Woman Trashes Wedding Dress and Photographs the Whole Thing Photos

Days before her Nov. 1 wedding, Shelby Swink's fiancee called off their nuptials. Swink, along with her family, friends and wedding photographer, decided to quot;trashquot; her wedding dress with paint.nbsp;Pictured here is Shelby Swink in her wedding dress before the fun began. quot;I was very nervous when we arrived to the shoot,quot; Swink told ABC News. quot;Everyone was oohing and ahhing at me in the dress. It was at first hard realizing there would be no wedding that day.quot;nbsp;Elizabeth Hoard PhotographySwink said that she was dealing with a lot of emotion, but that once the paint began flying she was able to let it all go. quot;This wasn't about putting anyone down,quot; she said, referring to her ex-fiance. quot;It was about being with friends and family and celebrating.quot; Here, Shelby has her wedding dress covered in paint by her bridesmaids.Elizabeth Hoard Photographyquot;It was like a light switch,quot; Swink said of her healing process. quot;I was really surprised by that. I just wouldn't let myself get down.quot; Here, Swink's parents get in on the act.nbsp;Elizabeth Hoard PhotographySwink said it seemed like people were quot;thrown offquot; by the fact that she didn't go into a depression. quot;I kept a positive mentality,quot; she said.nbsp;Elizabeth Hoard PhotographyEven though it's not even two months later, Swink said the whole event feels quot;like forever ago.quot;nbsp;Elizabeth Hoard PhotographyOnce she realized the breakup was quot;for the best,quot; Swink said she was able to quot;get over it really quick. I really did dodge a bullet,quot; she said. quot;Not him, but a loveless marriage.quot;nbsp;Elizabeth Hoard PhotographySwink said she has changed a lot in the two months since her breakup. quot;I'm a lot happier,quot; she said. quot;Friends and family say they've never seen me this happy before. It makes me feel good.quot;nbsp;Elizabeth Hoard PhotographySwink's photographer posted the photos of her dress post-paint session online and was contacted by the owner of The Barefoot Bride, a bridal shop in Memphis, Tennessee, who asked to display the dress in the shop. quot;It really stands out against all the white,quot; Swink said. While the dress is on display, the bridal shop is donating some of its proceeds from sales to Be Free Revolution, a charity that empowers men and women in Kenya and Uganda quot;with trades coupled with feeding, education and counseling programs in nearby schools and ospan style="font-size: 12px;"rphanages/spanspan style="font-size: 12px;".quot;nbsp;/spanElizabeth Hoard Photographyquot;Life is too short to be sad or mad,quot; Swink said. quot;You define your happiness, not your significant other.quot;nbsp;Elizabeth Hoard Photography