Planning for your big day can be quite stressful. From picking the right hotel and destination to getting your save-the-dates and wedding invitations out in perfect timing, there is enough to get done to feel like a part time job. Aside from all the to do's, there is a serious amount of pressure for every bride to mimic wedding day goddesses like Nicole Phelps and Hayley Paige. We sat down with Cassie, a local Wisconsin photography business owner, to tell us and all of our brides everything we need to know about a bridal boudoir photography session. Cassie is an advocate to empower women to feel their best selves, and most importantly to stop striving for unrealistic expectations.
Read more to be inspired, and get ready to create the best gift ever for your soon-to-be husband.
Q: Welcome, Cassie! The Weddings by Funjet team has been swooning over your talents and how you've built your C.Mae Design empire. Tell us a little bit about your journey, and why you do what you do.
A: Sure! Where to even begin? C.Mae Design was actually an accident. It was originally created as a Graphic Design Company. We are the graphic designers for the largest sticker manufacturer in America and started the LLC to support that work. With being located in SE Wisconsin graphic design wasn't a common necessity, so I picked up the camera in 2012. The business just exploded. We continued to double our business each year in which I started hiring and building a team in 2016. It's been a crazy journey from opening our studio in the summer of 2017 for 3 months into it being evacuated out due to flooding in the area. When we decided to not relaunch the studio, there were a lot of emotions but ultimately was the right choice. It allowed us to get back to the roots of our business and why we do it. Our passion is to help others see who they really are. This is done in so many different ways. Whether it's a couples session, family session, or boudoir session we have a strong passion and eye for authenticity. It's what we strive to capture in every session. It's found in a loud laugh or an emotional moment shared between a couple. It's all about connection and knowing how to provoke that in a photography setting.
Q: I am so excited to share with our brides your expertise and passion for empowering women. What inspired you to take on this role, in addition to engagements and weddings?
A: It really began when my friend got married in 2014 and asked me to take these "risky" photos of her as a gift for her soon-to-be husband. It all began in my spare bedroom with cheap wine, a Pinterest board, and Beyoncé (all hail queen B). She loved the photos and I started to offer it exclusively to our wedding clients at the time. Then I realized that you don't have to only be a bride to do this. We've now have photographed over 150 women of all ages and sizes. I just recently photographed a 60-year-old woman who had a double mastectomy and let me tell you ladies...she had some better lingerie than I do! I started to notice a "change" in the women we work with. They left their session with their head a little higher and more "pep in their step". I saw how it was truly transforming the way women saw themselves and we all know we could use a little boost of that!
Q: Why do you think it's important for brides to partake in a bridal boudoir session leading up to the wedding day, or even on the big day itself?
A: For any woman, it's so important to have self-love and self compassion. We live in a society of unrealistic expectations provided by the media and can cause very damaging body images. While a lot of brides are working often on their physical body leading up to the wedding, this is an experience to show that off as well as working on the mental way you view yourself. It's tuning into that inner QUEEN and letting go of all the insecurities. PLUS you'll walk into your wedding day with even better posing tips and how to angle your body!
Q: Do you have any expert tips for all the ladies of the world prepping for their own boudoir session?
A: What I would say is BE YOU. You're going to be nervous and that's a fact but as soon as you walk in we'll sit down to have a glass of wine and chat. I'll be able to navigate your session and poses by our conversation and what you really want from the session with us! The best prep is to simply let go. Let go of past judgments. Let go of insecurities and just let me do all the work!
Q: How can brides get motivated before their shoot, and shake off any nerves?
A: Play your favorite "stripper" music as loud as you can. Dance around while you're getting ready and sing it out loud with the music. This will allow you to get out of your head.
Q: Where do brides even begin in choosing the right lingerie and props for a boudoir session?
A: This is sooo different per person. I would say in general to stay away from the "babydoll" style as sometimes the more loose fitting items actually make you look larger than you are. The "teddy" style or bodysuits are very popular right now. They hug everything in while hiding your midriff as that is often a "trouble area" for a lot of women. Always bring heals! If you are doing this as a gift, bring an item that is significant to your partner. This could be their favorite jacket, shirt, hat, etc. What I need you to do is wear form fitting and proper fitting items. Nothing is worse than a bra a size too big or too small. It needs to be the right fit! Don't obsess too much about color. Often times we put images into black and white so just pick what you are the most drawn to.
Q: Do you recommend bringing any props, or do you have props you recommend incorporating?
A: Again, it's so custom to each person. Props are a fun way to personalize this gift to your partner. So say if they are a police officer you can bring their cuffs. If they work in construction you can bring their hat. If they are in the medical field you could bring a stethoscope. For real, it's anything they use often, wear often is great because it's not only the idea of the photos but that you thought of incorporating them into it on an even more personal level.
Q: In your expert opinion, when do you think is the ideal time to give significant others bridal boudoir photography?
A: Two or three months before the wedding. Planning a wedding can be stressful. You are most likely starting to get a little stressed with planning and this is a super fun way to relieve stress! We don't suggest you doing it too close to the wedding date. We don't want it to feel like it's one more thing added to your plate. You also are coming up on your final dress fitting around this time so you will be near the actual weight that you'll be for your wedding day. And let me just add something in here... You do not need to loose weight for your wedding ladies. There is so much pressure to look the most beautiful on your wedding day but more important than that is for you to be HAPPY. I know that some brides feel that pressure and I want to tell you to love your body as it is today. And when we do your boudoir shoot you will see how beautiful that body is as it is today. The reason why I keep referencing to loosing weight is because I know this is a very real thing for brides. Know that the most beautiful thing you can wear on your wedding day is not a smaller waist, smaller arms, or being a smaller number on the scale. It's confidence. Confidence is what glows.
Q: For our local brides in the Greater Milwaukee area considering setting up an appointment with you, where are the possibilities for this session to take place? Any upcoming events to consider?
A: Our beautiful boudoir studio is actually located at a local wedding venue in Burlington, WI. We use the bridal suite as our studio during the week which works perfectly as we are out shooting weddings on the weekends anyways! We are always happy to do an in-home session as well. We also host boudoir events called "Bubbly and Boudoir" which are all day events that we often times hold at different hotels and venues. We'd love for you to follow us on Instagram & Facebook to find all these upcoming events!
Q: Do you have any additional information on how you work with destination wedding couples, and pricing information? I would love to include at the bottom of the article other ways to work with you throughout the planning process.
A: We really love traveling with our clients to where ever their love takes them. Our travel wedding packages range in price as each destination has different needs. With each package we offer, you will receive 10 hours of wedding day coverage with two photographers, a USB drive with all your images copyright free, an online gallery for sharing all your beautiful images with family and friends, AND a boudoir session! We love throwing in a complimentary boudoir session to our destination wedding brides because it's the chance to work with you before the big day. We often times do this at your resort the few days beforehand as often times you will do a hair & makeup run there! This is a great opportunity to take advantage of your glam look and get some amazing photos!
Feeling better about booking a bridal boudoir photography session? We encourage you to work with the amazing C.Mae Design Team by contacting them here.
