Her hair was curled, her makeup was professionally done and she was in the car, on the way to her wedding photographer's studio.

But Katie Poole, 22, was getting cold feet. “I kind of wanted to turn around,” the bride-to-be admitted. She was more nervous than excited because she was about to step into a boudoir photo session.

Boudoir photography is a popular trend among brides seeking to present their grooms with a highly personal surprise gift. “Boudoir” (pronounced bood-waar) comes from the French word meaning a woman's bedroom. And these pictures are just that — bedroom portraits that show off a woman's sexuality.

Typical photo shoot attire is lingerie, but Elizabeth Esser of Eliza Portrait Design in Omaha suggests sneaking a football jersey or dress shirt and tie from his closet.

“We do a lot of consultation to try and make the bride feel confident and comfortable,” Esser says. “We also ask, ‘What is your fiancé like? What does he like?'”

Poole observes, “Then, when he sees them (portraits), he'll know he was at the center of it — that I was really thinking about him.”

Esser recalls a bride who slipped her fiancé's black overalls on over sexy red undergarments. “He's not even going to know what hit him!”

Poole posed in a Husker jersey, a Dallas Cowboys jersey and a Cubs jersey – her fiancé Jamal's favorite teams.

Esser suggests basics like black and white panties and bras, high heels and an assortment of lingerie. From there, get creative. Perhaps dress in clothing typical of your groom's profession, such as a construction worker, medical worker, military man or waiter.

But stay true to your personality, advises Jason Gerber, who specializes in bridal and fashion photography. “If you want to dress up like a Vegas show girl, that's great. But be realistic. If you don't present yourself to him like that, don't take photos," he says. "Know yourself, impress him and be alluring.”

Poole says she knew her comfort zone and wanted her pictures to be realistic. “This is all stuff I walk around the house in,” she says of her choices for the photo session.

Poole's experience: “At first you're so nervous. You don't know how to look, how to stand, how to smile. But it gets easier” as the shoot progresses.

Both Gerber and Esser recommend asking an easygoing, upbeat friend to accompany you to the photo studio. “We don't need any negative energy here,” Esser cautions.

Esser's goal is to make women feel beautiful, sexy and confident. Every client starts out feeling self-conscious about her body. Halfway into the session, which can take three hours, clients tend to grow more comfortable and project an air of beauty and confidence.

That's when the magic happens.

“The brides say, ‘I can't believe I really look like that. I can't believe that's me.” From Esser's perspective, “Every woman is gorgeous.”

Whitney Eiden is a freelance writer living in Omaha.

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