Mike and Katie "Cicada" Ferraro

The Morton Arboretum was the perfect location for finding cicadas flying and crawling about, as well as Katie and Mike's memorable wedding among the Ginkgo trees and their non-insect guests. Katie and Mike agreed to meet prior to the ceremony so that we had the opportunity to capture their teary meeting on camera. We swept them away in to several locations throughout the park for their portraits for a variety of backgrounds and to keep our eyes fresh.

The ceremony was officiated by Katie's uncle, whose youth and energy kept the proceedings lighthearted and more personable than the average wedding ceremony! We beat the heat to the Ginkgo Restaurant located inside the Visitor Center for cocktail hour where the guests relaxed with refreshments and appetizers. The room was amazing, with a view of the arboretum along the back wall which consisted of nothing but windows.

The djs kept the dance floor packed, and even the grandparents were spotted a few times shaking their tailfeathers! And as for the cicadas, well they were left outside to watch the party through the glass, but we could hear them singing along as we departed.

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 "Ferraro" 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!

Mike and Beth "Mc"Nelson

It was a hot one out at The Lodge grounds in Oak Brook. For those not familiar with "The Lodge", it is the hotel on the grounds of McDonald's University in Oakbrook, IL. It is a phenomenal facility for more than training those people climbing the McDonald's corporate ladder. The grounds are lush and are a perfect setting for a celebration like Mike and Beth's wedding on May 19th!

Beth made a dramatic entrance by walking across a long bridge, before reaching the ceremony grounds escorted by her father. The ceremony was smoothly, and everyone got a good laugh when the wind tried to get in the way of Mike and Beth lighting their unity candle. Ahh, the great outdoors!

The cocktail hour was a welcome relief from the heat. Soon after the guests were seated in the dining room, they were treated to chocolate dipped, wedding-themed strawberries, and a slideshow of Beth and Mike through the years. Toasts were made, dancing ensued, and the chocolate fountain was switched on for the guests to dip into following their meal. The highlight of the evening, of course, was the final course of the meal- the arrival of McDonald's cheeseburgers for all of the guests.

A visual sampling of the days events, you ask? (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. )

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

Going back to Africa

Steph and I finally got the phone call that we have been waiting for: our long awaited journey to adopt our next child is within reach! We are almost certain that we will be going to Ethiopia this August to bring back home a 23 month old boy! Sasha (Beck, our son), can't wait to have a brother to share his backyard with-he has lots of stories to tell his brother about the American ways!
Our latest addition is named Zelalem. We will keep his name, but like most of my friends and family members, he will have a shortened version or a nick-name. Call him "Z" for short!
Can't wait to post some of the Ethiopian adventure shots and a peek into the history of Z's life.