Trash the dress session

Water is the reason people book trash the dress, and it is also the risk. A wet gown turns heavy and wraps around the legs, so a session in the sea stays in water no deeper than the waist, away from rip currents, and is moved to calm water or dry land if the beach flag or the swell says so. The plan always puts the dry setting first and the water last, so the dress is photographed clean before it is photographed soaked.

Cenotes need a separate word. Many sit on private or ejido land, and each owner sets its own rules on professional cameras, entry hours, life jackets and sunscreen, which is often required to be biodegradable or not worn at all. Some cenotes refuse photo sessions and others charge a separate camera fee, so ask the cenote directly before choosing it. Salt water, sand, cenote minerals and mud can stain lace and loosen beading; rinse the dress in fresh water the same day, and ask a dry cleaner about the fabric beforehand if you plan to keep it.

A trash the dress session is not a second wedding and not a vow renewal. Nobody says vows and nobody else needs to attend. Couples often book it for the morning after a resort wedding, while the hair and the tan are still there, or on a later trip to a destination they could not photograph on the day.