Elopement photographer | expert | educator
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My mini sessions go live at 10am. Launching to my email list first and then the link will be public for remaining spots. š«¶š»
I have dates available in September and October in various locations!
https://ruthannez.myflodesk.com/2024minis
Happy to announce I have mini sessions queued up for 2024 - and lots of them! I always struggle to get everyone in so I'm thinking ahead this year and announcing 6 dates in various locations for mini sessions in September and October. You can add your name to the waitlist for early access on 9/1 pst - and if not, pass it along to someone who might be interested in having gorgeous photos of them & their loved ones this fall.
Xo!
sign up here - https://ruthannez.myflodesk.com/2024minis
Announcing 6 dates for 2024 minis!! š¾ I wanted to give enough notice this year *and* options for all of my amazing clients who request family/mini sessions every year. This is the most feasible way to ensure you all get your time in & beautiful photos for the holidays & the end of the year!
Booking will open 9/1 at 10am PST. Head to the link in my bio to get on the waitlist to snag your spot!
If you know whatās good for you youāll scroll at least 3 slides to see what is possibly the most epic panorama Iāve ever made. 42 photos at sunset in the Dolomites with A & Y ā I canāt imagine yesterday going better.
In addition to a beautiful and clear sunset, we rock climbed, had drinks at a rifugio where they read letters from loved ones, hiked around the iconic towers of Cinque Torri and finished with private vows. It was everything.
Cheers to these two and the magic we made š„¹ so much more to come š
Went from Yosemite to Tahoe just by turning around š jk ā itās allllll Tahoe, baby āØ congrats to and . Whatta day! Canāt wait to share more š«¶š»
Wedding day for E & T starts today āØ they celebrated backwards with family & friends over the weekend, capping it off *today* with their dream elopement.
Clear skies and good vibes ā exactly what we ordered. š
Yesterday was extra special because it was for two people I love dearly and wish the world for š and it was practically perfect in every way.
ILY both š«¶š» hereās to forever āØ
Alpenglow we had to WORK for ššš
in the business of making āØgoosebump momentsāØ permanent
A black and white moment from Jenna & Jacob š this rainy summer moody elopement was magic for me.
HMU:
Florals:
Officiant:
Itās been a slow year for bookings around here and while Iāve oscillated between feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, Iāve started to settle into the reality that MAYBE this time is keeping me open for things that are in more alignment than ever before.
I was going through old photos and stumbled upon this session from 2019 with Handel & Dominie. They booked me for an overnight backpacking session to a dream location. It was a haul, but it was magic. Pure magic. And it happened so quickly in a season where I wasnāt expecting it.
So hereās a fresh take on a photo from 5 (five!!) years ago in the early stages of chasing my dreams. Iām choosing to put it out there that this time I have will be filled with the most beautiful, aligned, incredible people ā and that none of it is on accident.
I mean ā these two souls have become so dear to me and itās all from one overnight adventure half a decade ago. Life is so cool.
And in case it wasnāt clear: Will backpack into the wilderness for photos š
Tis the season for me to have 4 billion gorgeous photos to share and zero capacity to pick my favorites. Itās fine. Iām fine. Weāll get there someday (she says as sheās blogged all of 1 elopements from last year) š¤£
If youāre a client and feeling up to it: text me 5-10 of your favorite photos from your elopement day and help me reduce decision fatigue š kinda joking kinda not. You know where to find me š
Iāve always said Truckee is the most quintessential hallmark town of California so I finally took some holiday hallmarky photos to prove it āØ
Oh heyyyyyy, new friends! I see all of your smiling (likely newly engaged or soon to be engaged!?) faces in my new follows and Iām soooo happy youāre here! Tis the season!!! š āØāØI wanted to take a second and give you a proper introduction because a lot of you have given my feed a good scroll & know Iām all about incredible experiences & gorgeous photos, but you might not know much about ME yet...āØāØIām a lifetime Truckee/Tahoe gal and literally canāt imagine life anywhere else. I belong here. š«¶š»āØāØIām married to my husband Demetri, and we also eloped 6+ years ago now! Iām so thankful for that decision because not only was it perfect for us, it led me to where I am today ā documenting love stories for hundreds of other couples. āØāØI donāt buy into the idea that adventure only exists in the mountains or that elegance should be reserved for ballrooms. The juxtaposition of my life is the inspiration behind the imagery I create for my couples. Iām so thankful to do what I do!āØāØIām a dog mom & sheās my best girl! You can see what weāre up to over at š¾ āØāØThis summer, I hiked all the way around Lake Tahoe on the Tahoe Rim Trail. 170 miles with just me & my dog! It was wild, and beautiful. šļøāØāØMy spare time is filled with a lot of hobbies that do not go together - like foraging for mushrooms, rock climbing, sewing, baking, DIYing, trying to become a dog-mom-influencer, watercolorsā¦the list goes on. āØāØInstagram is like a preview of the person you decide to invite into your most sacred day, and if you came to my page to see if Iām a good fit for you, Iām honored to be on your mind. I just made some updates to my website and now have a short form to fill out in the link in my bio! You can head there to get the process started & just get basic info about working together or we can get straight to business & hop on a call š„°āØāØI canāt wait to hear about your elopement dream & help it come to life āØ
š·: (the shoot of my dreams with snowcapped mountains + pink + golden light + Sasha š„¹)
Thankful for another year doing what I love š«¶š»
Your dog as your witness > humans
Re-sharing this post from earlier this year as weāre in the thick of busy season and so many of my photo friends are ov.er.whelmed. Reminding yāall to take time to live life and still work hard. āØāØI did halloween things this weekend and wanted to post some stuff but felt Quilty doing soā¦so this is a reminder for me, too! This week is a HUUUUGE delivery week for a lot of clients and Iām grateful I took some time to enjoy the weekend, too. āØāØKeep going friend, youāve got this!
Iām in the thick of editing and delivering galleries (this weekend will be a biiiiig one to get everything Iāve been editing uploaded, keep your eyes peeled friends!!) but after delivering Jamie & Brownās gallery, Jamie sends me this photo and says:
āthis should be the poster photo for what āblurry weddingā photography should beā and thatās the highest of compliments coming from her āØ
In other news, I think Iāll be blogging all of this summerās work until I die š¤£ there is so much to share and I havenāt even scratched the surface š
a beautiful problem to have ā¤ļø
When I hired to come out and do these photos in my backyard playground, it was lush, green, and full of life. Now, today, as I take my dog for a walk, everything is dry and brittle, preparing for hibernation. āØāØThe plants have done their jobs. The ecosystem has thrived. The water is receding at the lake, and the greens have almost all faded to browns and yellows. āØāØAnd yet, despite summerās farewell and the imminent arrival of what may be another long winter (I just have a feeling, you guys), we all relish in this season of turnover. āØāØThe pivot from summer to winter, named Autumn. āØāØWeāre all beginning to draw inward, to slow down, to become introspective. I used to think that fall meant everything was dying, slowlyā¦but now I know, that everything around me is preparing for a hibernation. A renewal. A period of rest. āØāØThe last 2 years have given me the utmost appreciation for the seasons which we are all so fortunate to experience; the outward expression of our internal needs. āØāØLet this season of slowing down, retreating within, and shorter days remind you of the magic of Autumn, internally and externally. I hope you lean into all of the beauty of preparing for winter, even if youāre not quite ready for it š«¶š»
We just got home from almost 3 weeks away ā more than half of that was spent in this magical place.
When people think of Greece, most envision insanely beautiful islands and sandy beaches. This exists, but there is soooo much more to Greece than just island hopping and beaches.
My husbandās family is from the Peloponnese ā a mountainous, lush, coastal, amazing region. A region that, after visiting, does not get enough credit for being so spectacular.
Last year we visited the town adjacent to the village Demetriās Papou is from, and this year we went back for more.
I feel a connection to this place in a way I canāt describe, itās more than the obvious magnetic connection of the Dolomites or the alps ā this is different.
I took a couple of rolls of film and dropped them off this afternoon. I already have the scans in my email and while unfortunately a camera malfunction ruined most of them, there are some special shots ā this being one of them.
Thankful for the gift of travel always and forever āØ
Butterfly pin instead of a boutonniĆØre? Here for it. My couples always are so creative with how they make their days uniquely them. The same butterflies were sprinkled in Maryās hair, too š¦
I had 3 weddings in 5 days during my actual favorite time of year. This morning though? All time. The sweetest humans, the sweetest pup. The best sunrise. Ugh ā give me all of this all the time.
Still have room for a few more this year ā no such thing as too short notice for me ;) fill out my inquiry form on my website to get started š«¶š»
I decided on a whim to do something a littttttttttttle crazy. Maybe even unhinged??? ā
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I'll tell you tomorrow - which is also my birthday!! All I've gotta say is this: ā
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If you're wanting to get married in the next 365 days and want to do something epic...it's for you. ā
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Tag your engaged/soon to be engaged friends and make sure you follow/turn on notifications because you do NOTTTT want to miss it!!!ā
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See ya tomorrow!!!
Three weddings are coming up in the next 10 days and I am elated to get to experience all of the joy with these couples š„¹ the weather is perfect, the couples are perfectā¦just canāt wait!
Iāve been trying to make a post for a week now and I just havenāt been able to get it together.
Every year, August becomes more and more special to me. My birthday is in the middle of September, and my whole life Iāve loved this month so muchā¦but August is coming up in the ranks and just feels different.
This August marked 1 year in our home, amazing adventures with Sash, our 6th anniversary, and held the majority of my first thru hike ā the Tahoe Rim Trail.
Today I set out to finish the last 46 miles with Demetri AND Sasha. I feel so grateful for the chance to complete it despite it not going as planned and that they both are coming with me. š«¶š»
The last 18 months have been one transition after another, and I was hopeful to find some clarity on the trail. Itās felt a little unsettled around here the last few months in particularā¦and while I didnāt have any crazy revaluations, I did come out of the first 125 miles feeling capable of whatever IS next.
So anywayā¦hereās a picture that feels like August. My mountains, my beautiful lake, golden rays of sun before it sinks off to bed, and the joy of celebrating that I get to do life here. Not a day goes by that I donāt pinch myself. So thankful!
Nowā¦see you on Saturday. The trail is waiting!
In 36 hours it will be just me, my dog, and the trail. The last push before going out of town is always hard, but the last push before going off grid has me all kinds of dizzy.
Iām putting the final touches on my album course to go live tomorrow. It was supposed to be today, butā¦.life.
I have a hundred reasons why I have put off the launch, and why I could still wait before officially hitting publish. But none of them are better than the reason I have TO make this course live:
I believe every couple should get the chance to see photos like this, printed. Not just a Walgreens 5x7 stuck on the wall ā but an artful, intentional, hand crafted album that tells the story of their love. The day they created to represent that.
The Art of Albums isnāt about the right now, so Iām not going to make you feel like if you donāt get it now, youāre missing out. Because the truth is, itās about the future. Itās about making something that lasts. And Iām not planning to gatekeep that. I believe photographers need this course, and I believe I am here to share the magic with you.
Itāll be here when youāre ready. And the photos youāve already created for people in love? They will be too.
But ā what I WILL tell you is this: there is no perfect time for anything. I want you to integrate albums well, and with intention, but I donāt want you to think everything else needs to be perfect in order to bring an extra layer of magic to couples lives.
So, if youāre ready to add albums to your collections, Iāve got you š«¶š» and if youāre not ā Iāll be here when you are.
In my dirty feet & light chasing era. My long walks with my dog era. The āI can be girly and granola at the same timeā era. Finally comfortable in my body era. My husband is my best friend era. My, āI donāt know whatās next but Iāll be readyā era. The era where I know my boundaries and hold them, where I sleep when I need it, I eat when I need to, and play when I want to. Iāve never felt more ME. āØāØI grew up in the neighborhood we bought our home in. When I was almost 3, my parents moved into a house across the street from where I live now, and thereās a photo from my 3rd birthday with my now house in the background. Itās the craziest thing to me, to see my future behind me. My uncle built our home, my dad plumbed it. I even have vague memories of my dad taking me across the street to work after he got home from his jobā¦and now that is the place I call home.āØāØIf youāve been here a minute, you know I love signs, full circle moments, and the magic of ordinary moments and days. And if youāre new hereā¦now you know: this is what you can expect.āØāØAs we round the corner to a year in our home, I have so much gratitude for everything that has come from our space, our street, our neighbors, and our backyard. I have developed routines and habits that have shaped me in more ways than one this year, and I want them to all stay part of me forever.
Shoutout to for helping me create branding photos that arenāt about showing you my badass business girl side. These photos are to highlight the magic that comes from seeking peace, grounding yourself, and prioritizing your wellness to find success.
Gosh, Iām so thankful. š«¶š»
I just hit āsendā on an email to my education list and did a nice little panic jig to force myself to actually do it and ALSO in that email announced a hard launch date for The Art of Albums ā which is a WEEK from TODAY!āØāØ
Whew, I need a nap š¤£
If youāre a photographer who wants to level up their experience, increase your bottom line, put your ART to PAPERā¦this course is for you. āØāØIāve poured hours of work into ensuring that it covers the nuance of albums under the lens (no pun intended) of an elopement photographer. That saidā¦there is SO much to be learned by any photographer within this course that I think everyone should check it out. If I had been able to access something like this at the startā¦WHEW.
If this piques your interest and you want to explore the art of albums - comment āAlbumsā and Iāll personally DM you the link to my free replay AND information on how to get The Art of Albums Course for the intro price of $217. IYKYK āØ prices go up on August 11th (the day I hit the trail!)
āØHope to see you in thereā¦itās going to be great āØ
Iām hiking 165 miles around Lake Tahoe this month.
Iām a little nervous. Iāve wanted to do this for 6 years. And this year is the year itās happening, but itās infinitely different than I imagined.
For starters, I always envisioned this adventure with Scout. But I missed that boatā¦completely and entirely. Itās just how our cookie crumbled. So, itās me and Sasha instead.
I also envisioned it to be a fun and carefree adventure. While it will be fun & it will be an adventureā¦I know there is some serious internal work that will happen out there.
Grief will surface. Joy will surface. Challenges will arise. Iāll have to dig deep. You know ā the work.
The Tahoe Rim Trail is ānothingā compared to the PCT or even the John Muir Trail. But itās massive for me.
Itās a trail that overlooks the place Iāve spent all 27 years of my life. A trail that I know will challenge me, regardless of how comfortable I am.
Iām over qualified for the hiking portion of it; thereās nothing I can encounter that I havenāt done before, or wonāt know what to do.
Where I know the hard things will arise is in the mental and emotional spaces. The aloneness. The nights with my thoughts.
This feels like a come back story; because ever since Scout died I have felt a little at odds with nature. The wild, and nature, took her from me. It wasnāt personal. Coyotes were hungry. She was prey. Itās the circle of life.
That doesnāt mean I havenāt been angry though. It doesnāt mean I havenāt felt like a stranger in my home at times.
10 days ago Sasha and I ran into a pack of coyotes. I freaked. It triggered me. Sheās safe, Iām safe, and I pressed on, safely ā despite wanting to go home. This is why Iām doing the rim trail. To reclaim my space, in a way. To remind myself how to coexist.
Some people may think Iām insane after what I went through, to spend 2 weeks in the wilderness with my dog. I think Iām being brave. Iām doing the hard thing. Fear isnāt a reason to not do it ā itās the reason Iām showing up.
Iāll share here, but I plan mostly to share on Sashaās account. Because this is a story about us, truly. You can follow her here:
T-10 days. Ready or not, here I come!
Mount Rainier National Park | July 2023 | Sarah & Andrew
If the first image was all I was able to capture from this day I would have been satisfied. It embodies everything I was hoping toā¦yet ā itās absolutely not the only image I have to share, nor is it my only favorite.
Scroll to see 20 moments from this beautiful day in a magical place āØ
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Ringing in Wednesday with a shot ski š„ I have the coolest freaking couples and the most incredible job. What the heck?!?
Weddings are not so much about how you spend your day, but how your day reflects who YOU are. I am SO excited to share this labor of love to show you my heart behind what I do. Watch the full video on IGTV! Photos: Ruthanne Z. - Intimate Weddings & Elopements Florals: Wilderland Studio Hair & Makeup: LumiĆØre Hair Studio Officiant: Meredith Richmond Wedding Officiant Dress: BHLDN Video: the amazing Tweaking Reality Studios
My new obsession is making GIFs out of moments that make me smile. Like this one. ššš Monday morning starts a streak of 13 elopements in 6 weeks and I am accepting any and all donations of coffee and sleep replacement methods. š I have lots of galleries going out this week and Iām so excited to share all of the moments. Life is good šš» Happy weekend!
Before you hire someone to be part of the most special day in your life to date, don't you think you should know if you're gonna vibe? Just a little video to help you see me, my personality, and hopefully give you a push to send me an email about working together! Booking intimate weddings + elopements through December 31, 2019. www.ruthannez.com | instagram.com/missruthanne | [email protected]
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