I'm still wondering if they are actually me!? ::: Orange County Boudoir ::: Grace and Lace Boudoir

"I have never been a confident person with any self-esteem and after losing 40 lbs I decided to have boudoir photos done. I couldn't have asked for a better team to experience this with!

Hair and makeup...WOW!!!! What an amazing makeup artist Sarah is, she is so sweet and very talented! My makeup was so perfect!!! Sarah did a great job on my hair as well, it had just the right about of curl and volume. Then it was time for pictures. I'm not one to ever be seen in anything less than a 1 piece swimsuit and here I was. I felt SO comfortable with these ladies it was amazing! Jeni is phenomenal. She has you posing in a way that makes your features stand out. She is so helpful in telling you what to do and being sweet/kind and taking her time. I took so many outfits and they picked the ones that they thought would look best and they were RIGHT!!!!

I got my pictures back and HOLY COW.....i'm still wondering if they are actually me!?!?!? :) I am completely blown away by the images Jeni captured and I knew my makeup looked good the day of...I am speechless at how amazing it looks in pictures...Sarah is the BEST!!! I will recommend Grace and Lace to anyone and everyone that will listen. I want to show everyone my pictures and that is typically not me! :)

Scars are a badge of honor ::: Orange County Boudoir ::: Grace and Lace Boudoir

Scars are reminders and proof that you’ve lived life. No matter how big or small that scar is - it tells a story. Sometimes, a really cool story. I mean, this awesome and badass woman went through this terrifying ordeal in her life but she comes out and laughs while recounting the story to us?? That is pure strength right there!

Scars are never just marks on your body - wear those bad boys with pride, as a badge of honor. Because it is! Your body suffered a trauma and healed itself. How amazing is that?

And really and truly, how boring of a life have you lived if you truly come out of it unscathed anyway??

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” 
― Kahlil Gibran

 

 From the moment I walked into Grace and Lace, I felt like I was with lifelong friends. I was made to feel comfortable from the moment I walked in. Sarah is an amazing artist. She was able to capture my full potential. Making me look amazing while still making me look like me! Thank you, Sarah, thank you Jeni for giving me back a little bit of myself that I thought I had lost.

Jeni, I have no words! I knew she would make me look amazing! What I didn't realize is how she would capture my scars. She showed me that they are not meant to be hidden, but to be embraced and appreciated for the beauty that they truly are. After breaking my back at 17 and undergoing more than a dozen surgeries, one in which I had a stroke, Jeni showed me that they are more than just scares. They are a story of strength, courage, and unwillingness to give up. They are a thing of beauty that tells a story of a survival. The extra 25 pounds from the stroke is nothing to be ashamed, but are just part of a battle I am still fighting every day. Not to be seen as a negative that we all view our weight as, but to see it was part of a story I am still writing!

Thank you, Stacy, for having enough faith and trust in us to strut around here half-naked, and truly let your guard down to show how strong you are!! <3 

~Jeni 

An Incredible Experience ::: Orange County Boudoir ::: Grace and Lace Boudoir

OMG! I can't even begin to put into words how INCREDIBLE my experience was with Jeni and Sarah! First off, my hair and makeup Sarah did was absolutely AMAZING! I am a hair stylist and I used to do makeup so I am suuuuuper picky and she NAILED it- and I never feel like anyone nails it like she did! 

Next, the photo shoot with Jeni was so fun! She made me feel so comfortable and so sexy! Finally, my viewing of my pics! OMG, I CRIED! These two made me look sooooo good, I couldn't believe it was me!

I seriously am so happy, if I could give them a million stars, I would! Seriously the most fun and amazing experience! I HIGHLY recommend choosing Grace and Lace boudoir for your photo shoot session. Best decision I made!

Thank you, both soooo much for such an incredible experience! My fiancé is going to love the book I got and someday I will look back and remember how fierce, sexy and gorgeous I once felt!!!

Black Friday ... are you excited?? ::: Orange County Boudoir

Yes, it's happening again this year. And it's gonna be even more amazing than last year's sale if you can believe it! Our VIP Group on FB gets first dibs at knowing the details (so go join if you're not already there!) and then we'll announce it on the blog on Nov 24.

Oh, and this year, we're only accepting a VERY limited number of spots, so you don't want to miss the announcement.  Once those spots are filled, they're filled. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/graceandlaceboudoir

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.