Owner of TDR and one of the wedding industry’s best-known personalities, Rebecca Baddeley explained: “I have known for some time that I wanted to do something, needed to do something, to address the elephant in the bridal world room. I remember around eight years ago questioning why there were no black models at a trade show. Don’t get me wrong - things are improving, but the diversity shown in the aesthetic we offer out to the world of engaged couples is seriously lacking and as uncomfortable as it may be, we the collective bridal industry need to take a long hard look in the mirror and see what we are portraying. At the moment, that looks like a world where only straight, young, white, able-bodied females buy wedding dresses. This isn’t real life - I am sometimes ashamed of this stereotypical, somewhat archaic representation of brides.”

Speaking about the shoot itself, Rebecca goes on to say: “On shoot day, the moment the first model came out of the changing area, I knew that this would be something special… It is my hope that people’s perception of what a bride should look like is challenged and may be changed, so that we can all as a collective, ensure that diversity in all its forms is represented in the bridal industry."

TDR’s shoot brought together some of the wedding industry’s most revered professionals, including TDR Bridal Birmingham @tdrbridalbirmingham @modelsofdiversity Bohemian Rose Photography @bohemianrosephotography Through the Lens With Marvin Marius @throughthelensmm Eyes to Pixels @eyestopixels The Wedding House Droitwich @theweddinghouse_droitwich Bridal By Artists @bridalbyartists
THE MODELS: Alison @alisonwilliams4617 Betti @bettidooley Katie @katieknowles1 Lena @lenamcallister Cassie @cassie.faye.x Liam @liammark95 Maariyah @maari.yah Nadia @godessdiamonds88 Amy @a_marren
Arti @officialartishar Faye @faye_adams_ Keziah @keziahnkounkou Poppy @popular_vipfuturestar Sherrill @cloudysherrill Elena @elenaevripidou_ Alison @alisonwilliams4617