We recently connected with Aaron Parsons and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Aaron thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

Initially, the idea didn’t really come from starting something from scratch – it came from recognizing something that already existed with high potential, and conceptualizing what it could become with the right direction.

When I came across Mandelette, it had a very solid foundation, but felt like there was an opportunity to refine it into something more intentional and less led by a personal brand. Early on, I spent a lot of time stepping back, understanding what worked well within the business and how we could intergrate that into the new direction for the brand. It came down to deeply visualising what our work should actually feel like – not just how it looked, but how the experience felt for the couples we were working with.

From there, execution came in a series of small decisions. Clarifying the positioning, reshaping the brand, and building a structure thar could deliver consitency, and support a brand to become synonymous with Chicago weddings. In my eyes, that meant movign away from a traditional photogrpaher model and building something more studio-led, where the approach is defined and carried through every part of our process.

A lot of that work happpened behind the scenes – rethinking how we onboard couples, how we plan, how we communicate, and how it all comes together on the day. The challange is creating something that feels truly custom for each couple, whilst maintaining our consistency. The goal was always to create something that feels calm and considered, rather than rushed or transactional. I think we’re achieving that really well, and it’s clear to see the positive effect it’s having on our couples as we move into our busy season.

I think what really moved us beyond just an idea of what we could become was treating it like something long-term. Not trying to grow quickly, but focusing on getting the foundation right. Once that started to come together, everything else became a lot clearer.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I run Mandelette as a studio focused on wedding photography, but my role is less about capturing photos and more about shaping how the entire experience comes together for our couples.

I didn’t come into this through a traditional photography path. I grew up around people building businesses from the ground up, so I’ve always been drawn to that side of things – creating, refining, and finding ways to make something operate better over time.

It was a winding road to get here, with my career starting in real estate, renovating properties with a strong focus on design (sometimes maybe a little too strong vs the economics). From there, I moved into private aviation, where I worked closely with high-profile clients to create custom experiences. At the same time, photography had always been a constant in the background.

Mandelette really sits at the intersection of all of that. When I stepped into the business, what stood out to me wasn’t just the imagery, but the opportunity to refine the experience around it. How the day is approached, how couples are guided, and ultimately how it’s remembered

Mandelette operates as a studio rather than a single photographer, which allows us to be very intentional about consistency. Every wedding is approached with the same philosophy – calm, unobtrusive, and editorial – regardless of who is documenting the day. A lot of what I focus on is planning, direction, and making sure everything feels cohesive from start to finish.

In terms of what we offer, we focus primarily on wedding and engagement photography, but more than that, it’s the experience around it. We spend a lot of time understanding what matters to each couple, how they want the day to feel, and then building a structure that allows moments to happen naturally without forcing anything.

I think what sets us apart is the balance between direction and restraint. We’re not there to control the day, but we’re also not just observing passively. There’s intention behind how things are framed, how moments are anticipated, and how everything comes together in the final work.

What I’m most proud of is the consistency. Not just in how the images look, but in how the experiences feel for the couples we work with. It’s something we’ve built carefully over time, and I don’t think the refining of the experience will ever be finished. It’s ever evolving, and it’s what allows people to trust us with something that matters as much as their wedding day.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think there has always been an internal battle for me between the creative and the business side. Both are somewhat ingrained in me, and both have their moments on any given day. I think it would be hard for non-creatives to justify some of the risks that it takes to get involved in the creative industry. In a space where your whole business relies on your creative ability, it would be hard to make sense of some of the neccisary decisions without total confidence in your personal ability to execute.

Ultimately, when both sides are fighting for control, you have to understand when to prioritise business and when to prioritise art. Trust your creative side – it’s often those decisions that change your life for the better!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

With Mandelette, the whole mission revolves around the couples. It really has to – without that focus, a business like Mandelette would have no north star, and would struggle to maintain consistency.

In a broader sense, the goal is to change the wedding industry. Not to change it for the sake of changing it, but to help usher it into the new AI-driven world that is evolving impossibly quickly. It’s hard to make sense of any notion that wedding photography will ever not be a people-centric industry, and we certainly have no intention of taking our people out of the equation. However, behind the scenes we are working on some really exciting innovations in other areas of the wedding industry that are focused on helping couples and vendors alike! We are hoping to be able to unveil these over the next 12 months, as our first step towards taking the industry into the new age.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mandelettephoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandelette/
• Linkedin: mandelette-photography
• Youtube: Mandelette Photography