Most brides treat their wedding gowns with kid gloves. Not Melissa Shipman, 27, of Sunset Beach. She went surfing in hers. And her husband, Taio Shipman, 33, hit the surf along with her in his three-piece suit.

Why trash two elegant wedding outfits? The idea came from photographer Tor Johnson of Waialua, who had seen newlyweds take a similar approach in photos and news reports originating on the Mainland. The look suggests the couple is "all in" (even fully immersed, you might say), and makes the statement that the wedding outfits will never again be needed — and the moment will never again be duplicated.

As far as Johnson and the Shipmans know, it's the first time the approach has been taken up in Hawaii.

When Johnson gave the Shipmans his idea to shoot post-wedding photos in the ocean in their wedding attire, they didn't hesitate. Well, Melissa did call her mother, who had paid for the gown — and her mother thought it was a great idea, believing the photos would mean more in the future than a dress that would never be worn again.

That's all it took to get the surf-loving couple into the ocean. Here are the results.