Phylicia and Ken recently came into the studio to rock not their first, but their second Couples Boudoir Session with us.
Our last session on March 19th was actually the 11-year anniversary of our first date!” Phylicia said.
The couple’s relationship took off with a bang soon after they met (through a combination of Facebook and mutual friends).
“So we met in March and we found out we were expecting in October and our daughter was born in June. It was a bit of a whirlwind,” said Phylicia.
Since then, Phylicia and Ken have been through many challenges together (with the help of couples and individual therapy along the way). Aside from having a baby so quickly, the couple moved to a place where they had essentially zero support system besides each other. Throw in the fact that Ken travels often and extensively for work and Phylicia says their road as a couple may not have been easy but it’s been so worth it.
“We’ve had a lot of challenges. Having a baby so quick, moving to a place where I had no support system and his traveling. It was really rough in the beginning. Throw in some mental health issues too. We went to couples counseling and individual as well.”
A few years ago the pair came across an ad for Allebach Photography and thought a couples session sounded like the most exciting way to celebrate their relationship.
“At this point we were engaged and in a really good place in our relationship and I really wanted something tangible I could see that could express how much he meant to me. We were so nervous going into the shoot but had an absolute blast! We got beautiful artwork that hangs in our bedroom that I get to look at everyday. It reminds me how much he loves me, especially when he’s gone so much,” Phylicia shares.
When Ken and Phylicia got married last October, Phylicia’s mind straight back to our studio.
“Originally I was going to gift Ken a solo shoot of me but totally dropped the ball!” She admitted.
Luckily for her, great minds think alike and so as a wedding gift to his new bride, Ken gifted her another couples session with us!
“It was the perfect gift because I love our photos from the last time. We thought new photos of this new phase in life would be fun. Also, our wedding photos came out terribly and Mike and Erica were able to capture some really gorgeous shots of us in our wedding outfits.”
Though this was their second time around with us, Phylicia admitted she still got a little nervous about the process.
“Saying I was nervous about my body is an understatement. I’ve been taking medication to manage my mental health and the side effects are weight gain. I’ve tried so hard to love my body and it’s just not working. Ken is always saying that I’m still amazing but it’s hard to believe sometimes when you just don’t love the way you look. Trying on outfits felt discouraging. Looking at the pictures though and seeing how happy Ken is with me does make things easier. And even though I don’t like my body, it’s great to see how much he loves it!”
For Phylicia, it was less about seeing herself in that light (at least for now) and more about how her partner sees her, and about capturing their love for each other.
“Seeing the love you captured and how happy we were made us both cry,” she said.
“To anyone out there nervous or anxious about this I absolutely understand! Just know that Mike and Erica will make you feel so comfortable and beautiful. Our couples shoots have really helped us bond. Getting to spend three hours laughing, kissing and hanging out uninterrupted with your best friend is perfect! And now we have beautiful photos to remind us of the happiness and love that we share.”
After their photo reveal, Ken and Phylicia created a beautiful album to accompany their metal wall artwork from their previous session.
“Each session always feels like it brings us closer together. For those few hours we are totally absorbed in just each other and we get to look back on those photos and see all the love and joy you captured.”
To schedule your Couples Boudoir session, call Allebach Photography at 610.539.6920 or visit http://allebachphotography.com/contact/. Join our facebook group to learn more from past clients!