Thousand Dollar Dress

2006-Present

My goal is to photograph 1,000 individuals wearing my $1,000 wedding  dress within the context of their own or chosen environment. I plan to  travel with the dress, video camera, and digital camera to build upon this  idea while showcasing it at www.thousanddollardress.com. At the project’s  end, I aspire to have 1,000 portraits and a documentary including interviews  from individuals of all ages, backgrounds and diverse marital situations  speaking to the concept of marriage and its politic. I aim to facilitate an  open dialogue regarding the institution of marriage and explore the diverse  views attached to its conception amidst the current culture war regarding  its exclusive definition.  Thus far, some of the photographs deliberately satisfy the tropes that  accompany the dress while others refute it. Ultimately, the outcome is  dependent upon the singularities of the participants. Some of the  photographs are fantasy based while others a clear document. It is my hope  that the ensemble will illustrate the multiplicity of responses attached to  the approach of wearing the dress while both confirming and challenging the  stereotypes that accompany its loadedness. 