OUR STORY
Nine 23 Boudoir was born out of a need for change. In 2005, I was preparing for my wedding and wanted to book a boudoir session for my now husband, only to be turned away for being “plus size.” At the time, I was a size 12, with a flat stomach (read: pre-kids), and yet, I was made to feel like I didn’t belong.
Back then, boudoir was run like an assembly line. Wedding photographers renting hotel rooms, cycling women through the same 10-20 poses. No one was offering a high-end, personalized experience, and I knew women deserved better. So, I decided to be the first to create it!
I built Nine 23 Boudoir to be a space where every woman is celebrated, empowered, and seen, exactly as she is. A place where no one is ever made to feel “not enough.”
WHERE THE NAME NINE 23 COMES FROM
The story behind our name is one of love, fate, and timing.
- My husband proposed to me on Friday, September 23, 2005—the only thing in our lives that was actually planned to happen on that date.
- We originally set an October 28th wedding date, but months before, our venue double-booked. In a scramble to find new locations, we discovered that September 23rd, 2006 was available… and so were all our vendors. Fate had spoken. So we were married September 23rd 2006.
- A year later, we decided to start our family. Our first daughter was conceived on September 23rd, 2007 and born nine months later at 9:23 a.m.
What started as a single moment—an engagement—became a recurring thread in our lives. Nine 23 isn’t just a name. It’s proof that things align exactly as they should.
FUN FACTS ABOUT ASHLEY & THE STUDIO
✨ Born with a fighting spirit. I came into this world with a brain aneurysm and an enlarged heart. I was a Riley (hospital) baby, spending a whole day each year getting MRIs, MRAs, and echoes throughout my childhood.
✨ Turning pain into purpose. I am a domestic abuse and rape survivor, and because of this, 10% of every client’s investment goes to support women’s abuse charities like The Julian Center and RAINN. Because every woman deserves safety and empowerment.
✨ More than just pictures. This studio was built on the belief that boudoir is more than a photoshoot, it’s a transformative experience. Every woman who walks through our doors leaves with more than stunning images. She leaves with confidence, self-love, and the reminder that she is absolutely enough.
MEET THE TEAM
Ashley
Owner & Photographer
Ashley is the chunky fab, sassy momma of two teen girls, and a trucker’s wife. She created Indiana’s first boudoir specializing studio in Indiana, and has been rocking it for 15 years now. She’s an enneagram 4, The Individualist, and she lives up to the creative, side of it.
Emily
Studio Manager
Emily is a sweet Pisces, an Enneagram 2 (The Helper), and one of our “repeat offenders”, with numerous sessions under her belt.
She’s the lady most often behind our emails and texts. I think having come to us as a client first, and having done multiple sessions really helps her to answer your questions from YOUR perspective and give solid advice as someone who’s been in your shoes.
Andi
Stylist
Andi is our tiny makeover powerhouse. She’s a driven Capricorn and also an enneagram 2 (The Helper), and loves bringing YOUR vision to life with hair & makeup. While the Capricorn in her makes her driven to be the best at what she does, the enneagram 2 in her gives her the empathy to be able to listen to your concerns and make changes when/where needed.