Weddingbee Blog

Previously …
Bunny Bridal Countdown: The Showers (30+ days)
Bunny Bridal Countdown: Dress disaster (28 days)
Bunny Bridal Countdown: Dress decision (25 days)

This post has been a loooong time coming. I had a lot of… concerns about writing about this issue, but I really think I need to share my experience, so here it goes!

With 21 days left until our wedding, Mr. Bunny and his “buddies”, as he likes to call them, took off for his bachelor party. They spent Friday night at a campground in southern Ohio and then moseyed on down to Athens to spend the day in his old college town. From what I heard, it was a rollicking good time!

While Mr. Bunny was away, I took advantage of my privacy to work on his wedding gift.

Yep. Bunny boudoir pics!

I didn’t know anything about boudoir photos until I saw Mrs. Hydrangea’s post. I was further encouraged by Mrs. Cherry Pie’s post. That little black book was just perfect! I wanted so badly to make one of my own!

I dreamed of hiring a pro and getting some sexay pictures taken, but as the wedding drew closer, I faced the reality that I didn’t have the cash for it — not if we wanted to go on a honeymoon!

I also didn’t trust that I would be able to DIY boudoir pics like Mrs. Candy Corn. Any self portraits I’ve ever taken are hopelessly unflattering.

Instead, I turned to an acquaintance of mine from work who had offered her photography services for my wedding. I’d found someone else to shoot our wedding on the cheap, but Steph, I thought, would be the perfect choice to shoot boudoir photos. She seemed like the kind of person who would be really comfortable to work with in that type of *ahem* intimate situation.

It’s not the right choice for everyone, but you might want to consider semi-pro boudoir photography if:

1. You don’t want to undress for a stranger. I knew I wouldn’t be comfortable getting boudoir photos taken by a man, and I would have had to meet even a female photographer several times before I would be able to get photos taken by her. A friend was a good choice, because I wasn’t worried about undressing in front of her!
2. You are comfortable with your body. Even though you know this person, remember that you need to be at least open enough to be in various states of undress around your friend or acquaintance. The more relaxed you can be with this person, the better pictures you will be able to get!
3. You can’t afford a professional. Keep in mind that your friend isn’t going to end up with the same quality of photos a pro would. That was OK with me. I paid my friend $100, but I bet that a lot of that went to rent the photography studio we used.
4. You know how to use a photo editing program. Your friend is not a pro, so his or her Photoshop job may not be top notch. You should be able to do at least basic fixes so you can be 100 percent happy with how your photos turn out!

Wondering whether you should get boudoir photos taken? I highly recommend it! It was a lot of fun and made me feel sexy and just a tiny bit scandalous. I was conscious of the fact that the pictures might come back to haunt me, so I didn’t take anything I would be ashamed of having my mother see. In my opinion, anyway, the photos were classy and tasteful and — not that this is a bad thing — kinda funny.

Things to consider when preparing for your boudoir photo shoot:

1. Buy some new clothes. If you can afford it, buy at least one or two new things. In fact, the only thing I bought was a slinky robe from Victoria’s Secret. Other things I wore: a black lacy nightie I already owned, the blue cami and panties I got at my shower, and the longline bra I bought to wear under my dress. New clothes do give you confidence and help you get in the right mood for this type of shoot!
2. Decide on hair and makeup. Think about the look you’re going for, and how you will wear your hair and makeup. I did my own makeup, but had a friend curl my hair for me.
3. Pick a friend to bring. One of the best things I did was bring one of my bridesmaids with me for the shoot! Honey Bunny helped me chill out, suggested poses, touched up my makeup and hair, and made jokes so I had natural smiles in my pics. She was AWESOME. Just consider it, OK?
4. Practice posing. Put on your new duds, grab a mirror and strike a pose! Take a look at the lines of your body. What makes you look your best? What angles are you happiest with? Practices your sexay, come-hither face. Practice thinking about your Mr. and some *fun* times you’ve had.
5. Chill out! You’ll get the best pics if you’re relaxed and happy. Pack your bag full of naughty clothes ahead of time so you’re not rushing to get to the studio or hotel room on time. Grab a bottle of wine, if you like that sort of thing. I really wish I had had a glass or two before my shoot! Get a full night of sleep so you don’t have bags under your eyes!
6. Wear loose clothing before hand! This was something I didn’t even think of before I got to the studio. If you’re wearing tight jeans or something with a tight waistband, you’ll have a red line across your belly! Wear something loose and flowy to avoid this!

While Mr. Bunny was away, I spent the whole day Saturday editing pics (in the tub… with a bottle of Hornsby’s Hard Cider), got them printed, picked up a black Kolo album and photo corners at the local Archiver’s, and assembled them into a neat little book.

I love the ribbon bow that holds it closed. Just opening the book is so sensual! Sorry! This baby’s contents are for Mr. Bunny’s eyes only.

Well, OK, maybe just ONE picture …

It’ll be our little secret, OK? Don’t tell!

Are you getting boudoir photos taken? If so, will you go professional, or semi-pro?