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