Miss J's Bridal Boudoir Session : A Veil, A Retro Viewer, and One "Damn, I Look Good"

Miss J. came to me in March of 2019, twenty-three years old and a few weeks out from her wedding day. She wanted to give her husband-to-be a gift he'd never forget… and she wanted to give one to herself. Both of those things matter, and honestly, the second one matters more than most brides admit out loud.

In her words: "I wanted to feel sexy, confident, and prove to myself that I could do it. I was so nervous!"

The Pre-Session Panic (We've All Been There)

Miss J showed up having followed every single instruction in my prep email to the letter. Light breakfast? Check. Hydrated? Check. Confidence? …working on it.
"I tried to follow every bit of advice and was so anxious I would do something to make the shoot less than I wanted," she told me later. She also confessed that she'd dug through her own closet beforehand and couldn't find a single thing she felt sexy in.
This, by the way, is the most normal thing in the world. Your closet is not the problem. That's why I have a client closet stocked and ready and that's exactly what we used. I have everything you could possibly imagine ranging from xs-5x. Bra and panty sets, slips, bodysuits, corsets, button ups, everything!

The Veil Moment

Here's where Miss J's session became unforgettable.
She brought her actual wedding veil… but this wasn’t a normal veil. It was like… the prettiest veil I’ve ever seen. It was epic and a cathedral style veil and I LOVED it. And yes, we wore it on our head BUT the best part was when when we took it off. We draped the lace across the floor and let it pool around her like she was shedding all of her pre-wedding stress and nerves off. Basically, we used her veil like we would a white sheet!

That same veil walked down the aisle a few weeks later. But first, it got to be a part of this super sexy and magical set of photos.

The Retro Viewer (Best Groom Gift Ever, Seriously)

For her wedding day gift, Miss J chose a retro viewer. You know, one of those little handheld viewers you click through and hold up to the light? I used to have a Disney Princess one! Inside of hers though… images of her booty. Just for him!

Brides LOVE these because the wedding day is full of family and friends but like, you kind of don’t want Uncle Greg seeing your half naked body. So retro viewers are the perfect way to tease your groom!

"I got my album, retro viewer, metal wall art and flash drive in last night and I'm in love! I can't wait to surprise my hubby on our wedding day."
-Miss J.

Want to see how Mr. J reacted to his wedding gift? Click Here to see his reaction! This will take you to my VIP Facebook group. If you’re not a member, just request to join!

What Miss J. Said About Her Experience

"I expected my awkward, shy self to feel self-conscious and uncomfortable but it was the complete opposite. Angela made sure to explain everything, helped me pick out what would look best on me from her client closet, and made me feel completely comfortable. I would recommend having a bridal boudoir session to anyone and everyone."

If you're sitting at home right thinking "am I crazy for thinking about doing a boudoir session?"
The answer is no… you aren’t crazy. You are sitting there and taking first steps of a whole new life for yourself.

Where She Is Now

Here's the part I love. Miss J is no longer twenty-three, because this session was 7 years ago. In that time, she put herself through more school and is now a nurse practitioner in family practice. When I asked her about the most powerful moment of her life so far, she didn't say her wedding day. She said walking across the stage to accept her master's diploma.

That tracks. And honestly? I don't think it's a coincidence.

Here's the thing nobody tells you about boudoir: it's not really about the photos. It's a courageous action.
It's you, walking into a room you've never been in, taking your clothes off in front of a stranger with a camera, and choosing to believe you can do the thing anyway. That's a courageous action. And the more you do small, courageous actions, the more your brain says, “we got this”.

Hard conversation? You've done harder.

Grad school application? You've been more exposed.

Standing on a stage in front of a room full of people accepting a degree you worked your ass off for? Please. You’ve already stood in a pair of heels, a veil and not much else while a stranger took your photos. Then, you looked yourself dead in the eye and FELL IN LOVE.

Boudoir is a small, weird, beautiful act of courage. And courage compounds. The woman who showed up nervous to my studio in March of 2019 and left thinking "damn, I look good" was always going to keep raising the bar on herself because she'd already proven she could.

Thinking About a Bridal Boudoir Session?

If Miss J's story is hitting a little close to home; the nerves, the closet panic, the quiet hope that maybe you'd feel good about yourself for once… this is your sign. And no, you don’t have to be a bride. Boudoir is for every woman. Whether they have a partner to give it to or not.

You don't have to feel ready. You don't even have to love yourself first. You just have to show up.

We will work through the rest of it together.