Rachel met Allebach Photography way before she even thought about doing a solo boudoir session, when her and her fiancé, Doug, were searching for a wedding photographer.
“We are using Mike/Erika for engagement and wedding. They were easily my favorite. We made that decision before we even saw the studio because I had no idea I’d be doing a solo boudoir. We just fell in love with his photos and the reviews were very positive. On the phone consultation he just seemed like a genuinely good dude,” she explains.
The couple (who met through mutual friends six years ago at a housewarming party neither of them even wanted to attend!) is planning on getting married in October 2022 at the Mütter Museum, a medical museum in Philadelphia that houses some of the most anatomically peculiar specimens in the world.
“It’s kind of a ‘Hallowedding’ at the Mütter Museum. The plan is lots of lace and candles and fall stuffs. My fiancé has always been into horror movies and Halloween. I’m a nurse who likes medical stuff, the macabre, autumn (like every girl) and spooky aesthetics. We’re members of the museum and fell in love with the venue when we attended Clüb 13,” says Rachel, who works as an ICU nurse.
The couple was all set with their engagement and wedding photos booked when Rachel saw one of our model calls for solo boudoir. She immediately thought her fiancé would love the photos as a gift and as art to hang in their new home.
Rachel was excited but says she felt some nerves and even a little apprehension about being out of her element. She’s always been a bit shy and suffered from body confidence issues, adding that she describes herself as a “late bloomer.”
“I didn’t get my period until I was almost 16. I was flat chested until that age as well. I was a competing gymnast so the lack of body fat meant I didn’t create enough estrogen to go through puberty. I was always made fun of for being tiny, flat chested, and having bushy eyebrows – which is now a blessing and no longer a uni brow,” she says.
Rachel brought black lacy lingerie, a red bodycon dress, ripped jeans and a leather jacket and says she was completely surprised by how confident she felt during her session and how into it she got.
“By ‘into it’ I more mean being able to relax, let go, vibe with the music, and not feel so self conscious or overthinking it. I was out of my element, I’m not used to being heavily photographed, and like a lot of people, I can be self-conscious. But Mike and Erika made me feel comfortable and it made the process so much easier. The make up artist did a great job with doing my hair and makeup and was a doll too. I did feel glamorous after all that pampering while wearing those outfits,” she says with a laugh.
Rachel was blown away when she saw her images afterwards.
“I picked more that showed off my butt than I thought I would. I’m not super confident with that part of my body. My fiancé’s favorite photo and the one picked for wall art was one that showed a side profile. I don’t love my nose, so that was a confidence boost too that he picked it as his favorite,” she said.
Rachel was so happy with her photos and with the whole experience, she even recommended us to a few family members!
“I’ve already recommended it to a few people. You feel so good about yourself afterwards. I reached out to my future sister in law and my mom may want to do a couples session – oh my!”
Rachel (and us here at Allebach Photography) can’t wait for the wedding and engagement shoots!
Book your session by calling 610.539.6920 or by visiting http://allebachphotography.com/contact/