Things We Love!

Brides, you are in for a treat today! Melenbacker Photography has offered us an exclusive view at images from Shane's trip to Tanzania.

Here's the story of how this wonderful shoot came to be, courtsey of Erin Melenbacker:

More than 1.1 billion people in our world lack access to safe drinking water. (UNICEF) Living without this precious resource results in a host of preventable illnesses and even death. Each year 2.5 million people die from diarrheal diseases, many of them caused by contaminated water. Ninety percent of those deaths are children under age five. (World Health Organization)

It was for this reason that Shane Melenbacker joined with one of his favorites charities, Thirst Relief International  and a hand-selected team of photographers from around the country for a wedding gown fashion shoot in Tanzania, Africa. The shoot would directly aid those in need of clean drinking water as a portion of all the dress' future sales would be donated to aid in the Thirst Relief cause. Gowns were donated by five of the nation's top wedding dress designers: Ines Di Santo, Amy Michelson, Adele Wechsler, Angel Sanchez, Jenny Packham. The models from South Africa were also wearing fair trade jewelry by The Leakey Collection.

The country and people of Tanzania are beautiful, but one shortage such as clean water can change the economic status of and entire city. As people become sick and unhealthy due to unclean drinking water, they become unable to work and productivity stops. Even once filters become available to a family or community simple things such as not using the same bowl to both collect the dirty water and store the clean water need to be taught. Because Thirst Relief uses bio-sand filters which are built with natural resources, Thirst Relief helps people setup sites in these cities where the country's own people can build the filters bringing them both work and nearby education for proper use.

Gorgeous location+beautiful brides+charitable organization? Yes, please!