This has been on my bucket list for a few years ::: Orange County Boudoir

"This has been on my bucket list for a few years. I always hesitated because of finances and because I have not felt sexy since I had kids. I honestly do not ever wear any makeup and I hate taking pictures. I decided to take a chance and have the session done as a 5th wedding anniversary gift for my husband.

I was nervous from the moment that I scheduled the appointment but Sarah and Jeni were great at calming my nerves. I had so much fun on the day of the shoot it was way better than a day at the spa. Jeni and Sarah made me feel like we had been friends forever.

Sarah is incredible, I loved my makeup and hair which is saying a lot because I hate wearing makeup. I literally only wear makeup once a year. The makeup felt light and my husband said that I looked like a porcelain doll that night when he saw me. Jeni helped me choose the outfits to wear because I had brought 5 different outfits with me not knowing what to wear. Jeni posed me and would also remind me to smile and after viewing the photos I was so grateful that she reminded me to smile and the poses really look amazing in the photos.

 

I was nervous about viewing the photos but they were gorgeous, it is hard to believe they are actually photos of me. I did not think I would like them at all, because I am so self conscious about my body but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved them. I found a new self confidence and feel like this experience was priceless. I would recommend Jeni and Sarah to anybody that is thinking about having a boudoir session but not sure if they would be able to because they are shy or self conscious about their body. Jeni and Sarah made me feel welcome, comfortable, and beautiful."

More poise and loveliness than I had ever seen in myself ::: Orange County Boudoir

"When I saw my pictures for the first time, I was in utter disbelief. Not because they didn’t look like me, but because Jeni and Sarah captured more poise and loveliness than I had ever seen in myself.

It isn’t fair society thinks of boudoir as just sexy photos. It is NOT. It is about finding strength and confidence, beauty in yourself, just as you are. It is being a little vulnerable and a lot daring all at the same time. And to make it work, you need the perfect team to prepare, support and bring all your gorgeousness to the surface. Jeni and Sarah are the women to make it happen.

Not only are they amazing professionals, they get how out of your comfort zone this is! They guide you through the process, step by step. I couldn’t be happier I made the choice not only to do boudoir photos, but that I chose Grace & Lace."

I can't say enough about this experience ::: Orange County Boudoir

"I can't say enough about this experience and these awesome ladies. I was a bit nervous to do a boudoir shoot, and like most women very self-conscious about certain areas of my body, however, Jeni and Sarah immediately put me at ease with their friendly and professional attitudes. You can really tell these women love what they do, by the passion they have for making you feel amazing during this experience.

Much to my surprise, I never once felt self conscious about my body, in fact as Jeni gave me directions on which ways to pose or hold my face I began to feel more and more confident in my every curve. Going over the pictures with Jeni a week later was such an ego boost; they were absolutely breathtaking. I want to blow them all up and put them on the walls of my home, just to remind myself everyday how beautifully sexy I am.

The book Jeni has constructed with my selected pictures is gorgeous and will knock my fiance's socks off for sure. 
I did the photo shoot to create a groom's gift for my fiance, however, after walking out of the photo shoot I realized I also did it for me. And my self confidence has been sky high ever since. I have already recommended these ladies to countless girlfriends and would recommend them to anyone looking to do a boudoir shoot. It was an amazingly fun and freeing experience that I'm so glad I summoned up the courage to do."

I'm so glad I decided to do a boudoir shoot ::: Orange County Boudoir

"I am so glad I decided to do a Boudoir shoot with Jeni and Sarah, I had the best experience!! I didn't have the opportunity to do a one before I got married, so I figured now would be a good time to surprise my husband as he would never expect this from me. When I showed up the morning of my shoot, I was super nervous. I had never done anything like this before but the girls immediately put me at ease, they make you feel like you're hanging out with your girlfriends.

They had a cute personalized Welcome sign on the door, snacks, my favorite music playing and a little glass of white wine. Sarah is amazing at doing makeup and hair, I can definitely say she made me look like a bombshell, like whoa! While you're getting your hair and makeup done, Jeni is going through your selection of Lingerie and picks out the best looks for the shoot. She made me feel so comfortable during the entire shoot and literally posed me from my head down to my toes, she's a fantastic photographer!!

I couldn't wait for my viewing with Jeni, I was actually more nervous to see my pictures than I was showing up for my shoot. I was blown away! The pictures were better than I could have ever imagined, I ended up upgrading my package because I couldn't narrow it down. I was dying to give the album and other goodies to my husband but was able to wait a few days and surprise him on Father's Day, which was perfect because I found out a few days prior that we are expecting our first child. I am so happy I did the shoot when I did it, it's definitely a gift for my husband but also a gift for me. I highly recommend Grace and Lace Boudoir, I'm looking forward to working with them again.

Just do it ::: Orange County Boudoir

In her own words...

How old are you? 
26

Are you from Southern California? If not, where are you from?
Yes.  I've lived in Yorba Linda for 19 years.

Are you married?
No.

Do you have any kids?
No.

What do you do for a living?
I'm a hairstylist at a men's salon.  (Sport Clips)

Have you ever had a boudoir session before?

No.  This was my first time.

Why did you decide to have a boudoir session with Grace and Lace Boudoir?
I saw that they were doing a casting call.  I've always liked the idea of these types of photo shoots.  I find them classy and tasteful.  Never had the confidence to try it myself but finally just said, "screw it, I'll give it a shot."  It was the self-esteem/confidence boost I was looking for and I had so much fun.

Has your session impacted you in a way you weren't expecting? If so, how?

Yes.  The confidence boost it gave me has stuck with me since my session.  I can't stop looking at my photos.   

Did you have any obstacles or fears you had to overcome about boudoir?
 

Several.  I was anxious and nervous.  I didn't know how to pose or what facial expressions to make.  And I wasn't too confident about just being in my underwear in front of a camera.

Did the session differ from what you were expecting?
 

Yes.  I wasn't expecting to feel so relaxed and comfortable.  Jeni and Sarah made it so easy for me.

Did you have your session to create a gift? If so, what was it for?
 

It wasn't my original plan, but I did buy an album and gave it to my boyfriend as a surprise gift.  He liked it a lot.

We would love to hear about how you gave the gift and their reaction if you don't mind sharing!

 I sent the link to my mobile album first.  He said I looked like a different person and that it was "hot."  He said I seemed more confident and inspired and he said I was radiating confidence and he really liked to see that from me.

What was your favorite part about the entire experience?

 The confidence boost it gave me.  I've always struggled with self acceptance and this helped a lot.  

Any advice for women interested in their own boudoir session?

JUST DO IT!  It took me a long time to hit "send" after I typed out my email to respond to the casting call because it made me anxious to try something so new and different to me.  I'm so happy I did it.  You don't have to worry about a thing.  Jeni and Sarah made everything so easy and made it a stress-free and relaxed environment.  I can't thank them enough for this experience.

In her own words... ::: Orange County Boudoir

How old are you? 47
 

Are you from Southern California? If not, where are you from? Yes, grew up in Old Towne Orange
 

Are you married? Yes
 

Do you have any kids? 2, my son is 14 my daughter is 9
 

What do you do for a living? I am a children's hairstylist

Have you ever had a boudoir session before? No

Why did you decide to have a boudoir session with Grace and Lace Boudoir? I wanted to show that you can feel sexy at any age.
 

Has your session impacted you in a way you weren't expecting? If so, how? Yes! It was so much fun and I felt totally sexy.

 Did you have any obstacles or fears you had to overcome about boudoir? My weight
 

Did the session differ from what you were expecting? I didn't feel as self conscious as I thought I would.
 

Did you have your session to create a gift? If so, what was it for? I created it as gift for myself. It will be something I can look back on and say " damn my ass looked good". 

What was your favorite part about the entire experience? I truly loved doing it. Jen made me feel so comfortable.

 Any advice for women interested in their own boudoir session? Let any inhibitions you have go. The whole experience makes you feel so beautiful!

"I have always wanted to do a boudoir shoot, and I am so glad I got to have the experience with Jeni and Sarah. As soon as you walk through the door you are felt welcomed. The pictures are awesome and I can't wait to show them off!"

Another Anonymous Stunner ::: Orange County Boudoir ::: Grace and Lace Boudoir

I admit, I'm behind on blogging, which is such a shame because we've had quite a few phenomenal sessions lately and I can't wait to show them to you! But, generally, I'm just behind in LIFE! Last week, Sarah and I took our families on a little vacation to Palm Desert and it was just what I needed to recharge and regroup.  So, now, I'm back at it, you guys!! Ahhh....

This stunner - though! I LOVE when clients allow us to share their images - even when they're anonymous! You'll just have to trust me though that she was a doppelganger for Angelina Jolie.  I'm NOT. EVEN. KIDDING. She came to us to help her with a gift for her soon to be hubby.  I've been DYING to share the images but we had to wait til after her wedding - I suck at being patient.

She left with a 10x10 album, a glass box, a mobile album, and a perfume drive of her images for him. Pretty sure he was a pretty happy guy this past Saturday (their wedding day)!   

In her own words...

How old are you?

23

Are you from Southern California? 

Yes! I grew up in Orange county

Are you married?

Almost! This boudoir session is my gift to my future husband

Do you have any kids?

No

What do you do for a living?

Hairstylist

Have you ever had a boudoir session before?
No, this was my first. Probably not my last!

Why did you decide to have a boudoir session with Grace and Lace Boudoir?
The quality of photos and lighting in each photo is what really caught my attention, and I got more photos than other studios were offering! Some studios were only going to let me pick 10 images, whereas with Grace and Lace I got to pick 35! And I added on the flash drive so I could keep all my photos since I was SO in love with them!

Has your session impacted you in a way you weren't expecting? If so, how?

I had never seen myself that way, now I know what my husband sees when I wear lingerie, I feel like I have a new found confidence that I never knew I could have!

Did you have any obstacles or fears you had to overcome about boudoir?
I was scared on looking stiff or shy/uncomfortable but I felt so at ease during this photo session! Jeni and Sarah made me feel so comfortable!

Did the session differ from what you were expecting?

Yes! Completely exceeded my expectations! My photos are amazing!

Did you have your session to create a gift? If so, what was it for?
Yes! It is my future husband's gift for him to open on our wedding day.

 What was your favorite part about the entire experience?

The photo shoot was actually way more fun than I thought it would be, probably one of the funniest things I've done! And the viewing of my photos was like Christmas morning! I was in awe. 

Any advice for women interested in their own boudoir session?

DO IT! Don't let insecurities get in your way, it is such a great investment and your man will love it!

Thank you, Miss S, for trusting with your experience and letting us help you create an AMAZING gift for your hubby! Enjoy your honeymoon - and, of course, married life :)

Stay Connected!

Join the conversation in our private boudoir group exclusively for women!

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Some Vintage Flare

I love it when I get to do something just a little bit different. Not that I don't LOVE a smokey eye and a nude lip, I mean ,that's my most favorite thing in the whole wide world! A bold red lip though, is empowering. I've been doing Courtney's makeup for years now, and she never wants anything less than bold, striking and daring. I like that about her. 

So, what I was thinking for Court was a little bit Elizabeth Taylor, a little bit Dita Von Tease. I knew she could own it. 

For her face, I primed it with Maracuja oil. I used smashbox primer all over so she would not get oily. I started on her eyes and used a light brown in her crease as a transition shade. I then used a darker brown to deepen it up. I put a vanilla shade on her lid and used bobbie brown gel liner to give her a sultry wing.  For her under eye, i kept the water line clean and used a brown shadow close to her lashes. I used champagne pop for her inner highlight and slightly on her brow bone. I put on some mascara and lashes to complete her eye makeup 

I used tarte amazonian clay for her foundation and contoured with Bobbie brown foundation. I used tarte shape tape under her eye to conceal. I then set her face with Laura Mercier translucent powder. For her blush, I wanted to keep it simple so I used a muted pinky beige blush. I highlighted with Becca champagne pop on top of her cheek bones, her cupids bow and down her nose. For her lips I mixed a darker red and a brighter red color to give courtney a perfect vintage lip. I then set her face with urban decays all nighter spray and that was it! I think she looked fab! 

Anonymity at it's finest ::: Miss K ::: Orange County Boudoir ::: Grace and Lace Boudoir

This week's feature is the beautiful Miss K. She found us on Instagram when she was searching for wedding gift ideas for her new husband (they just had their wedding ceremony this past weekend but they were married at a courthouse a few months ago). She also wanted to gift him something he can take with him when he leaves on deployment.  Boudoir is always an excellent idea!! She opted to keep her images anonymous outside of our Facebook VIP group, but that certainly doesn't make them any less sexy or make us any less grateful for allowing us to share them! We loved working with her, she was so incredibly sweet and amazingly easy to love. She rocked her boudoir session with so much confidence. 

In her own words....

How old are you? 

I am 21

Are you from Southern California? 

Yes, born and raised in Tustin but live in San Clemente 

Are you married?

Yes, Marine Wife!

Do you have any kids?

None at the moment 

What do you do for a living?

Full-time student for political science; Nanny for 4 kids 

Have you ever had a boudoir session before?

Never!

Why did you decide to have a boudoir session with Grace and Lace Boudoir?

I started out on Instagram looking for a boudoir photographer that I felt knew the right poses for a woman and was experienced in the field. This was for my husband for our "real wedding day" since we got married in a courthouse. From searching Instagram, I came across Grace and Lace! I instantly fell in love with their ability to portray a women's beauty in such an elegant but sexy way! I also found it hard to find a boudoir photographer that did hair + makeup and in their own studio. 

Has your session impacted you in a way you weren't expecting? If so, how?

 I was gaining weight, and being married to someone who is constantly working out due to his job, my self esteem lowered. I didn't think my body could look the way that Jeni and Sarah captured me. It really did help our marriage, I began to see the beauty in who I am.

Did you have any obstacles or fears you had to overcome about boudoir?

One of my fears of doing it were, I didn't know who was going to shoot me. In this type of field one has to be careful in who shoots them. That the photographer is professional in respecting your privacy and exposure. But, Jeni and Sarah are excellent in maintaining the professionalism and care for their clients. 

Also, my fear of getting the photos done and not liking the way my body looked. However, I knew the photos were for someone who loved me and knows what I look like. In addition, Jeni assured me that she would help me in camouflaging my imperfections such as a bruise and recent bug bites! 

Did the session differ from what you were expecting?

I went into the session not knowing what to expect. One can only imagine what the studio will look like from the photos. But the experience was amazing in the way Jeni and Sarah make their clients feel and look like a million bucks. 

Did you have your session to create a gift? If so, what was it for? 

The gift is for my husband, which will be given the morning of our wedding ceremony in Fallbrook! I'm anxious to give it to him!

We would love to hear about how you gave the gift and their reaction.

I will definitely make sure my wedding photographer gets a picture of his reaction! And that photo will be sent to Grace and Lace of course! But I did tell him I was doing the shoot and he was persistent in reminding me the shoot was coming up and telling me everything he loves me in etc. He is very excited to see the end product! When I came home in Sarah's makeup, he couldn't stop looking at me like he had a high school crush! But it is good I told him before hand so he knew who was taking the photos and that our identity as a military family would be protected.  

What was your favorite part about the entire experience?

 My favorite part was the viewing of the photos. I was so nervous to see how they would turn out, and when I saw them, I couldn't believe it was me! Jeni was so helpful in picking photos and hearing about what I am looking at when I see the photos. 

Any advice for women interested in their own boudoir session?

My advice is to not overthink it. That is my problem! One has to trust the process that it is going to turn out beautiful! Also, one may keep saying, "I'll do it when I lose weight" I said that for a year and I still didn't. Do it now! You aren't getting any younger and you'll be glad you did it! 

 

“I found Grace and Lace via Instagram! I was looking for a boudoir photographer for my husband on our wedding day. Just saw my finished photos yesterday and Jeni did an amazing job! She is so sweet and genuinely cares about her clients. During the shoot, Jeni also wanted to make sure you were “ok” and helped you during the process. Not one time did I feel awkward in front of her. Sarah, the makeup artist and hair also did an amazing job on me. I get nervous because sometimes makeup can look ratchet looking, but Sarah makes you look like a movie star. And she is just as nice as Jeni! I am so blessed to have found Grace and Lace to do my photos, and so will anyone who decides to use them!”

Thank you, Miss K, for letting us share your gorgeous images! 

Get in touch with us if you'd like a Southern California boudoir session of your own! We hope to see you come through our doors soon. 

XO, Jeni

Confidence is the SEXIEST ::: Orange County Boudoir ::: Grace and Lace Boudoir

This week we are featuring Miss C! Let me just start by telling you how much I freaking adore this lady!! She is so spunky and sassy, you can't help but fall in love with her. This is her second time coming to see us and I hope she comes back again and again and again!! She has amazing self-confidence that I wish every woman had - including myself!! She's witty with a smart ass sense of humor and we laughed during her entire session. To say we had fun would be an understatement!

In her words...

How old are you? 
I will be 28 tomorrow!!!! 

Are you from Southern California? If not, where are you from?
Yes, I am native to SoCal but currently reside in the Owns Valley located in the Easter Sierra mountain range.

Are you married?
Yes! My sweet husband and I have been married 3 years this April.

Do you have any kids?
Not yet, but we just decided to grow our family through foster care that will possibly lead to adoption. 

What do you do for a living?
I am a preschool teacher. 

Have you ever had a boudoir session before?

Only with my sweet ladies at Grace and Lace! 

Why did you decide to have a boudoir session with Grace and Lace Boudoir?
Well I was one of your first customers and I had a book made for my husband for our wedding night. I feel like I've come into my own sexiness and wanted to reshoot as an anniversary gift! 

Has your session impacted you in a way you weren't expecting? If so, how?

I'm a pretty confident girl but I love looking at myself in such a sexy way it gives me even more of a confidence boost! 

Did you have any obstacles or fears you had to overcome about boudoir?

I am already a big girl and have gained a bit of weight since my first shoot so I was a little nervous to be in front of the camera again. But once I got all glamed up I felt like a super model!  
 

Did the session differ from what you were expecting?
 I wasn't sure how I'd get those amazing photos I'd seen posted but Jeni was amazing and gave me so any tips and tricks to get that beautiful sexy and suggestive look! 

Did you have your session to create a gift? If so, what was it for?
I am giving it as an anniversary gift. Since I did one that I gave to my husband on my weeding night I'm going to give him a "three years later" book and hopefully this will be a fun theme throughout our marriage for him to collect over the years! 

 What was your favorite part about the entire experience?

 I loved that is was just girls hanging out! I laughed and felt so taken care of all day! 

Any advice for women interested in their own boudoir session?

 Do it! As a very curvy girl the world says I'm less sexy than a thin girl but I disagree, lucky for me so do these girls! It's all about being confident and working what you got! Confidence is the most sexy thing you can put on everyday!!  

“Wow what an amazing company to work with! Sarah and Jeni really know what they are doing! I came back a few years later for a second shoot! You get the whole experience with these girls! ”

“From the moment you book a shoot it’s all about you! You receive so much more than beautiful photos with these girls. You receive guides to help you prep and pick outfits as well as a personalized Pinterest page so you can all add ideas! The day of is such a blast first Sarah makes you feel so gorgeous with hair and makeup and then Jeni works her magic! ”

“I had a blast and would totally recommend this to anyone!! I even have a friend who’s going to travel to come shoot with them, they are THAT GOOD!!!!”

Miss C is actually our 3rd girl, just this year alone, to come back for a second time! That speaks volumes to what a boudoir experience can do for your self-esteem! Have you scheduled your boudoir session with Grace and Lace Boudoir yet? Every woman has her own reasons for having a session, don't let excuses stop you from having your own!

Stay tuned for our next G&L feature!

Do you follow us on Instagram? We'd love to join us over there. www.instagram.com/graceandlaceboudoir

Join us in our private, women-only Facebook group for member only sneak peeks, events and goodies!

XO, Jeni