and Business Is Good Archives - Neon Velvet Studio

Bridal Boudoir Photoshoots: It’s Time to Say I DO!

Posted on March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 by cassieadmin in and Business Is Good, FAQ

Hello blushing brides, gallant grooms, and matrimonial majesties, it’s time to talk about bridal boudoir!

bridal boudoir photoshoot image of a pale woman with dark and blonde hair. she's laying on the floor in her strapless white wedding dress with a bouquet of tropical greenery at her hip and some of the fluffy tulle dress skirt under her.
Team credits: Hair by Shannon White, makeup by Jess Toth

Schedule a free consultation or keep reading for more information!

What is Bridal Boudoir?

A bridal boudoir session is a boudoir photoshoot typically before your wedding (more on exceptions to this rule later!). Some people do this just to have a sexy and fun experience during a time when so much of their energy is involved in the stress and technical details of planning their special day. Some people do it to give the results—like photo albums, prints, or digital images—to their special someone as a gift. Maybe it’s a night-before treat, or a morning-of tease, or something sweet to share with your partner on the honeymoon, but no matter when you choose to give them the goods, it’s bound to knock their socks off.

Bridal Boudoir photoshoots are a fun pre-wedding celebration of self-love, and an opportunity to give your new spouse a bespoke gift they’ll never forget!

a black and white bridal boudoir image of a slender Black woman silhouetted against white curtained windows. she's wearing a sheer white dressing gown and high heels

What makes Bridal Boudoir Different?

Maybe nothing! Like any other boudoir photoshoot, your bridal boudoir session can be customized to your unique needs and style. Will you lean into wedding whites, or capture a little naughty energy with something black and skimpy? Do you want sensual satin sheets, or something light and glowy? Select a theme that coordinates with your wedding, or get the best of both worlds and pick colors or elements you couldn’t fit into the special day.

Bridal boudoir is a great opportunity to showcase the details you lovingly selected; shoes, veil, jewelry, and underthings might not get the spotlight on your wedding day, but they can shine in a boudoir session. Bring your something blue and enjoy an upbeat session to savor your marital anticipation! You’ll get beautiful photos, without the hectic pressure of trying to fit everything into your wedding day.

a bridal boudoir photo of a plus-sized tattooed woman with curly red hair. she's wearing a beautiful fitted lace wedding dress and a starry sheer cape, a silvery crown of stars. her eyes are softly closed.
Team credits:
Hair by Han Ly
Makeup by Brenna Mcguire

Say yes to undress?

Boudoir photography doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be in your underwear for the photos, if that isn’t in your comfort zone. I’ve included some gorgeous fully-dressed options to keep this social media share friendly. But for those who love to show a little skin, your imagination is the limit here. You’re welcome to have some styling help from the Neon Velvet Studio client closet if you want to enjoy some dress up! Or maybe you’re looking to wear the most timeless outfit for your session: nothing at all! You can read more about nude boudoir here.

The important thing with any photoshoot is that you feel like your most comfortable best self for your photos. I offer all my clients a complimentary consultation call (or email if you’re phone averse) before booking to make sure I understand what your needs are and how I can meet them.

Bridal Boudoir Planning

Some helpful timeline information, if you’re looking to schedule bridal boudoir with me:

Book in advance if you can! This will ensure you the most choice of dates with me and my hair and makeup artist.
Have an idea of whether you want digital images or a physical album! Albums add to prep and delivery times for design, manufacture, and shipping.
Know when you want to give. If the results of your bridal boudoir shoot are a gift, know when you need the products by.
Your photoshoot date should be at least 4 weeks before your gifting date for digital items, and 6-8 weeks before your gifting date for albums and prints.
All Neon Velvet Studio sessions include a complimentary consultation, wardrobe assistance, pose coaching, and hair and makeup styling! You can opt out of any of this, but we love to spoil you and we love when you let us!
Bachelorette party/Bridal party packages are an option if you want to make it a fun party with your besties!

If adding something else to your pre-wedding calendar isn’t sparking joy, you can always revisit your bridal energy after the wedding. Even if you love your wedding photos you might be wanting more detail shots, or something sexier, or your own Vogue-inspired editorial style photos! The wedding day is about you as a couple committing to your life together; a boudoir photoshoot can be all about you, babe!

And honestly using your wedding garb after the wedding is great because you won’t worry about keeping it pristine for the special day, and it’s an excuse to wear all these beautiful pieces again (in whole or in part)!

black and white editorial bridal boudoir photograph of a Black woman in a unique structural white wedding gown, posing surrounded by tulle fluff.
team credits:
hair by Shannon White
makeup by Jess Toth

Beyond the perks of the experience, photo albums and prints make great anniversary gifts to surprise your babe and help keep some whimsy thriving. Traditional 1st anniversary paper gift idea winner? I think so! 3rd anniversary leather? Embossed leather album cover (or, ahem, something spicier for the photo contents)! Or you can really get cute about it, and see if your new spouse wants to do a couples photoshoot together to commemorate the date!

capture the magic

Bridal boudoir doesn’t have to lean so bridal or traditional to be beautiful! I know I have a lot of goth baddies in my network, and I want to see every single one of your alternative bridal ideas! Here are some other options just to get you thinking of how your dream bridal boudoir session could look—it might have nothing to do with your wedding garb at all!

a curvy tattooed woman with auburn hair and red lipstick. she wears thin black strappy lingerie, and stretched out on a bed covered in white linens. her gaze is focused to the right of the camera and she pushed her hair back with her hands.

a curvy Black woman in a black lace dress reclines on a green velvet sofa. her eyes are softly closed and she is smiling, relaxed and beautiful.

a heavily tattooed Black man in a classic boudoir photo with vintage color editing

pink boudoir image of a tattooed woman with blonde and rainbow hair wearing pink lingerie, twirling a necklace in her fingers and looking at the camera. Valentine's Day boudoir inspiration

studio boudoir photography of a pale dark-haired woman with tattoos posing on a dark green velvet sofa. Come get glam at our boudoir studio in suburban philadelphia

SAY LESS I’M ALREADY READY

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Get Started

2026’s Best Photographer In Philly Suburbs? 👀

Posted on January 20, 2026February 4, 2026 by cassieadmin in and Business Is Good, News and Events

Neon Velvet Studio has been nominated for the fourth year in a row!

Is Neon Velvet Studio the Best Photographer in the Philly Suburbs? Montco Happening wants to know!

a graphic, white text on abstract red and purple. text reads: We need your vote! happening list 2026.

vote for the best photographer in Philly suburbs and Montgomery County, PA — it’s a major award!

I’ve been a finalist for the best photographer in Philly suburbs for several years now, as voted on by locals, past clients, future clients, and friends! This year, can we take home the prize of Best Photographer in Montco?

Want to be part of the winning team?
Vote here for Neon Velvet Studio
and be sure to follow all the instructions.

photo of a beautiful boudoir photo album open to a gorgeous romantic couples boudoir photo, on red satin sheets surrounded by roses. Photo is by Neon Velvet Studio, an LGBTQ boudoir studio in the Philly suburbs serving the best photography in town to queer people and our allies!

Robots can’t vote, but I’m not your mother, so if you’re a robot that’s between you and robogod.

If you’re wondering why your vote is important to me, I listed some reasons I care in last year’s post! But here are a few new ones for the new year:

✧ This local contest drives hundreds of eyes to my website every year, and that’s just as a nominee! Imagine what a win could do! Small local businesses need all the help we can get, and this is a free and easy way you can support me and the work I do for my clients and for my community.

✧ The voting process involves a few steps and a few minutes of your time. Some people—no matter how much they love my work—won’t do that, so every vote really counts and I appreciate any and all help to spread the word!

✧ It feels more important than ever for LGBTQ+ artists and queer-owned businesses to be represented and visible for our community and for our allies!

✧ In an increasingly AI slop-filled world (I am a HATER), human-made art matters more than ever. I build my sets by hand, nurture my client relationships manually, write every stupid blog post and email you read! Everything you see and think is silly is all me, baby. Every mistake I make? Organic. I retouch every image lovingly by hand, like I’ve been doing since the early aughts. I take pride in my craft and joy in my process and I will not be outsourcing that to a plagiarism machine that poisons communities, raises our utility bills, and guzzles potable water.

✧ I’m a one-woman show*! In a given day I’m photographer, editor, curator, administrator, social media team, book-keeper, set designer, fabricator, craft services, dj, videographer, stand-up comedian, stylist, florist, laundry service, cleaner, blogger, content creator, graphic designer, and more! *thank god I get to outsource hair and makeup to trusted professionals

✧ I’ve been a Montco resident since I moved to the Philly area in 2002, which officially means I’ve been here more than half my life! I love being part of the community here, and the more people who know about me, the more I get to meet and make gorgeous photos of!

✧ 2025 was stressful and tumultuous and 2026 is off to a roaring (derogatory) start; a win would make me feel very appreciated for the queer joyful work I’m putting into the world.

✧ I argue with bots in the comments on my instagram posts and try to convince them to pay me money. I’m told this is very entertaining.

✧ I have a sweet elderly dog who loves guests! The more people who love Neon Velvet Studio, the more friends he gets to meet, and the happier he is! Don’t you want to make a sweet old pup happy?

✧ Reason #10 is the free space on a bingo card. I just wanna make people feel great about themselves. I invest a ton of time and energy gladly into doing it. Maybe you can invest a little time back and vote for me?

Photo of a queer person in a beanie and a hoodie that says "You've got an enemy in Pennsylvania" grinning to the left at several heart-shaped art pieces on a black wall.

It’s silly but I don’t have many recent photos of myself! Here’s me with my painting ‘Santa Cipolla’ from Gold Door Gallery’s 2025 Heart of Gold fundraiser group art show! You can vote for Hannah’s gallery and boutique tattoo removal shop below because she’s nominated too!
PS—Gold Door is hosting their annual charity fundraiser on February 7th 2026!

Got more love to share? Here are links to vote for some of our nominated friends:

Deleted Scene Tattoo Removal
Gold Door Gallery
Echo House Studios

Are you a nominated friend? Message me and I’ll add you above too! Let’s spread the love 🖤

I will leave you with our local blessing: go birds (next season)

Build your dream boudoir session now!

Schedule a Free Consultation

What Clients are Saying

“I have worked with Cassie multiple times now, on a variety of projects, over years. She has a unique eye for visuals and can work magic to bring the imagined to life. To top it off, every single shoot I have done with her has been with kindness, relatability, respect, fun, and overall enjoyment. Cassie … Continue reading Kat L. →

― Kat L.

“I have had the absolute pleasure of working with Cassandra multiple times and never in my life have I felt so empowered and comfortable with a photographer. The amount of detail and care that is placed in every aspect of the sets, lighting, down to the gallery curation is magnificent and there is never a … Continue reading Heather D. →

― Heather D.

Meet the 2026 Boudoir Brand Ambassadors!

Posted on January 15, 2026January 15, 2026 by cassieadmin in and Business Is Good, behind the scenes

The results are in! When I posted about brand ambassadors last summer I received dozens of incredible applications from so many beautiful people, and I’m deeply touched by how many of you wanted to take this journey with me! In the end there were so many phenomenal applicants that I couldn’t pick just one—so I picked four!

Is that a silly, overwhelming decision for my first year trying something new? Probably. But I’m an Aries, so I never do anything small.

We kicked off 2026 by getting together for a casual pizza party meet and greet, and since everybody turned up so cute, we did a group photo and headshots as well as discussing the team’s goals and projects for the year.

Read on to learn a little more about each Ambassador, and be sure to follow on social media to see what we all make together this year!

Raquel Skellington

Raquel Skellington (she/her) is a multifaceted creative visionary and cultural pioneer hailing from Philadelphia, USA. Renowned as the world’s first professional Live Action Role Player (LARPer), Raquel has made a lasting impact on immersive storytelling, geek culture, and fashion spaces.

Her versatility shines through a career that blends performance art, fashion influence, and engaging digital content creation.

Her work inspires audiences to explore new realms of creativity and self-expression. A champion for diversity and inclusivity, Raquel is dedicated to fostering welcoming spaces where everyone’s story matters.

Raquel can be found on instagram and YouTube! Follow her and check out her amazing art projects and creative collaborations!

Bree

Bree (they/them)

Nonbinary Cancer sun, Virgo moon, Pisces rising

I crochet, draw, love to design characters and costumes for cosplay, and do SPFX makeup.

I am a laser technician performing laser tattoo removal. I have a 12 year old daughter and 2 cats.

I am an activist as well.

Bree can be found on instagram and TikTok! Follow their adventures and creative pursuits!

Avery Carter

My name is Avery Carter (he/they), a New York native. A ceramicist by day and pro domme at night, I’ve always been moved by the unconventional, the primal, and the sumptuous. Through the years of my work, I’ve found that I can reveal my rawest self by spaces who allow me to be in the first place. As such, you can imagine I was grateful to stumble across a platform like Neon Velvet Studio.

I’m happy to be an ambassador for a space whose ethos I’ve shared for a long time, authenticity, expression, passion for life, and create art rooted in that.

Oh, and, I’m a Sagittarius Sun, Sagittarius Rising, and Gemini Moon, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Avery can be found on instagram! Follow him and check out his incredible art, including the Black Leatherdyke Calendar!

Meg

I am Meg (she/her), an artist, teacher, learner, and most importantly, a mother!

As an Aries guided by fire, creativity, and intuition, I find fulfillment in creating through photography, art, modeling, and motherhood—each one a ritual of self-expression and connection.

As a brand ambassador for Neon Velvet Studio, I’m drawn to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and LGBTQ+ rights that embraces the beauty of all identities, shapes, and stories. Partnering with this studio allows me to merge my passions with purpose, weaving together art, empowerment, and expression.

Meg can be found on instagram! Follow her art modeling work and the journey of her first boudoir photoshoot!

And Me too!

And if you’re new here, I’m Cassie! I’ve got a whole about me page if you’re curious to know more about me, and Neon Velvet Studio is my one-woman show (though as you can see above I’m blessed with really wonderful collaborators, and partner with some incredible hair and makeup people to bring you an immersive and luxurious photoshoot experience!

Want to be a Brand Ambassador?

I haven’t decided if I’ll be doing the program again for 2027, but if you want to be the first to know, sign up for my monthly mailing list. That’s it. Once a month, if even that often! You’ll be the first to know about unique sets, any special sales or promotions, and if I search for brand ambassadors again next year!

Build your dream boudoir session now!

Schedule a Free Consultation

What Clients are Saying

― Kat L.

“I’ve worked with Cassie several times now for my business and every time I’m blown away with the images she captures! Each time I think it’s the best shoot we’ve ever done… until the next one, and then THAT’S the best one. She always makes me and our models feel comfortable and confident, she pays … Continue reading Johanna S. →

― Johanna S.

Want to be a Boudoir Brand Ambassador? Applications are Open!

Posted on August 8, 2025August 9, 2025 by cassieadmin in and Business Is Good, News and Events

Brand Ambassadors have more fun

You’re obsessed with boudoir. I get it. Me too, honestly! You love that it’s fun, empowering, versatile, and infinitely personalizable—it can be sexy, funny, powerful, or sweet! It can be masc, femme, or somewhere in between.

For 2026 I’m launching the first boudoir Brand Ambassador program for Neon Velvet Studio, and I’m looking for a few bold babes who love boudoir photos, content creation, and uplifting others to help me grow my studio and community! In exchange for your promotional work, you get a totally free boudoir session in 2026, including all the luxury pampering you’d get with a paid boudoir photoshoot—hair and makeup styling, wardrobe, and posing guidance!

What does it mean to be a brand ambassador for a photography studio?

First and foremost, you love Neon Velvet Studio! You vibe with my artistic aesthetic and core values. You want to help represent Neon Velvet Studio out in the world!

You encourage community. You hype up others for being their gorgeous authentic selves. You want to shout from the rooftops about how boudoir can be a transformative experience on the self-love journey.

Your responsibilities will include sharing your photos and being informative and enthusiastic about your Neon Velvet photoshoot experience. This can include instagram posts and reels, TikTok and YouTube shorts of video/behind the scenes content and outtakes, participating regularly in the private Facebook community, and writing a blog post about your experience! There’s more you can do too, but this is the minimum.

This is a one year appointment, beginning in January 2026 and running through December. Each boudoir Brand Ambassador will help me test new studio setups, mini session themes, and exclusive promotions. I pick the details, but you’ll get a chance to customize your experience; if you hate Valentine’s Day I’m not gonna put you in pink and hearts! This is a mutually beneficial thing. I want us all to enjoy the experience.

Who can apply?

I know this sounds insufferable, but as these will be people I’ll be working closely with for an entire year I’m going to be making the decisions on ✨vibes✨. Anyone who feels excited about the info presented here is encouraged to apply. Maybe you’re at the beginning of your self-love journey, or maybe you’re a confident cutie. As long as you’re passionate about uplifting others, you don’t need boudoir modeling experience. You do need to love social media though, because that’s where I need the most help.

If you have any special skills or experience you think would be relevant or beneficial I encourage you to brag! I love getting to know people.

NV Brand Ambassadors Must:

be over 18 at the time of application

sign a full model release

understand that your photos/videos will be shared publicly online in my portfolio, social feed, and marketing materials

align with Neon Velvet Studio’s values and represent them publicly

be LGBTQ+ or a strong advocate and ally to the community

be body-positive and gender-inclusive

be active on social media (even if you don’t have a huge following)

participate in the NV online community

commit to at least 1 boudoir session in 2026 in the greater Philadelphia area (and ideally be based in PA, NJ, DE, NY, or MD)

not currently be affiliated with another photographer as a brand ambassador/employee/work associate/etc. (this is just to prevent confusion! If you’ve been a brand ambassador for another photographer in the past you’re still welcome to apply and explain the circumstances in your application)

NV Brand Ambassadors do not have to:

have modeling experience

have a particular body size or shape

be a cis woman or present in a femme way

be influencers

NV Brand Ambassadors Must Not:

be racist, homophobic, fat phobic, or bigoted. No TERFs, no SWERFs, no fascists.

When Will Brand Ambassadors Be Announced?

Great question. I don’t know. It’s my intention to reply to every applicant, and I will be accepting applications until 8/31/25. How long after applications close will depend on how many people apply!

form above not loading? Please click here

love u boo <3

2025’s Best Photographer In Montgomery County? 👀

Posted on January 21, 2025January 21, 2025 by cassieadmin in and Business Is Good

Neon Velvet Studio has been nominated again!

Montco Happening wants to know: Who is the Best Photographer in Montgomery County for 2025?

2024 best photographer in montco finalist badge from montco happening, Montgomery county's best photographer — it’s a major award!

Last year we were a top Finalist for best photographer in Montgomery County, as voted on by locals! This year, can we score a total win?

Want to be part of the winning team? Vote here, and be sure to follow all the instructions. If you’re a robot, please ask a human friend to vote on your behalf.

If you’re wondering why your vote is important to me, I listed some reasons I care in last year’s post! But here are a few new ones for the new year:

✧ Last year’s posts about voting brought hundreds of new eyes to my work! Literally hundreds of people who might not have otherwise known about me. For a small local business, that’s huge. I’m so grateful for it, and for the chance to grow my network again this year.

✧ The voting process involves a few steps and a few minutes of your time. Some people—no matter how much they love my work—won’t do that, so every vote really counts and I appreciate any and all help to spread the word!

✧ It feels more important than ever for LGBTQ+ artists and queer-owned businesses to be represented and visible for our community and for our allies!

✧ I’ve been a Montco resident since I moved to the Philly metro in 2002, which officially means I’ve been here more than half my life! I love being part of the community here, and the more people who know about me, the more I get to meet and make gorgeous photos of!

✧ 2024 was a difficult and often demoralizing year and 2025 is already bringing its own complications; a win would make me feel very appreciated for the queer joyful work I’m putting into the world.

Photo of Cassandra Panek, owner and artist of Neon Velvet Studio. Image features a dark-haired white person wearing red, posing in front of a black wall that shows four monochrome red canvas paintings.

It’s silly but I don’t have many recent photos of myself! Here’s me with a few of my paintings from Gold Door Gallery’s Monochrome Red group art show! You can vote for Hannah’s gallery and boutique tattoo removal shop below!
PS—Gold Door is hosting their annual charity fundraiser on February 8th 2025!

Got more love to share? Here are links to vote for some of our nominated friends:

Deleted Scene Tattoo Removal
Gold Door Gallery
Joy Movement Arts
Reya Barre and Yoga

Are you a nominated friend? Message me and I’ll add you above too! Let’s spread the love 🖤

I will leave you with our local blessing: go birds

Build your dream boudoir session now!

Schedule a Free Consultation

What Clients are Saying

“I had the most wonderful day at Neon Velvet Studio with Cassie. This was my first boudoir experience and I am so grateful to her for making it extremely warm, welcoming, and low pressure! I was so worried about looking awkward in my photos and Cassie was incredible at helping me with body and facial … Continue reading Taylor →

― Taylor

“Working with Cassie is like working with your badass friend who hypes you up no matter what you’re doing. Cassandra has helped me advertise both sides of my personality with comedy headshots and spicy portraits. I always feel so comfortable in their studio and I always appreciate their direction! Sometimes I feel lost or intimidated, … Continue reading Oliver D. →

― Oliver D.

The Results Are In! Best Photographer in Montco is…

Posted on April 17, 2024April 17, 2024 by cassieadmin in and Business Is Good

Have I been biting my nails for months, waiting to see who Montco Happening would crown best photographer for 2024 in Montgomery County?

Not exactly, but I have checked several times to see if results dropped without me noticing.

But the wait is over!

I’m excited to announce that, while I didn’t win the whole deal, I was voted a finalist! So I’m not quite the best photographer in montco, but I’m one of them! I might even be the best boudoir photographer in montco; the list doesn’t get that specific. 🤔

Congrats to the winner, the other finalists, and the nominees! If you’re curious you can find everyone’s info at Montco Happening; we all do very different genres of work so there’s something for everyone to enjoy. And I also love being part of an industry that has so many creative woman-owned small businesses.

Thanks to my clients, friends, and everyone who took the time to vote or share and hype me up on this journey. I appreciate your time and energy and love so so much! I’m gonna take another try at the title next year, and in the meantime I’ll be here working on my craft! <3

Some things I’ve got planned:

✧ More themed mini sessions, announced ahead of time so payment plans can be accessible to more clients!
✧ An exciting collaboration & promotion with other local businesses, because teamwork makes the dream work
✧ A super special giveaway? 👀

If you want to be the first to know, be sure to join my VIP mailing list!

hate lots of emails? me too bestie. it’s RARE you’ll get more than 2 per month from me!

Lastly: congratulations to my friends at Gold Door Gallery in Hatboro for being a finalist in their category too!

Are We Best Photographer In Montco?

Posted on January 16, 2024February 5, 2025 by cassieadmin in and Business Is Good

Neon Velvet Studio has been nominated for the Montco Happening Best Photographer category for 2024!

Last year we got the coveted ‘Best Photographer in Glenside,’ and this year we’re dreaming big and going for Best Photographer in County. Want to help? Vote here, and be sure to follow all the instructions. If you are a robot, please ask a human friend to vote on your behalf.

You might be wondering why this is important, and I’m sure everyone who gets nominated for awards cares about it for different reasons, but here are mine:

✧ It’s free advertising ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Can’t beat that.

✧ Something like 90% of my clients find me through referrals from existing clients. I love that, and this feels similar: People who know or have worked with me appreciating what I do enough they tell the world (or at least Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)

✧ If you’ve been following me awhile you’ll know I struggle with what to post on social media, and this is a bona fide Thing To Talk About.

✧ I think the little green Best Of badge will look really cute on my site.

✧ Doesn’t it just make you feel good when somebody tells you you’re the best at something?

✧ I like seeing LGBTQ+ and woman-owned businesses win things. Neon Velvet Studio is both!

Got more love to share? Here are some of our nominated friends:

Deleted Scene Tattoo Removal
Gold Door Gallery

Are you a nominated friend? Message me and I’ll add you above too!