It's that time of year.

This is my favorite time of year. I love the lights, the sweaters and all the reasons to lock yourself inside with a cup of cocoa and the ones you love. But this time of year also means it is time for something else... gift giving!

Need a gift? Have someone that is difficult to buy for? A gift certificate for a portrait session is a great idea!

Gift certificates are available in any amount. Please email me (danielle.aquiline@yahoo.com) if you are interested.

Stefanie and Tony

There are 2 sentences that I love to hear: "We trust you. We're up for anything." When couples give me a little bit of artistic freedom, I feel like I always do my best work. Stefanie and Tony are that kind of couple. We picked a starting point, Stefanie picked some shoes and we set out to find locations organically. We walked around, we laughed, we tooks some photos with a dead bird (don't ask), and we got some really great shots. These two are so easy going. I know that their wedding day will be a blast! Here are some sneak peeks (which they've waited for very patiently).





How beautiful is she?

Frankie & Family

I first met Frank a year ago. He was just an itty bitty then. I got to see him again this weekend and it is amazing how big he is! One of my favorite things about photographing families is watching them grow: little babies turn into big babies and one kid turns into two or three. However, sometimes the itty bitties are easier to photograph. Once they are able to stand on their own two feet... watch out! Though Frankie gave us a run for our money, we managed to keep up. With the help of his wonderfully patient parents, we were able to grab some great shots!



Love this one:

Nancy and John Wed

Nancy and John got married this past weekend at a beautiful venue in St. Charles. They were lucky to get a stretch of warm weather and we couldn't have asked for a better day for lots of photos. Speaking of photos, Nancy was thoughtful enough to leave nearly 3 hours for portraits. Though having that much time isn't always a reality, it definitely gives me time to do my thing without the pressure of a reception starting in 20 minutes. Though she meticulously organized the schedule beforehand, Nancy and John were all smiles throughout their big day. They were warm and relaxed and that made everyone around them absolutely joyful. They are flying to China as I type this, but I hope they get a chance to look at some of these teasers:







I love that Nancy's dad was helping take the rollers out of her hair:




Beautiful bride:


Nancy and John made the smart decision to do a first look. I was able to capture their first expressions is ways that I'd NEVER be able to do during the ceremony. I love this next series so much that I couldn't post just one.
















There is so much emotion in this photo:

Andrew's Bar Mitzvah

I've loved photographing BZAEDS families over the past couple years. I had the pleasure to join another great family last week during Andrew's bar mitzvah. We started off at the temple and the event culminated in an amazing Motown-themed party at Scoozi's. Andrew is truly one of the kindest, most respectful and joyful kids (I mean... YOUNG MEN) I've ever met. And his family is just as wonderful! Here are a few photos from our time together.

Can you tell that these siblings love each other?




I love this shot of Andrew reading from the Torah with his grandparents looking over his shoulder:






Andrew's family:


And the WHOLE family:


Party guests were lucky enough to get to hear Andrew sing: