We will miss you, Katie!

Sad news came to us on a cold, mid-October morning. One of our own, (recently) past co-workers had passed away.

Katie Tomaso was a very dedicated member of the Ebert team for five years. She was a retoucher, a printer, she was customer service and she was an assistant photographer here at our studio. Most of all, she was a smiler, and a laugher. She had such a hearty, joyful laugh! I could always count on her to make my stupid sense of humor seem funny, and when the mood was serious-she was good for a joke of her own!

Katie died after struggling with a terminal illness October 22, 2006. She was just 38 years young.

Katie has a large family and I was so happy to hear that they were at her side in her final moments. She would have had it no other way. She always loved to talk about her family...in particular, her nieces and nephews!

I am proud to have been a part of Katie's life. We had a lot in common, especially our love for photography.

Laura and Shyam - Match made in Manassas (Virginia)

We love to travel for weddings! This time, it was out to the East Coast to photograph an Indian wedding extravaganza in the Washington, D.C. metro area. The festivities began Saturday, with the Mendhi party hosted by one of the bridesmaids. All the ladies of the bridal party were decorated with henna tattoo, while a group of the female wedding guests sipped wine and watched the henna artist's progress.

The wedding day itself was canopied by a brilliant blue skiy, which served as a perfect compliment to the rich palatte of saris and mandap (Indian wedding canopy). The ceremony was a unique blend of East meets West; the Hindu rituals were performed by two priests, and a close friend served as officiant who guided Laura and Shyam through their English exhcange of vows and rings.

The reception highlights included a sea of savory Indian food, and performances by friends and family (a serenade, or Salsa and Bollywood dancing anyone?). The guests were also treated to a memorable performance by Shyam's band, Metropolitan who kicked off their set with U2's "All I Want is You".

Yet again, we've provided a visual sampling of the days events. (Please allow a few minutes for the movie to load to your computer. You must have Quicktime to view the slideshow. To download the software visit the Quicktime homepage. )

Make sure to register at collages.net, with the username "Lundin" to be notified of when the rest of the day's images are ready for viewing (the password will be available from the bride and groom). Enjoy!

Lauren and Nick - Singin' in the Rain

Rain wasn't going to stand in Lauren and Nick's way on September 23rd as they exchanged vows at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish. Lauren arrived in style in a vintage white Rolls Royce, which also whisked the happy couple over to Dominican University for a unforgettable (and damp) portrait session. A big thanks to Andrea, Lauren's sister and Matron of Honor, for assuring Lauren's dress stayed pristine whilst we made a dash through a literal downpour! Props to the rest of the Bridal Party for joining the couple for a group shot, complete with umbrellas. And as luck would have it, as we wrapped up and headed over to the reception, the skies cleared!

The reception was well attended, the sweet table was beautiful, and the music of R Gang kept everyone on the dance floor all night.

Of course, we've provided a visual sampling of the days events. (Please allow a few minutes for the movie to load to your computer. You must have Quicktime to view the slideshow. To download the software visit the Quicktime homepage. )

Make sure to register at collages.net, with the username "Ruggio" to be notified of when the rest of the day's images are ready for viewing (the password will be available from the bride and groom). Enjoy!