Marriage: one of the most beautiful institutions of life. Weddings: one of the most expensive institutions of life. From flowers, to venue, to guest favors, and, of course, the dress, everything you want for the wedding continues to drive up the cost.

For brides, one of the more important purchases may be the wedding dress. No matter how expensive the dress is, the bride looks gorgeous, thanks to that nuptial glow. But after the wedding, what are you supposed to do with the dress? If you pass it on as a family heirloom, that's one thing, but to leave it hanging in the back of your closet seems like a waste.

One alternative that is steadily growing in popularity is trashing the dress. I'm not talking about trashing your dress in response to a divorce, but rather a creative way to preserve your wedding memories through photography.

Here are just a few examples of some trash the dress wins:

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