This wedding started with a TikTok comment. At the beginning of 2026, I posted about a few Texas wedding venues I wanted to photograph that year. Alyssa commented, “What about a non traditional wedding venue – House of Blues in HTX?”
I was ecstatic.
We started chatting almost immediately, and everything clicked. Alyssa wanted their wedding to feel cool, intimate, colorful, and a little edgy. My documentary approach fit what mattered to her, her vision gave me room to get creative, and we were both equally excited about what their House of Blues wedding could become. When the day finally arrived, it felt completely like Alyssa and Zarek.
A Wedding Venue That Actually Felt Like Them
With around 75 of their favorite people, Alyssa and Zarek chose House of Blues Houston for a wedding that combined their love of music with the intimate atmosphere they wanted.
The venue already has so much personality. Rich jewel tones, funky decor, low lighting, and vibrant colors are everywhere you look. Instead of trying to turn it into a more traditional wedding space, they leaned into what was already there.
Their bold red florals fit the room perfectly. A record player became their seating chart, and nearly all of the florals and decor were DIY. Every detail felt connected to the space and, more importantly, to them.
That’s one of my favorite things about this wedding. They weren’t making unconventional choices just to make their wedding different. They chose things they genuinely liked, and the result naturally felt different because it reflected them.
Keeping the Traditions That Mattered
A nontraditional wedding doesn’t mean you have to throw out every wedding tradition.
Alyssa had first looks with her dad, brother, and grandparents before the ceremony. She and Zarek chose a traditional ceremony, exchanged rings beneath an incredible red floral arch, had first dances, and cut a small wedding cake later in the evening.
But they made those traditions their own, too. Instead of a full wedding party, they had a maid of honor and best man. And their flower girls and ring bearer? Their grandmas and grandpa. It was incredibly sweet and special to see a traditional role for younger kids handed to special people in their lives.
Their wedding wasn’t about avoiding tradition. It was about keeping the parts that meant something to them and letting go of the idea that everything else had to look a certain way.
Photographing a Wedding This Colorful
House of Blues also challenged me creatively in the best way.
There was a lot of low light, saturated color, and ambient lighting throughout the venue, which I love. Rather relying on flash alone to brighten everything or neutralize those colors, I wanted the photographs to actually feel like the room did. During the entire day, I was switching between ambient lighting and flash. Using both meant I captured the editorial, moody vibe Alyssa dreamed of while also documenting how the room felt naturally.
I leaned into more editorial posing for bridal portraits that felt a little retro and glamour. For bride and groom photos, we used Alyssa’s inspiration of a spotlight on a curtain for the most unique, cool portraits!
I also photographed part of the day on instant film, which Alyssa and Zarek were especially excited about because of their love for physical media.
What I love about photographing weddings somewhere unexpected is the creativity and playfulness my work can have. I don’t want to walk into an interesting space and make it look like every other wedding venue. I figure out what makes it the environment unique and interesting and play off of that organically.
And Then Everyone Hit the Dance Floor
For an intimate wedding of around 75 people, this dance floor had energy.
Once the lights dropped, the colors, movement, music, and packed dance floor gave me so much to work with. This was one of those receptions where I could get in the middle of everything and document it as it unfolded rather than pulling people away from what they were doing.
The result is exactly what I want reception photos to feel like: not just proof that people danced, but a reminder of what it actually felt like to be in the room.
Your Wedding Doesn’t Have to Look Like Anyone Else’s
Months before this wedding, Alyssa found me because I said I wanted to photograph weddings in spaces that felt a little different. She left one TikTok comment about House of Blues, and I immediately wanted to know everything.
After photographing their wedding, I want even more of them.
Give me the music venues, theaters, restaurants, funky hotels, bars, art spaces, and places that weren’t necessarily designed with weddings in mind. More importantly, give me the ideas that make sense for you, even if they don’t look like what you’ve been seeing everywhere else.
You don’t have to plan a nontraditional wedding just for the sake of being different. Choose the venue you actually love. Keep the traditions that matter. Skip the ones that don’t. Let your interests show up in the details. And hire people who are excited to lean into it with you.
If you’re planning a wedding somewhere a little unexpected in Texas, I’d love to hear what you’re dreaming up.
Vendors
Venue, Catering + Bar: House of Blues Houston
DJ + Entertainment: EC Entertainment, Paul
Photography: Brooke Alyse Co
Florals + Details: DIY by Alyssa + Zarek
