori. We're your photographers, your elopement consultants, your cheerleaders, and your go-to adventure buddy on the day you say your vows.

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