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Woman's Viral Photo Shoot With Fiancé Has An Empowering Message

Woman's Viral Photo Shoot With Fiancé Has An Empowering Message

When Stephanie and Arryn stripped down for a couples boudoir photo shoot last week, they certainly never expected the images to go viral.

Engaged couple Stephanie and Arryn, who declined to give their last names, stunned in a boudoir shoot.
Engaged couple Stephanie and Arryn, who declined to give their last names, stunned in a boudoir shoot.

But after Bria Terry of Wolf & Rose Photography posted the images on her business Facebook page on Thursday, they quickly spread across the social media site. In the comments, people applauded the Overton, Texas couple’s confidence and palpable chemistry.

For Stephanie, going topless for the steamy lakeside photo shoot turned out to be a confidence-building experience.

“I honestly have never felt more attractive,” she told HuffPost. “I was so nervous to see the final result. I didn’t know what to expect. But when I saw the album, I was shocked. I look so in love and confident. Every person should be able to see themselves in that light. It is really eye-opening.”

The shoot took place at a lake in Tyler, Texas.
The shoot took place at a lake in Tyler, Texas.

The viral shoot also gave Stephanie, who got engaged to Arryn in February, an opportunity to spread an important message about body positivity ― something she struggled with growing up as a curvaceous woman.

“I remember being in junior high and looking at myself in the mirror, wondering why my stomach wasn’t the way it was ‘supposed’ to be,” she told HuffPost. “Over the years, I’ve come to accept that I am always going to be considered plus-size. I push myself out of my comfort zone by wearing clothes that I love but aren’t in society’s mold of what is acceptable for bigger women, like crop tops, tight shirts, shorter dresses and shorts. I walk around with my head high, smiling, and show no shame in myself.”

“Neither of us could stop smiling during and after our session,” Stephanie said. “We both were surprised by how close it made us feel. You don’t realize how vulnerable you are until you’re half-naked in a lake with a camera pointed at you and your man.”
“Neither of us could stop smiling during and after our session,” Stephanie said. “We both were surprised by how close it made us feel. You don’t realize how vulnerable you are until you’re half-naked in a lake with a camera pointed at you and your man.”
Stephanie said that the shoot boosted her and Arryn’s level of intimacy, giving them a newfound appreciation for one another.
Stephanie said that the shoot boosted her and Arryn’s level of intimacy, giving them a newfound appreciation for one another.
Love was *definitely* in the air.
Love was *definitely* in the air.

And while Stephanie has been on a body positivity journey of her own, Arryn’s unwavering love and support has only bolstered her self-esteem.

“Throughout our relationship, there has never been a time when he made me feel self-conscious about any part of myself. To him, it doesn’t matter if I have not washed my hair for a week or shaved my legs in over a month,” she told HuffPost. “He loves me for who I am, and for who I make him want to become. He has always told me that he doesn’t care how I look, that I’m beautiful regardless.”

“I have found the person who makes me feel like I am the only woman in his entire world,
“I have found the person who makes me feel like I am the only woman in his entire world,

The couple is planning a wedding for February 2019. Stephanie said that they are overwhelmed by the largely positive response to their photos from people across the internet.

“We have been able to inspire society to believe that who they are and what they look like is enough to be truly loved,” Stephanie said.

Below, more photos from the sultry shoot:

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.