Classic Bridal Photos in Downtown Bryan | Madison

The original plan for Madison’s Bridals in Downtown Bryan was to start at the Astin Mansion (where her and her fiance, Brandon, will be getting married), then finish over at the La Salle Hotel to have some Classic Bridal Photos. Some scheduling issues caused plans to change, so we started at La Salle and would see where the day took us.

The La Salle Hotel

Bride standing in the lobby of the La Salle Hotel.

The La Salle renovations are STUNNING! Before shooting here, Madison’s mom did communicate with the hotel for permission well in advance of shoot day. Typically there are permits required to shoot at the Hotel, so always be sure to inquire locations before arriving for your shoot. At the La Salle, there were two main locations we focused on: the Speakeasy & the Lobby.

The Speakeasy (the Boiler Room)

2 photo series of bride looking at her ring in her wedding dress.
Moody Bridal Portrait of a Bride.
Full Body Photo of a Bride with liquor bottles behind.
Moody Bridal Portraits taken in the speakeasy of the La Salle Hotel in Bryan, Texas.
Black and White Portrait of a bride looking at flowers.
Bride Smiling and holding white and blue flowers with a blue ribbon around the stems.

Madison wanted to lean into the moodiness of the speak easy with her bridal portraits! With the renovations, the speakeasy was left exactly the same. I’m not gonna lie, hearing that the speakeasy was a place where Madison wanted a bridal photo made me nervous. The Speakeasy is in the basement of the La Salle and super dark. Don’t worry, I planned ahead! I always have flash as an option, but used this as an opportunity to try continuous light. Ultimately, I love how these turned out! I think they gave a mix of classy but also sassy and a smidge sultry.

The Lobby

Classic Bridal Portrait of a Bride. It is a full body shot, holding flowers, and with the veil falling down her back.
Detail Shot of Bride's Engagement ring on her ring finger.
Under the veil, bridal portrait.
Full Body shot of a bride in the La Salle Hotel. There are 2 black and white detail photos underneath the Full body shot.
Series of 2 photos. The photo of the left features the bride looking down at her hands. The photo on the right has the bride underneath her veil.

As I said before, the renovations to the La Salle Hotel are stunning and the lobby probably is my favorite. The natural lighting was a photographer’s DREAM and honestly the images were perfect straight out of camera. Madison & Brandon both are pilots and travel/airplanes as an underlying theme for their wedding, so everyone was excited seeing the spot in the lobby that had some stylized suitcases and a globe. 

Carnegie Library for Bridals in Downtown Bryan

Outside with Columns

Landscape Shot of Bride with the Carnegie Library in the background.
Carnegie Public Library with a bride posing with flowers in front.

Bridal photos with columns are always a classic option. The Carnegie library’s columns are also a familiar site if you’ve ever been downtown.

Inside on the Staircase

Classic Bridal Portrait of a bride near an older set of stairs.
Series of three images. Bride on staircase at Carnegie Library.
Bridal Portraits at Carnegie Library.

This was my first time shooting inside the library and it was beautiful! One of the shots Madison was hoping for at the Astin Mansion was photos on the staircase.  Understandably, we weren’t going to get those photos, so seeing how beautiful (and well lit) the stairs were was a wonderful surprise. 

Hush and Whisper 

Moody Portrait of Bride leaning on a wood panel wall looking out towards a window.
Bride sipping whiskey with Hush & Whisper Barrels behind her.
Bride sitting in her white dress while holding an espresso martini.
Bride sitting in red chair.
Bride with her espresso martini.
Hush & Whisper Bridal Portraits featuring a barrel wall.
Black and White Portrait of Bride Sitting in a Chair with a patterned wall behind.
2 series of photos of a bride sipping an espresso martini.
Espresso Martini Detail Shot.

I have wanted to do a shoot here since Hush & Whisper opened their store downtown! One of the signature drinks that will be at Madison & Brandon’s wedding is an espresso martini, so featuring this tasty drink was a must!

Vendors Included

Photographer: Pictures with Ariel

Hair and Makeup: Finishing Touches of Texas

Dress: Coreenas Bridal

When you’re reading this, it means Brandon & Madison have officially tied the knot, so stay tuned for their wedding to hit the blog next. Love the work you’ve seen and ready to work together? Fill out my contact form to get started!

Inquire

The moment matters more than perfection

After photographing dozens of weddings and portraits over the years, I’ve learned that the magic happens when people feel comfortable, cared for, and completely themselves. That’s why I’ve built my business around more than just taking beautiful photos. It’s about creating an experience that helps you feel present in your day and confident in front of my camera.

Back to the Top

I celebrate all expressions of love and am committed to creating a safe, inclusive space for all people regardless of race, sexuality, gender, physical abilities, and neurodiversities.

No perfect poses needed, just real smiles, laughter, and moments you’ll treasure forever.

Contact 

San Antonio & Austin Texas Wedding Photographer

Connect with me 

@Pictureswithariel
@pictureswithariel.weddings