Bridal Boudoir Shoot

Do You Need a Bridal Boudoir Shoot?

Congratulations to you if impending nuptials are on the horizon. It must be the reason why you are exploring bridal boudoir shoots and it could be that you are looking for inspiration for your very own seductive photo session.

Traditionally, couples focus on documenting the engagement party, rehearsal dinner, and wedding shower but a bridal boudoir shoot is a solo-type of endeavor worth scheduling. A boudoir session allows you to momentarily step away from the hustle and bustle of putting together a wedding. The photography session often doubles up as a wedding gift to yourself while also providing a great excuse to rock a sultry outfit or smoky lingerie.

Every bride knows that the road leading up to the big day involves adopting a better skincare regime, perhaps hitting the gym, and making better lifestyle choices overall. That's why you also deserve a self-care session, and in this case, it's all about getting glammed up to take snaps that will forever remind you of your personal victories.

Why You Should Schedule a Bridal Boudoir Shoot

The thought of donning lingerie for an intimate photoshoot session is quite intimidating for most women. However, the whole purpose of a boudoir session is to boost your confidence while also encouraging you to step out of your comfort zone. Instead of worrying about your perceived flaws, a boudoir session reminds you that there are plenty of aspects about yourself that you should celebrate.

If you've been thinking about a worthy gift idea for your soon-to-be spouse, you can stop your search by putting together a boudoir session. Compiling an album filled with sensuous snaps from the sizzling shoot is a highly personalised and befitting gift for your partner. Above all, it allows you to squeeze in some time, in between the wedding planning process, to pamper yourself.

Months or years down the line, you’ll also appreciate taking the photos at that moment because they essentially capture your reality. You’ve worked hard to get in shape, have flawless skin, or simply to appreciate who you are at that point in life. The photos serve as a reflection of what you can achieve if you set your mind to it and also remind you that you are an awesomely powerful being.

How to plan a Boudoir Session

Putting together a bridal boudoir shoot should be a fun process, and the session should be packaged in a way to make you feel empowered. The atmosphere should evoke a sense of comfort while also contributing to the overall sensual tone. Here are a few tips to plan a successful boudoir session.

Work with the right photographer

While booking a wedding photographer tops the list of picture-related priorities, you should equally take the time to work with a professional for all other prenuptial activities. Most of the time, you'll schedule the bridal shoot a few months or weeks before the wedding. That means that you have possibly already hosted one or two pre-wedding events, and also worked with a photographer or two.

Perhaps the boudoir shoot is the first of such occasions, and in this case, it gives you the opportunity to see if a specific photographer is the right fit for you. You'll feel more at ease collaborating with the right photographer for the boudoir shoot. It doesn't necessarily have to be a wedding photographer, but rather, a professional who has experience working on similar projects.

On the other hand, you could go the full yard and enlist the services of a wedding professional who offers a package deal that covers other pre-wedding events as well as the big day itself.

Work with a Professional Stylist

A bridal boudoir shoot is all about embracing your sensual side; from the seductive lingerie to the makeup and hair. It equally helps to work with a professional stylist for the session who can come up with suitable and flattering looks for the session. Again, it allows you to figure out if that's who you want to work with for other prenuptial events as well as the big day.

Getting dolled up, by getting your hair and nails done as well as a face beat, also contributes to the overall aesthetic while making you feel even more confident and glamorous for the session. Most boudoir sessions last for about two hours, and you’ll want to have this in mind for scheduling purposes.

Choose The Right Environment

The bridal boudoir session could take place at your home, a hotel, or a photography studio. It's important to choose the right environment for the shoot because it reflects your personality and also elevates your confidence as well as comfort. You could also have a themed-boudoir session, and a retro-style '40s pin-up inspired aesthetic is a befitting choice.

If you want to create a flirtatious calendar out of the boudoir snaps then consider taking the photos against different backdrops. Say, you could take some snaps in the bedroom and others at different locations around the house.

Use Fun Props For The Shoot

Beyond just being flirtatious and sultry sessions, boudoir shoots, in general, are meant to be fun sessions. Include some props into the session to truly make it a unique and fun experience. Flower petals are the most ideal choice but if you are having a themed boudoir shoot, the possibilities are endless.

Given that most of these snaps are taken in the bedroom, use monogrammed beddings cases to further personalise the photography session.

Go Shopping

If there's ever any great excuse to go shopping it's for a bridal boudoir shoot. Grab some figure-hugging numbers and lacy lingerie for the photo session. It doesn't have to be anything skimpy, just an outfit that makes you feel great about yourself.

Again, you could also still use the outfits you already have in your closet but spruce them up with a pair of new shoes or jewelry.

Curvy Girls’ Bridal Trousseau

Well-fitted wedding lingerie is absolutely essential – and who better to break it down for you with a gorgeous garden-inspired boudoir inspiration shoot than Sweet Nothings?

Sweet Nothings is known around the web as a destination site for lingerie reviews, bra fitting advice, and editorials on body image. Not only did Sweets of Sweet Nothings model in this shoot for Kate Ignatowski Photography, but she planned & styled the whole thing as well. Make sure you catch her inspiring read throughout this editorial!

From Sweet Nothings – “So you’ve finally found your wedding dress. Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who grabbed a dress off a rack and liked it immediately, maybe your Pinterest board has 476 dress pins and you keep spreadsheets ranking your favourites, or maybe you’ve just come from a shopping trip with all of your female relatives and your entire bridal party, and you have the dress but now you also need several cocktails. And then a slow, cruel realization dawns: you’re going to have to go bra shopping.

Don’t panic! Repeat after me: lingerie is your friend, and the alphabet doesn’t stop at D.

For well-endowed ladies in particular, the task can feel stressful and overwhelming. It can be frustratingly hard to find supportive strapless bras and other bridal essentials in fuller cup sizes, especially for brides who want their undergarments to be every bit as beautiful as their gown and decor. With so much wedding-industry emphasis on fitting into your dress on the big day, why not take a break and find gorgeous lingerie that fits YOU, rather than the other way around?”

From Sweet Nothings – “When it comes to wedding lingerie, the most important thing is that you feel good and you like the way you look. You may find that your dress has enough structure to forgo lingerie, and you may decide that you want to wear Spanx and call it a day. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and happy. But look, I’m a lingerie obsessive, and there’s stuff out there I need to share with you because it’s SO VERY PRETTY. More than that, there is some stunning lingerie designed specifically to fit and support the DD+ customer, whether she’s slim or full-figured, that looks just as beautiful on its own as it does under a gown. Let’s all have trousseaux and be fancy ladies, shall we?

Chosen especially with the fuller-busted woman in mind, we’ve curated a selection of beautiful bridal lingerie that will flatter and support – even in strapless gowns – in back sizes ranging from 28 to 48 and cup sizes from D to K. No boring beige bras here: these bridal ensembles feature beautiful satin, silk, lace, and mesh, making sure you feel as good as you look. There are options for both ceremony and honeymoon at price points ranging from budget to luxury, all stunningly photographed in a romantic, garden-inspired boudoir setting by New York City favourites Kate Ignatowski and Mimosa Floral Design Studio.

The piece includes classic bridal collections as well as brand-new releases from major American and European designers Masquerade by Panache, Parfait by Affinitas, Elomi Lingerie, Harlow & Fox, Fleur of England, and Dollhouse Bettie.

Wedding gowns aren’t one-size-fits-all, and your wedding lingerie needn’t be either.”

Credits: Photography: Kate Ignatowski // Model & Stylist: Sweet Nothings // Floral Design: Mimosa Floral Design Studio // Hair: Andy Tseng // Makeup: Anny Chow.