Should You Take Bridal Boudoir Photos?

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boudoir wedding photos
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Messina on Kiss The Groom via Lover.ly

If you’re engaged, you may be considering having some glam boudoir photos taken of yourself. Boudoir photo shoots are becoming more and more popular for brides-to-be. (That we know this because of all of the "Whoa, Nelly!" ones appearing in our Facebook feeds is a whole other story.) But not every bride wants to have such intimate photos taken of herself. Here are some things to consider when deciding whether a sexy shoot is right for you.

The Pros

1. Seeing yourself as others see you can be so great for your self-image.

boudoir photos
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Messina on Grey Likes Weddings via Lover.ly

It’s easy to focus on the you that you see every day... you know, the one whose flaws and shortcomings you’re always thinking about. Setting aside a Saturday to get dolled up, put on some lingerie, and flaunt your feminine, sexy side can be really fun — and seeing how you great look in that moment can be even better.

2. Boudoir photos can be a great way to commemorate a moment in your life when you’re feeling really good in your own skin.

boudoir photos
Photo Credit: Katherine Henry Boudoir on Heart Love Weddings via Lover.ly

While boudoir photography can be an amazing gift to your partner, we’ve heard of far more brides who take them as gifts to themselves. If you’ve been having one of those, “Hot damn, I’ve never looked better!” kind of a years, boudoir photos are a great way to remember that moment and exactly how awesome you felt.

3. With so many amazing boudoir photographers out there, finding one who gets you is completely doable.

boudoir photos
Photo Credit: Katherine Henry Boudoir on Heart Love Weddings via Lover.ly

Gone are the days of cheesy ‘80s glamour shots; finding a photographer who makes you look and feel gorgeous and totally at ease can definitely be done. While most boudoir photographers don’t post all of their images online (out of respect to their clients), you should be able to get a sense of whether their style matches what you have in mind. And don’t feel like you have to fit a certain mold! We’ve seen some pretty creative and unconventional boudoir shots, so find a photog who won’t pressure you to wear lace if it’s not your style.

The Cons

1. Having digital files of yourself looking all sexy-like raises some privacy concerns.

boudoir photos
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Messina on Wedding Chicks via Lover.ly

While it’s absolutely ridiculous that private photos could ruin anyone’s life, it’s still a reality and a risk a lot of women don’t want to take. If you have concerns that a leaked photo of you in nothing but knickers could have a detrimental effect on your career or personal life, it might not be worth it.

2. Some people stress so much about how they look in photos, so seeing yourself on display in this way might do a number on your self-esteem.

boudoir photos
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Messina on Grey Likes Weddings via Lover.ly

If you’re the type of person who sees photos of herself from brunch tagged on Facebook and immediately freaks out about all her perceived flaws, you may feel worse when you see the pictures of yourself in your lingerie (of course, boudoir photos snapped by an amazing photographer could easily have the opposite effect!). But if you’ve been feeling really down on yourself looks-wise as of late, it might be better to wait until you feel like even the most unflattering selfie couldn’t bring you down.

3. The popularity of boudoir photos can add to the problem.

boudoir photos
Photo Credit: Julia Franzosa on Glamour & Grace via Lover.ly

Feeling like everyone else is doing it might mean you’re feeling pressured to do them... or like you have to look as good as your hot friend from college did in the boudoir pictures she shared on Facebook. But you should be doing these for yourself, first and foremost, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to show them to anyone if you don’t want to. You don’t even have to tell anyone you’re having them done!

Ultimately, we think boudoir shots are gorgeous but that there is no expiration date on when you can have them taken. If you don’t feel great in your own skin right now, you don’t need the added pressure of looking great on camera! But if you want a fun way to remember an exciting time in your life, bridal boudoir photos are definitely a must.

—Rachel Wilkerson