There are so many times in one’s life that deserve to be memorialized with a boudoir session. Bridal, maternity, and after the kids, when your body has grown life, are all times you deserve a way to remember each change in your body.  I’ve written before about the traditional anniversary gifts, but I wanted to delve more into the different seasons of boudoir photography  and why each is important and should be remembered!

Remember, these are just the times I, personally, feel boudoir sessions are ideal.  I realize life happens, the “ideal” times may be a bit out of order, and that’s okay! If we stick pretty close to this schedule, though, when you are old and gray and thinking back on your life, you will have a volume of albums as a record of these changes your body has been through while you were a busy woman in St. Louis, MO! How cool is that?

Bridal Boudoir Photography

The majority of my clients are brides, which I absolutely love. This is such a fun, although stressful, time in one’s life. I’m always so happy they trust me with such an important and vulnerable piece of their wedding.

Why is a bridal boudoir photography session such an important season to be photographed?  Let’s be honest here.  Brides are likely in the best shape of their lives.  This is when they have been working out hard in preparation for being in a huge crowd of people. Brides are eating healthy, their hair is long, and their skin is glowing!  It’s the “ideal” time to record a boudoir photography session. But also, who doesn’t was more souvenirs of such a fun and exciting time of your life!?

Maternity Boudoir Photography

Women can create a life, with the help of their significant other of course. What better way to celebrate this miracle than with a boudoir session celebrating their body?  I personally feel that every woman should experience a maternity boudoir session.  Honor the work your body is putting in to create that precious baby you will hold in your arms soon!

The best time I have found for a maternity boudoir session is around 7 months or so. The belly is at that cute round stage, but you can still get around somewhat easily, which will make posing easier!

Five Year Anniversary

I have not had kids, but I will tell you at our five year anniversary, my body still looked decent, but had definitely changed from what it was when Cody and I first married.  Whether your body is in better shape than it’s ever been, you have stretch marks from having kids, or you have gained a few pounds, your husband loves you for who you are. This is a time in one’s life that’s completely different from the first bridal boudoir session.  Most women are completely different after five years– and this is a great thing! You and your husband have grown together in this time, and he will love to see this you in a boudoir photography session. Plus you probably haven’t felt as beautiful as you really are since your wedding, so this is a great time to change that!

Seven Year Anniversary

For the seven year anniversary, I think that having a boudoir session in the opposite season as your five year anniversary album is the ideal situation.  What I mean is if you have your five year session in the summer and wear mostly flowery colors and summer outfits, let’s do your seven year anniversary in the winter and wear more warmer winter outfits in cooler colors!

I think this anniversary is more for you than for your husband but rest assured he will appreciate it! This is a great time to remind yourself that you are beautiful and deserve the pampering.  You are more than just a wife and a mom. You are a woman, too!

Ten Year Anniversary

The ten year anniversary is a big anniversary overall. This is a great anniversary gift that he will obviously love. It’s not exactly the “traditional anniversary gift“- that’s tin/aluminum. HUH?!  What would you even get that’s tin or aluminum? A barn? Anyway, this is way better for you and for him than the traditional gift.

This is also the time when you should go all out for your session.  All the new lingerie, the fur, the jewelry, new shoes- all things he hasn’t ever seen before! He will love seeing you in this new light and you will feel like a new woman during the session and when you see the album!  You will be a completely different person ten years after your wedding and we need to be sure we catch the new you!

Fifteen Year Anniversary

At this point, it may have been five years since your last boudoir session.  A lot of changes happen in five years to your body.  I don’t think that is a bad thing though.  I want to embrace your curves and show you that the changes are a beautiful thing.  This is the perfect time to update your boudoir photos! Besides, the clothing styles will have changed, or your style in general as you age.

Twenty Year Anniversary

Your twenty year anniversary is possibly more important than the rest! You have likely raised a family (or are just finishing up), you have your life together, and you and your husband may be relearning how to be together without your kids! Use this season in your life to have a boudoir session photographed. It will help you remember how beautiful you are, and give you confidence in yourself.  It will help you remember that you are a woman and deserve to feel important.  Plus your husband will love it!

I may have stopped listing anniversaries here, but I don’t think that this is the last time you should do a boudoir session! You should continue to have a boudoir session photographed every three to five years, just to continue to memorialize your growth and maturity throughout your years.  All seasons of life are beautiful! Let’s celebrate it!

Other Seasons of Boudoir Photography

Some other times in your life that deserve to be remembered with a boudoir photography session could be a recent divorce or break-up, weight loss, fitness competitions, a confidence boosting session, or simply because you want to. My clients will all tell you that the session ends up being more for you than for whom you are gifting it!

Anyway…

Like I said before, I think if you take the time to have your session photographed at most of these times in your life( I realize it may not happen every time), you will really appreciate this as you get older.  Your daughters, granddaughters, great-granddaughters will, especially, love looking through the volume of boudoir albums, I promise! And we can keep any implied nudes out of those albums 😉

I would love for you to join me over on Instagram and in my Facebook group!