ed & aileen photography

What ed & aileen photography does

Ed & Aileen Photography is a privately held, Chicago-based wedding photography and videography studio founded in 2015 by Ed Ciesielski and Aileen Ciesielski, high school sweethearts who co-shoot each wedding using a hybrid digital-and-film, documentary-style approach. The core offering is full-day wedding photography priced at $8,000-$10,000 for most couples, supplemented by videography services starting at $5,000 delivered by in-house cinematographer Phil Hosticka, complimentary engagement sessions, destination wedding packages with travel and lodging included, and a photo booth add-on for receptions. The studio operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market: couples submit inquiries through the website, the founders personally consult and require a 25% retainer plus a signed contract to secure a date, and final balances are due 30 days before the event. Deliverables are provided as an online gallery with an average of 60-80 edited images per hour of coverage and a 10-12 week peak-season turnaround. Geographic reach spans the U.S. Midwest and worldwide destination weddings, and the studio leverages Instagram, SEO-optimized website content, and editorial placements in Martha Stewart Weddings, BRIDES, Junebug Weddings, and PEOPLE as demand-generation channels. The business is bootstrapped, founder-owned, and run by a three-person creative team with no disclosed external funding.

Name

ed & aileen photography

Legal name

Ed & Aileen Photography

Website

https://edandaileen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Ed & Aileen Photography is a Chicago-based, founder-operated studio providing story-driven wedding photography and videography for affluent and destination couples, using a hybrid digital-and-film documentary approach with packages priced from $5,000 to $10,000.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wedding Photography

NAICS

Photographic Services (54192)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Reception Planning & Guest Experience (Seating, Favors, Hospitality) (HSACABAM)

Keywords

• Wedding photography
• Wedding videography
• Engagement photography
• Destination wedding coverage
• Luxury wedding photography

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Wedding Photography: Full-day wedding photography coverage with digital deliverables. Investment range of $8,000-$10,000 for most couples. Includes complimentary engagement session. Delivers 60-80 edited images per hour of coverage via online gallery.
2. Wedding Videography: Cinematography services including filmmaker, highlight reel, and full videos of ceremony, speeches, and formal dances. Investment starting at $5,000.
3. Destination Wedding Services: Custom packages for destination weddings inclusive of travel, lodging, and coverage. Pricing varies based on location and requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ed & Aileen Photography is a Chicago-based boutique studio offering story-driven wedding photography and videography services using a hybrid digital and film approach. The studio captures full-day wedding coverage, engagement sessions, and offers destination wedding packages with custom travel-inclusive pricing. Founded and operated by husband-and-wife team Ed and Aileen Ciesielski alongside cinematographer Phil Hosticka, the studio serves couples seeking documentary-style, timeless imagery for their weddings.

Product overview

Ed & Aileen Photography offers a unified suite of wedding photography and videography services, centered around their core wedding photography offering supplemented by complementary videography and engagement session services. The company operates as a boutique photography studio using both digital and film formats with an elevated documentary approach, primarily serving couples in Chicago and destination locations worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wedding Photography Full-day wedding photography coverage capturing unscripted moments, curated details, and the energy of the wedding day using an elevated documentary approach with hybrid digital and film formats. Investment range of $8,000-$10,000 for most couples, includes complimentary engagement session and online gallery delivery of 60-80 edited images per hour of coverage.
• Wedding Videography Cinematography services led by Phil Hosticka including one filmmaker, a highlight reel of the entire day, and full videos of ceremonies, speeches, and formal dances. Investment starting at $5,000.
• Engagement Sessions Complimentary engagement photo sessions included with all wedding collections to build rapport and connection with couples before their wedding day.
• Destination Wedding Coverage Custom destination wedding photography and videography packages inclusive of travel, lodging, and coverage. Available for weddings anywhere in the world, from the cobblestone streets of Edinburgh to the desert landscape of Joshua Tree. Pricing varies based on location and requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ weddings captured since 2015
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Jose Villa: Renowned fine art wedding photographer with a strong film aesthetic and premium-tier pricing, comparable to Ed & Aileen on positioning, visual style, and luxury market segment.
• KT Merry: Destination and editorial wedding photographer serving a luxury global clientele with a documentary-meets-editorial aesthetic, directly comparable to Ed & Aileen's destination offering.
• Sawyer Baird: Chicago wedding photographer offering luxury coverage with an editorial fine-art aesthetic, comparable customer demographics, and overlapping local venue partnerships.
• Two Blondes Photography: Chicago-based boutique wedding photography team serving an affluent regional clientele with editorial storytelling, directly comparable in service model and market.
• Lane Dittoe: Chicago-based wedding and engagement photographer with a documented/editorial approach in the same luxury tier as Ed & Aileen, sharing the same primary geographic market.
• Mel Barlow: Chicago-based destination wedding photographer with a luxury aesthetic and similar one-stop photo+film studio model, directly competing in the same local and destination market.
• Heather Nanney: Boutique luxury wedding photography studio with strong editorial publication presence and premium pricing, mirroring Ed & Aileen's positioning and customer segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/edandaileenphotography

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ed & aileen photography