Bride Sets Gown on Fire for Extreme "Trash the Dress" Photo

Finding the perfect wedding dress can take months of searching and cost thousands of dollars to buy, but "Trash The Dress" photo shoots, where brides purposely ruin their gowns on camera, are a relatively new trend gaining momentum.

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In May, a woman named Natasha Samuel married Daniel Yakcobi on the beach in Israel, and intentionally set her wedding dress on fire all in the name of art. The Daily Mail reports that for the big moment, Samuel had a friend soak the train of her dress in lighter fluid and then lit the whole thing on fire. A trail on the beach immediately started flaming in an orange glow up the bride's back while a photographer from Tel Aviv's White Studio Photography quickly snapped the striking, unique photo.

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Samuel managed to smile with a calm, beautiful face for the camera, and within seconds she squelched the flames by running into the ocean and her new husband ran to put out the rest of the fire with a fire extinguisher. Samuel remained unharmed, but the back of her dress was singed to ash.

This resulting photo is quite powerful, depicting Samuel emerging from engulfed flames. We reached out to the newlyweds and White Studio Photography for comments on the photo shoot, but have not heard back at press time. The photos and videos of the event have since gone viral.

Believe it or not, Samuel is not the first bride to create a "Trash The Dress" photo with fire. Other scenarios depicted in past photos include paint bombs, food fights, jumping off a cliff into the ocean, riding a roller coaster, and water skiing. Las Vegas wedding photographer John Michael Cooper, is credited with starting the trend in 2001 when he felt bored with traditional photos and convinced his clients to pose in their pristine wedding gowns in unusual or grimy locations. "In fashion photography, they often put really pretty people in very ugly places," Cooper told the New York Times in 2007. "I'm applying that technique to weddings."

Those seeking ideas should head over to Pinterest. The unofficial showcase for creative bridal ideas, features many "Trash The Dress" inspiration boards. Not everyone will want to trash their dress, but if black wedding gowns and mullet bridal dresses aren't your thing, consider this one more way to make a serious statement on your big day.

To watch Natasha Samuel's extreme photo shoot, check out the video below.



Related links:
Awesome "Trash The Dress" Photos
Black Wedding Dresses: Ghoulish or Glamorous?
Bridal Style Gone Wild: From Mullet Hems to Pantsuits