Fagan Studios Happenings

Brian + Lauren // Chicago, Ill.

A few weeks ago we had the honor of documenting Brian + Lauren's amazing wedding in Chicago just before Thanksgiving! Combine an amazing couple who love to hang on each other, the wonderful Paat family that I've had the opportunity to work with for the past several years and then the wonderful ceremony site of Holy Name Cathedral in downtown Chicago with the reception at the Crystal Gardens on Navy Pier, too awesome! Ha!

Brian + Lauren were just in this morning to view their images in the studio with a slideshow and she said it was like watching a great movie! I'm glad the images we documented are so loved! It's easy with such beautiful and joyful "actors and acresses!"

We wish you all a very merry Christmas! Shawn

Thanksgiving week studio hours...

Shel and I are loading the car pretty much as I write! We're off to document a wedding at the Chicago Cathedral Saturday and then down to Ohio for a little turkey time with my grandparents. So the studio will be having limited hours starting today, Friday Nov. 18.

Our wunderkind graphic designer Ben will be available for pickups on the 18th from 9:30-11:30 and 1:30-5:00 and then on Monday the 21st 9:30-11:30 and 1:30-5:30.

Joan will then be in and available for both phone calls and pickups on Tuesday the 22nd from 9:30-11:30 and 12:30-5:30. We will be closed starting the 23rd and back to normal hours Monday the 28th. We'll be checking email periodically so please feel free to contact us through there as well.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving! Shawn

Ethan + Erin...

You know it's an awesome wedding to document when you can't edit out one more photo for a quick preview of the day! So doing things a little different here with posting a slideshow instead of stand-alone photos.

It was a perfect day up at the famed Plummer House in Rochester for an outdoor wedding and an intimate reception on the home's patio. With amazing friends and family in attendance, documenting Ethan + Erin's day was a PURE delight! And I don't think you could ask for a better yard to play bocce ball in either! I think the photos should tell the rest so here's a quick slideshow of the highlights of the day, enjoy!

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Ethan + Erin... from Shawn Fagan on Vimeo.

PS: So I see the quality isn't the best, I'll work on transferring a better quality slideshow else where... more to come! So I moved the video over to Vimeo and the quality's a little better. Give that a shot now!

Val + Rudy...

We knew from the get go that Val + Rudy's wedding was going to be a blast! We had a great time during their engagement shoot around downtown and the Clinic where both work, and where they both suited up in some scrubs for a portion of the shoot! As you'll see below, Val has a smile that just doesn't stop! Even in our emails back and forth from when we first met last year, that smile oozes from her written notes as well!

Anyway, we got together a few weeks ago for their wedding with the reception at the Art Center and yeah, it was a good time! How could a wedding not be a good time with a bride wearing such sweet shoes! (See below!) Alright, onto some photos for a quick preview...

Seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day...

Previously mentioned smile, awesome!...

Val +Rudy, thanks for having us a long! I pray the best for the both of you and I can't wait for you to see the rest of the shoot!

Shawn + Michelle

Adam + Stephanie...

So by blog posting has suffered, it just comes with the season! It kind of stinks that I have SOOOO much I want to post, just not any spare time to do so! It’s been an incredibly busy summer at the studio but outside of it as well for Shel + I! When we’re not shooting, we’ve been busy with t-ball or mudpits or softball or cooking or decking or canoeing or dancing or just good ol’ rumbling with the boys! It’s been incredible but we’re ready for the fall for sure! With August winding down, I should have a touch more time during the day to become a good little blogger!

Anyway, I wanted to share Adam + Stephanie’s wedding which we documented a few weeks ago with the ceremony taking place at the Plummer House. Where I usually do a “preview” on here to share some favorites shortly after the wedding, we’re going to have to go for a “postview” posting here as Stephanie stopped in last week to pick up her proofs!

Shel + I both LOVE shooting intimate ceremonies and boy was this one just that! Set in the lower garden, near the back fountain, with about 20 people in attendance, it was spectacular! Perfect light, super weather, and of course, an incredible couple to work with! For the “unity candle” bit, they took dirt from the homes where they grew up and combined it into a single mason jar. Nice. It was a heartfelt exchange of vows and rings and Stephanie looked spectacular! See below in one of my favorite bridal portraits of late! Here’s a taste of the day...

Congratulations Adam + Stephanie! It was an honor capturing your weekend celebration and we pray the best for the both of you! 

Shawn + Michelle

Jordan + Chelcy...

Introducing our new wedding package!

So in a down economy, one needs to find ways to keep income incoming. Introducing Documentary Wedding Photography paired with a ring bearer! For just a few more dollars and Skittles/Tootsie Rolls/Ring Pops, we’ll toss in our boy Lucas to serve as your official ring bearer at your wedding! He’s well behaved, when dressed in a tux anyway, follows instructions, when told to walk down the aisle anyway, and gives your wedding one more “ooh and aah” being one of the most handsome boys on the planet! Don’t you think...



Ok, so we really won’t take money for him but it was a blast seeing our little man all done up in another wedding! He’s definitely proud to be a ring bearer, or I suppose for Jordan + Chelcy a junior groomsman!

You might remember these two from their Chicago engagement session down on the blog here but what a blast to document their wedding! We’ve known these two for about 5 years now having shot Chelcy’s senior portraits and having employed Jordan at the studio. Not to mention Lucas’ all around pure excitement whenever his hero, Jordan, is around!

It was a perfect day for the wedding at the Rochester Art Center with Catering by Design rocking the dessert reception following at the same location. It was a great night filled with friends from church and such a blast seeing two “buddies” (as Jordan + Chelcy refer to each other) join their lives together! Onto some images...

Something about this one reminds me of images from LIFE magazine...

We LOVE it when couples give us a few minutes with just Shel + I! Playing with a little light here on the backside of the Art Center...

Nick Kallies, always good for some sweet dance moves ay?!

Oh, just missed!

And the even more eventful bouquet toss!

Jordan + Chelcy, congratulations buddies! You two are crazy cute and we're super excited for what God has in store for you both! Live it up!

Shawn

Sara + Kyle...

A few weeks ago, we had the honor of documenting Sara + Kyle's wedding as our first wedding of 2009! It was a fun wedding having known Sara and a good portion of the people in attendance from our church, Rochester Assembly, where the wedding took place. I actually shot some of Sara's senior portraits a few years ago too! These two are the same that are a little lower on the blog when I shared some images from their engagement shoot, where we about lost Kyle's leg to frost bite! LOL! Just kidding.

Anyway, these two are crazy cute, obviously!

Kyle just a few moments from seeing his bride for the first time...

...and then seeing his bride!

Mmmm, red shoes.

A good chunk of the gang from the early days of the G8!

We pray for an incredible marriage for you guys!! Thanks for having us a long!

Shawn + Michelle

Lindsay + Chad...

Anyone else ready for winter? I'm looking forward to things slowing down a touch, getting some breathing room in life, sleeping in a bit, but I could really go for a fireplace after this gray week! We don't have one at home and one in the studio would ROCK but I don't really see that happening anytime soon! 

We're coming close to the end of our busy senior and wedding season which has been incredible! I'm posting a touch out of order but here's a few faves from Lindsay + Chad's wedding from last weekend down in Chatfield! These guys are a pure delight! Totally laid back, totally just rolling with things, and totally into doing things that aren't so typical, ie their wedding cake, see down below! Even when their soloist didn't make it, they just rolled with it! Amazingly enough though, a family member thought of a local friend who lived nearby, dropped her a call and a few minutes later, she's busting out a Bette Midler tune during the wedding! Awesome!

Alright, onto the images!

Good thing he's not wearing a white tux!

Chad the happy groom...

And Lindsay the incredibly happy bride!

Lindsay was pretty much all smiles of course while introducing her new husband!

(Write you're own caption...)

Here's their awesome cake, one of the best I've seen!

These guys purchased and Art Book from us that contained their favorite images from their engagement session which they then used as a guest book! Way more interesting than the standard thing ay?!

Thanks for having us along guys! We get to work with some awesome clients, you guys are for surely up there! We wish you the best and talk to you more later! Shawn

Shawn and Michelle Fagan with Fagan Studios are documentary wedding photographers serving Minnesota, including Chatfield and Rochester, MN. Also available for worldwide travel.

A couple weddings behind but here none the less!

So it's been a couple weeks without an update after I updated three times in one week, ugh. It's not that we don't have anything to share! I guess to busy living life and not writing about it ay?! I wanted to share with you about our crazy little mini vacation to Duluth where Michelle + I woke to the sound of our boys laughing their heads off and then the sound of water overrunning from the toilet! I wanted to share photos of Miss Teen Minnesota (a Mayo sophomore) that I shot for her promo materials. I wanted to share my liking of the "Godfather" which I just recently saw for the very first time! Or my thoughts on the Coen Brother's latest flick that's in the theaters! I wanted to share an engagement book I recently designed that the couple will be using for their guest book! I know Michelle's going to look at this and say, "you should have said ...... too!" I know, we've been on the move and living it up! I wanted to keep up to date with weddings as we shot them but I'm now about three behind! So let's get moving!

Greg and Amber were of course totally awesome to work with! Amber had either a smile on her face or tears in her eyes the ENTIRE day! I love it! These guys actually met randomly in Vegas, but what happened there didn't stay there! They both lived up in the Cities so pretty wild that they had to venture out west to find each other!

The ceremony was held at the Plummer House and you really couldn't ask for a better day! A beautiful fall wedding for sure!

Le Jardin brought their awesomeness to the flowers, yet again!

Being in the wedding party is a tough job man!

Off through the Plummer grounds for a few photos of the beautiful couple.

Amber taking one last moment to herself before being escorted down the aisle by her father.

The wedding party heads off to the reception which was held at the Rochester Country Club.

A little popcorn and ring action.

Amber's mom Julie watches the memories during the couple's slideshow.

Time for the dance floor to open! I think this was one of the first weddings where there was an actual MC along with a DJ! Bill Hermann kept the night moving with one of the best "DJ" productions I've experienced!

An awful lot of ladies going for the bouquet!

And the guys going for the garter.

Amber + Greg, you guys are beautiful! Thanks for having us along for your day! We wish you guys the best. God bless, Shawn + Michelle

Ron + Elisa...

I just got back to the studio from Mayo where I took part in a knee study on
soccer players. The doc had me lay down on the examine bed and then had me
bend my knee when I hear him say, "whoa, I think you get the prize for most
bendable (maybe he said flexible, hmm, probably did say flexible!) knee!"
I'm walking on cloud nine and holding it over my sister who also did the
study but only bent her knee to 150, I was at 155! I also get hooked up with
25 bucks! LOL! So I think I'll go buy a couple new albums. Any suggestions?!
Leave a comment if you have any! I'm still totally infatuated with Cloud
Cult so maybe one of their earlier albums would be good!

Alright, on to Elisa and Ron's wedding! Elisa was actually our maid of honor
9 years ago, although she was listed as matron of honor because I had no
idea what the difference was when making up the program! She is also one of
Michelle's oldest friends, dating back to first grade! Anyway, this past
weekend we photographed Elisa + Ron's wedding at their beautiful home in
Eagan! It was a small and personal wedding held on their back patio where
everything from the ceremony to the reception, from the first dance to our first "Lightbox"
photo booth happened! Those photos will come in a couple days with a new post! The colors and design of the site were great with credit going to Nicole of B Inspired!

Here are a few favorites from the day! Elisa told me that she's pretty into the old time color treatments that are starting to come out in magazines and the like. A little bit of a retro feel to it so I made sure to do some of her photos up being inspired by that!

Ron seeing his bride for the first time in her killer gown.

I love to see other ideas for a "guest book" at weddings and this is one of Shel's favorites; guests write a personal message to the couple and it's then hung on a small tree. Very cool.

This guy took "California Casual" a bit far ay?! Just kidding, he was gearing up for the photobooth "Lightbox!"

I can't remember the name of the trio this guy was in but they were great! I'll try and find out and get it updated! UPDATE: Ron emailed me that the band is Parisota Hot Club and from their website, they're "acoustic style swing jazz of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s."

Can you find the rings?! Shel's new self-project is to take the couple's rings and make the ring shot unique to them! Elisa + Ron have a thing for bottled orange Crush and IBC root beer. There you go!

To Elisa and Ron, you guys are crazy cute together! Awesome! We pray the
best for you!

Shawn + Michelle