Ohhhh, y’all this was a super fun engagement session that I definitely have to share with the internet. When Rinna and Ryan said their wedding was taking place at this beautiful Waco hotel, I had actually never heard of it! Before their consultation call, I did a little research into Hotel 1928 and oh yeah, I was excited. This place is stunning! There is so much character to it. It was a project of Chip and Joanna from Fixer Upper, and there’s a whole six episode mini series on the location (it’s called Fixer Upper: The Hotel, if you’re wondering). They paid a lot of attention to keeping the historical look of the building, but with that modern sparkle that they inject into all of their spaces.

Rinna and Ryan wanted to do their engagement session at Hotel 1928, and I was more than happy to oblige! I absolutely LOVE the vibes they wanted for their photos. They wanted a modern look with some direct flash and a fun twist. A family member was on their consultation call and voiced that they’d also love some traditional photos of them, so we got to do a nice mix of modern and traditional natural light photos.

Exploring Hotel 1928 Engagement Photo Locations

We spent a lot of time in the downstairs library, but we also got to explore other locations on the property. We checked out the rooftop patio, which wasn’t looking photo ready because we went right after a freeze and all of the plants were wrapped and protected. It looked like a great space though and I can’t wait to get some photos of them up there on their wedding day. We also played in the elevator a little bit, because why not? The staff was super friendly and helpful. (sidenote: please keep in mind that photo sessions need to be scheduled, you can’t just walk in and start shooting).

Same Location, Vastly Different Photos

I just want to take a moment to point out how fun my job is, haha. The next two photos were taking in the same location. Rinna and Ryan didn’t move, but I did. When you shoot into window light like this, it creates a romantic haze that I love. It isn’t the best quality photo-wise because it creates some blur and loses detail, but I love the dreaminess. The second photo is shooting into the hotel, with the window lighting up the couple. It’s so crazy to me how different these two photos look even though it’s the exact same spot. Annnnnd that’s a tangent on reason 40253 why I love being a photographer <3.

Can’t Wait to Revisit Hotel 1928 for the Wedding!

I’m so excited to have more fun with Rinna and Ryan for their wedding! They are having a very intimate ceremony followed by a big reception party. Kind of the best of both worlds, imo. Both the ceremony and the wedding reception will take place at Hotel 1928. I can’t wait to get another opportunity to photograph these cuties.

Further Reading…

Want to browse more? If you’re looking for more engagement session inspo at iconic locations, here is a romantic rainy engagement session at Austin’s Sekrit Thetre. Or if you’re here looking for wedding locations with historic vibes in the Austin area, here is a wedding at Woodbine Mansion.