March 7, 2025
The Grand Lady
Austin, TX

Neka and Zach’s story started long-distance. She was in Dallas. He was in Austin. Their first meeting happened around Christmas in New Braunfels, when Zach drove an hour just to pick her up for their date.

Not long after, Neka faced a cancer diagnosis. Zach stayed by her side through all of it. On July 2, 2024, he proposed on River Road in New Braunfels — the same road where their story began. He set the scene with white roses, candles, and lights by the water. It’s rare for us to be with a couple from their proposal, all the way to the end of their wedding weekend, and from the moment we met Neka on our consultation call it was an instant click. A few days later, Zach reached out to us about photographing their proposal (where we hid behind trees) and got to witness their love first hand – with shaky hands and the sweetest smiles.

There are some wedding weekends that just stick with you for a very, very long time and this was one of those. Palpable emotion and the purest joy and a couple’s who pure presence just radiates from them. They are, individually, the sweetest humans and together? Together their love is truly inspiring. They take care of one another, they laugh with each other, and they look at one another with literal stars in their eyes.

A Wedding Weekend of Celebration

We were lucky enough to be a part of Neka & Zach’s full weekends of celebrations – our favorite kind of coverage. We started at Neka’s bridal brunch with her best friends at Tiny Boxwoods, followed later that evening by their white party rehearsal dinner in the Grand Lady garden where their friends and family toasted well in to the evening where the garden lights glowed.

A Guest-focused Garden Wedding

Their wedding at The Grand Lady in Austin leaned into an elevated garden feel, with a little Western flair rounding it out. Airy neutrals, soft greens, and oversized textural florals made the space feel like it had simply grown that way. I loved how Neka & the Plan On It team went out of their way to surprise and delight all of their guests with the most thoughtful, intentional details sprinkled throughout the night: a ring-for-drinks wall was a big hit during cocktail hour, a roaming cannoli service honored Neka’s Italian heritage (Neka & Zach served them to her dad as a surprise!), a surprise confetti cake, and pizza (in gorgeous branded boxes) came out when the dance floor hit it’s height. Their celebration was intentionally guest-focused, and it really showed. The dance floor never emptied – not one single moment!

Why We Shoot Every Wedding on Film

We photographed Neka and Zach’s day on film and digital, the same way we approach every wedding we’re part of. We feel that our couples choose all of the people and elements of their wedding day intentionally, and their images deserve to be photographed with that same intention. Weddings like this one remind us why we love this work. It’s never just the flowers and the details — it’s the years two people carry into a single day. If you’re planning a wedding in Austin or beyond, we’d love to hear your story.

Testimonial

“Kelsey and Talon are genuinely two of the kindest, most talented people I have ever met. They will make you feel so comfortable in front of the camera… something I think we can all agree gets a bit awkward at times. They build a level of comfort with you before you even begin.

So by the time you are getting photographed it’s like having two friends close by…. that just so happens to have like 8 cameras between the 2 of them hanging around their neck! haha! LOVE THEM!”

As Seen In

Style Me Pretty – Where Refined Neutrals and Western Flair Collide in a Fresh Austin Garden Wedding

Vendors

Photography: Ruét Photo – @ruetphoto
Planner & Designer: Plan On It Events – @planoniteventsanddesign
Videographer: Jacob Austin Films – @jacobaustinfilms
Florist: By Maggie Peterson – @bymaggiepeterson
Makeup: Think Brink Beauty – @thinkbrinkbeauty
Hair Stylist: Anna Sullivan Hair – @annasullivanhair
Stationery: 26 Pressed – @26pressed
Content Creator: Content by Cait – @contentbycait_
Wedding Dress: Alice in Ivory Dallas – @aliceinivorydallas
Cake/Bakery: Dream Cakes Austin – @dreamcakesaustin
Cake/Bakery: The Cupcake Bar – @thecupcakebar
DJ: The Premier Austin DJs – @thepremieraustindjs
Live Music: Sienna String Quartet – @siennastringquartet
Linens: BBJ La Tavola – @bbjlatavola
Drapery: Unique Design and Events – @uniquedesignandevents

Dance Floor Rental: Mike’s Dance Floor Rentals – @mikesdancefloorrentals
Game Rentals: Game Plan Entertainment – @gameplanentertainment
Plant Rentals: Thriving Botanicals – @thrivingbotanicals
Rentals: Moontower Rentals – @moontowerrentals
Rentals: Noma Events – @noma_eventsatx
Rentals: Loot Rentals – @lootrentals
Rentals: Table Manners – @tablemannerstx
Rentals: Bee Lavish Vintage – @beelavishvintage

Catering: Vestals Catering – @vestalscatering
Catering: Crave Catering – @cravecateringtx
Bar: Peak Bev – @peakbev

Getaway Vehicle: Wedding Bronco – @weddingbronco

Bridal Brunch Venue: Tiny Boxwoods – @tinyboxwoodsaustin

Rehearsal & Wedding Venue: The Grand Lady – @grandladyaustin
Rehearsal Dinner Florals: The Grand Lady Floral – @grandladyfloral
Rehearsal Dinner Rentals: Bright Event Rentals – @brighteventrentals

Planning a wedding in Austin or beyond? We’d love to document yours. Explore how we work and what to expect → Austin Film Wedding Photographers | Ruét Photo