Meet Ashley & Kayla | Co-Founders of The Boudoir Party

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley & Kayla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley & Kayla! Everyday, we care about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Our journey began in college, at Chapman University, where we worked on multiple competitive advertising campaigns together and learned the ever valuable lesson of “work hard and play harder.” We both had a passion for photography, we both loved to travel, and although we graduated at different times, we stayed in touch post-college. When Ashley started developing her passion for photography into a growing business, she’d have Kayla come shoot with her, or if we traveled anywhere together, we’d both have our cameras around our necks. When we both started gaining more bride-to-be clients, the wedding scene soon became our niche. Fast forward almost 10 years, we’ve shot numerous weddings together, and as part of the getting ready process, noticed an even more specific need for capturing brides with their favorite girls – giggling, drinking champagne, and getting their hair and makeup done. What a fun idea it would be to take that moment, and make a day or weekend out of it, pre-wedding day, where there’s more time, less-stress and an opportunity to escape wedding madness and celebrate the kick-ass woman you are. At first brides were our primary clientele, but a lot of our friends and prospective clients wanted this same experience ‘just because’, so we’ve extended our brand. We offer lots of packages, for all party sizes… and of course a traveling one as well!

Let’s talk shop! We understand that you both pursue other ventures and this is a start-up business for you. In light of that, what can you share with our community?
In addition to starting this boudoir photography business, both Ashley and Kayla remain employees for two other major companies. Ashley is a full-time flight attendant, and by having this career path, she’s been fortunate enough to travel all around the world, bringing her friends along for the adventure. While Kayla works remote in the food/beverage/event industry, she’s able to join Ashley in a number of US cities, as well as countries around the globe! What’s been great about being able to travel is the ability to connect with more women and relate to them on a more personal level during photoshoots!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We attribute much of our success to the strong and courageous women that have walked through our studio doors. They’ve helped us grow our business into what it is today by trusting us and investing in us over the years. We are especially moved by returning clients who go through life changes or emotional transformations and come back to have another experience with us.

Along with the consistent support from our family and friends, we are so lucky to have each other as co-founders and best friends in this small business.

Website: www.theboudoirparty.com

Instagram: @theboudoirparty

Facebook: The Boudoir Party

Image Credits
Ashley West & Kayla Glass