Forty years old. Seven years of gym sessions. A body she’s worked hard for and is genuinely proud of.
When Ashley decided she wanted to mark this chapter, she didn’t book a trip or throw a party (well, maybe she did later). She booked a boudoir session with us at Beloved Bits in Jacksonville, and we made it a whole moment!
She came in a little nervous. She left saying, “Wow, is that really me?”
Here’s her story, in her own words.
Why She Booked
“I’ve worked hard on my weight loss and I’m proud of myself for that. I want to document this time in my life — plus with my 40th birthday this year, it worked out perfectly.”
This wasn’t about hitting a number on a scale. It was about showing up for herself, consistently, for seven years and finally doing something to honor that. A boudoir session felt like the right way to say: I did this. I’m here. I want to celebrate this.
“I tend to get in my head a lot and overthink.” Ashley is self-aware like that. She knew the nerves would show up. She booked anyway.
The Day Of
“I was a little nervous but not horribly.”
Hair and makeup with Krystina came first, and it shifted something right away.
“I felt so pretty with my makeup and hair done. I haven’t had my makeup and hair done in such a very long time. I loved it and felt beautiful.”
Then we got into the session! Purple, green, black, and blue lingerie, birthday cake, candles, sparkles, deep teal/green walls (she’s also a Jags fan!), and it was a whole vibe! Ashley found out what almost every woman finds out once we get going:
“It is a workout in a sense. Holding a pose is hard work — but I know it will be worth it.”
What surprised her most, though? Her own head went quiet.
“Melissa, you were awesome with bringing that out of me during the photo shoot. I never once felt any sort of negative feelings in my own head.”
For a woman who describes herself as shy, someone who tends to overthink, that’s not a small thing. That’s everything.
Seeing Her Images for the First Time
“Wow, is that really me?!”
“The pictures turned out amazing. I’m so proud of all my hard work at the gym over the last 7 years — shoutout to my trainer and also thanks to my plastic surgeon… haha. Melissa, you know exactly how to pose and shoot, and you made the experience so much fun.”
For the Woman Who’s Talked Herself Out of It
Ashley is shy. She booked anyway. And here’s what she wants you to know:
“You can for sure do it. I’m a shy person, and that’s another reason why I wanted to do this — to break me out of my shell. And it’s not like you’re in a room full of people. It’s just the two of you, so you can be yourself.”
Her practical tips for the session day?
“Do it! Stretch, work on breathing through your mouth, and closing your eyes/looking down.”
And if she could do it again?
“I think I could — dare I say — go bolder.”
Ashley’s Final Words
“Melissa, thank you for the best day and all the little surprises. You made me feel comfortable and calm. Then, when it was time for the photo shoot, you made me feel sexy and confident.
Krystina, thank you for the beautiful glam!
You ladies are amazing and truly — thank you.”
You put in the work. You showed up, day after day, even when it was hard. A boudoir session is one way to say out loud, in images you can hold, that it mattered. That you matter and deserve to be celebrated!
If you’ve been thinking about documenting your journey with a boudoir session in Jacksonville, I’d love to be part of it. Let’s chat!