But when Elizabeth and Ryan told me a bit about the last several years they’ve endured together, it was cause to celebrate. Because no one ever promised marriage to be easy. We all have stuff… and marriage is sticking by a person no matter what, though all the not-so-perfect, didn’t-see-that-coming stuff.

And when you get through it, you celebrate!

We say it a lot on our web site: the René Tate Couple Celebrates Their Marriage. And it doesn’t matter if you’ve been married for 4 months, 9 years, or 50 years. We love working with couples who Believe in Marriage, who always take the scenic route, who watch more sunsets than television, and who believe marriage is the grandest adventure of them all.

Elizabeth & Ryan and I met up in the hills of a tiny one horse town called Montezuma, Colorado. I use the word “town” loosely. I actually just pulled off the side of the road and waited for them to drive along and I flagged them down. From there, we hopped in Ryan’s beefy 4×4 pickup and headed for a rocky, mountain trail. We climbed nearly 3,000 feet in elevation, which took us about an hour up and down, and felt like we were on top the world.

We got up there a bit early, so we breathed the fresh mountain air, and sat, enjoying panoramic views and talking about life, love, and how far we’ve all come since I photographed their wedding nine years ago! I just love how raw and authentic the emotions in these images are. Just like Elizabeth & Ryan…

Elizabeth & Ryan, thanks for being so authentic and real. I always enjoy my time with you. We gotta do more of it. Happy Anniversary, friends. Thanks for being game for adventure!