Pet Portrait Day

Those of you who know us well will know that we are a very pet friendly bunch here at the studio. We always welcome pets to join family portrait sessions and can't help but smile when someone's special puppy dog features in one of our weddings. For Jo, our resident crazy dog lady, photographing pets is an opportunity to combine her two favourite things in the world - pets and photography. As a vet practice manager in her pre-photography days, she is passionate about animals, knows how to handle them, and just wants to see the pets of the world all loved and cared for in good homes. There are lots out there though who still need to find their forever homes, and hardworking organisations like South West Animal Rescue work tirelessly to try to make that happen.

Last month, we were super excited to team up with Blair Street Vet and South West Animal Rescue (SWAR) to hold a very special Pet Portrait Day. Lots of local pet lovers joined us to celebrate their pets with a mini portrait session, with all the session fees donated to SWAR to care for the animals they look after. We were blown away by the generosity of everyone who came along, and we managed to raise over $500 as well as swag fulls of blankets and food for pets in need. That definitely put a big smile on our dials :-D

Over the two day event we photographed dogs of every size, a few gorgeous cats, a rabbit, and even a ferret! With 15 minute slots for each pet we crossed our fingers and hoped everything would run smoothly, and of course with Jo behind the camera and Bianca helping out all the furry friends behaved themselves beautifully and everyone had bags of fun!

Thank you so much to all the pets and owners who made the event so much fun, to Tanya at South West Animal Rescue for helping out and to the team at Blair Street vet for letting us turn their practice into a studio for two days!

The event was such a huge success (it was sold out before we could even tell anyone about it!) that we have decided to do it again, so for all you pet lovers who missed out stay tuned as we will be announcing a new Pet Portrait Day in the New Year.

Iif you just can't wait until the next one get in touch and book your furry friend in for a Pet Portrait Session Now!

And of course if you'd like to help some pets in need or you're looking for a companion to join your family, check out South West Animal Rescue to find out how :-)

Mums-to-Be Morning Tea - Thanks for a Great Event!

Last week we hosted a gorgeous morning tea for a dozen lovely ladies all expecting a new bundle of joy by the end of the year. We had first time mums, family additions and some very generous local business ladies there to enjoy some yummies and spend the morning treating themselves.The event was an absolute hit and everyone had a great time talking babies and making new friends.

Thanks so much to all who came and made it such an enjoyable morning. Special thanks to Lucy at Body Firming & Beauty for the amazing foot massages, Carrina at Bunbury Counselling, Mel at Kiss Chasee, and Sonya at Bambini Impressions who all came along to chat to our mummies-to-be and help introduce them to the world of motherhood, as well as all the other local businesses who generously donated some treats for our goody bags. We're giving ourselves a big pat on the back too for gifting our guests a lovely belly photo each and for generally hosting such a wonderful morning, and we are hoping to see all our guests back at the studio in the coming months so that we can capture this special time with our special pregnancy & newborn portraits.

Of course you didn't have to be at the event to take advantage of our maternity and newborn sessions, so if you are expecting and would like this special time remembered in the most amazing way, just contact us to find out more!

As for the morning tea, it went so well that we are thinking of making it an annual event, are you coming to the next one? ;-)

Margaret River Wedding ~ Ashley & Conor

Ashley and Conor were married at the stunning St Thomas Moore church in Margaret River.We all traveled down to Boranup Forest and Prevelly Beach for photos before heading back to Margaret River. Our lovely new assistant Bianca came with Clare to capture the gorgeous day.

The cocktail reception was held at Watershed Wines in Margaret River, decorated in beautiful simplicity by Chic Rustique, who also created the awesome bouquets.  The yummy yummy YUMMY cake was created by Edible Art, which indeed it was!

Margaret River Wedding ~ Samantha & Richard

We had been looking forward to Samantha and Richards wedding for MONTHS!! It was a big lead up...

Sam entered our Fabulous Fusion Love Story competition back at the start of 2013 and won with her gorgeous tale of how the two of them met and fell in love. From there we produced their Fusion Love Story, and they had so much fun they booked us for their wedding too!

Fast Forward a year to 2nd March 2014, and we finally got to share their special day at Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River with their family and friends, and gorgeous bridal party.

The bridal Party portraits were held at Prevelly Beach rivermouth and the Vineyard. We produced our very first wedding fusion film for their special day so we had the whole gang at this wedding - Clare, Jo and John! It may have looked a little  like they had paparazzi after them but everyone had a great time, and we promise to show off their awesome film very soon!

The Makings of the Day.....

Ceremony & Reception

Leeuwin Estate

, Margaret River

Celebrant

Josephine Arnold

Videographer

Clare Day Photographic Design

DJ

DJ Darren

Ceremony Music

Les Trois Amies

Bridal Wear

Brides Selection

Florist

Sorella Flower Merchant

Cake

Sugarmummy

Bridal Party Transport

Twilight Limousines

Guest Coach

Gannaways Charters

Shoot For Your Dad 2014! ~ 6th September 2014

With Father's Day just around the corner it's time for our annual Shoot for your Dad mini sessions!

We all know that even though he acts tough dad treasures his family more than anything, so what better gift to give him for Father's Day than beautiful images of the people he loves the most.

Book in your mini session for the 6th of September,  for your chance to create the perfect Father's Day gift for Dad. Bring yourself, the kids, pets, or the whole family to join in the fun!

The 15 minute mini sessions are $25 each, donated to Bowel Cancer Australia.

Have fun at the fabulous Melville Park Farm in Brunswick on Sunday 6th September (10am-4pm)...

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Special Portrait Products are available for purchase from your session

To book your spot simply call us on 08 9791 4226 or e mail us at studio@clareday.com.au

We'll let you know what to do next!

Win a Maternity Portrait Package valued at $350!

Bunbury Maternity photography

The studio has taken on a very clucky air just recently with the news that Jo is PREGNANT!

Thanks to this awesome news we are getting all excited about bumps and babies, and to celebrate this very special time we are giving away THREE studio maternity portrait packages valued at $350!!!!!

The Prize includes a tailored studio portrait session here at Clare Day Photographic Design, professional hair and makeup for your shoot, and a gorgeous 8x10" print of your favourite image (or $100 credit to spend on anything you want!)For your chance to WIN simply tell us what you are most excited or nervous about with your pregnancy, leave us your contact details (phone number or e mail is fine), and we will be in touch!

Entries close at 5pm on Wednesday 25th June and the winners will be announced on our Facebook page at 12pm on Thursday 26th June. 

All winning sessions must take place by 30th September. The lucky winners should be between 30-35 weeks pregnant at the time of their session.

Entries can be accepted via Facebook (comment on our competition post or PM us), e mail to studio@clareday.com.au or call us on 08 9791 4226!

Good Luck!!!

Donnelly River Wedding ~ Libby and Ben

Mother's Day Special!

How many of you have a lovely photo of you and your Mum?

This mother's day give your gorgeous mum a gift that is completely unique and created just for you, a professional portrait session.

As a special gift to all the awesome mums out there, for the next two days only...

Purchase a $250 gift voucher for Clare Day Photographic Design... For just $100!

The gift voucher includes a tailored Clare Day Portrait Session (your choice of studio or outdoors) and $100 print credit.

Grab the perfect opportunity to take time out to remember what's really important and create beautiful family memories that you will treasure forever.

*Gift vouchers must be purchased by 5pm, Friday 9th May 2014 and are valid for 3 months for maternity, newborn, family and pet portrait sessions.

To purchase your gift voucher, simply call us on 08 9791 4226 or enquire HERE.

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Cowaramup Wedding ~ Kylie & Jeremy

At the end of April there's always a slight risk of rain, and on Kylie and Jeremy's Big Day the grey skies loomed, adding some great drama to the event, but the rain never came.

Kylie & Jeremy are such a gorgeous couple, so gentle, kind and loving together, and it was a privilege to be part of their special day. A vintage inspired wedding with strong family ties, beautiful memories of the past and a forward look to a great future together. At the ceremony the two lovebirds spoke some of the loveliest vows we've ever heard and there was hardly a dry eye in the house!

After the main event we dashed off to Gracetown beach to get some cool bridal party photos as the sun went down, and then coasted back to Cowaramup Brewery for a relaxed cocktail reception.

Thanks for the memories guys, congratulations - we just know you will have a beautiful future together!

[pb_vidembed title="Kylie & Jeremy" caption="Cowaramup Vintage Wedding" url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSkS20CDSCc" type="yt" w="480" h="385"]

The Makings of the Day…..

Ceremony           Millers Ice Creamery, Cowaramup

Reception           Cowaramup Brewery

Celebrant           Donna McClelland

On the Day PA   A-List Events

Hair                       Jasmine Bridal

Makeup               Dani Miller

Entertainment  Amanda Van Ross

Bridal Wear         Brides Selection

Florist                   Sorella Flower Merchant

Cake                 Bake The Cake

Transport            Vintages Chevrolet & The Chauffer Bus

Love Ya Mum this Mother's Day

 It's almost that time of year when we all spend a day thanking our very deserving mums for just being them. Nobody in the world does a more important job than mum, and to thank her for all her hard work we are offering a very special gift.Simply book one of our Portrait Packages  before Mother's Day** (that's Sunday 11th May 2014 for those of you who don't know - put it in your diary now!) and receive a gift print enlargement (of an image of your choice) up to the value of $200. The perfect Mother's Day Gift!

Just get in touch with us at the studio to find out more and book your session today!

For your chance to WIN a Clare Day Portrait Package tune in to RadioWest over the next few weeks too. We're sponsoring their awesome Love Ya Mum campaign, and three lucky people will WIN a gift voucher from us valued at $200! Tune in to Love Ya Mum and enter the Radiowest competition for your chance to win!

**Bookings must be made by Sunday 11th May and are subject to availability. Bookings are valid for maternity, newborn, kids, family portraits or mums pamper packages at your choice of studio, outdoors or at home. Bookings are valid for portrait sessions up to 31st August 2014.

If you would like to receive future special offers like this from us sign up to our monthly newsletter now!

South West Wedding Venues - Watershed Winery

We know that one of the most important things for Brides-to-Be is finding that perfect place for your Big Day - one that suits the style of your dream wedding, accommodates your guest list, and is close by to awesome locations where you can capture stunning images and make joyful memories of your Day. Throughout the course of our work we are lucky enough to photograph weddings in beautiful locations and venues throughout South West WA, and we want to help Brides find that perfect place. So over the coming months we will be featuring the venues that we spend time at and enjoy photographing, so that you can get an insight into your options and choose the perfect venue for you.

This month we are featuring very gorgeous Watershed Wines in Margaret River. Over the last few months we have had the pleasure of photographing several weddings at this stunning venue, and it really is just lovely. The stone building is full of character and is surrounded by immaculate lawns and deck overlooking the vines and dam below. The team are super friendly and helpful, the food looks amazing and the vineyard is only a stone's throw from stunning beaches and the Boranup Forest - perfect locations for your Bridal Party Photos (not forgetting the vines themselves of course!)

If you're looking for a winery wedding in the heart of Margaret River give the the winery call. And of course if you want someone experienced to capture your Big Day there, show you all the best photo locations around and let you in on when the vines are at their very best, get in touch with us too!

March at the Studio

We’re not really sure where to start with March, in a word it was Epic!Seven weddings including our first ever fusion wedding videos scattered throughout the beautiful Southwest, two engagement sessions, a newborn portrait (plus sisters ;-)) and a couples portrait including a trip to the airfield and Sir Henry the dog. All that as well as several new client meetings, wedding planning sessions, portrait planning sessions, ordering sessions, lots of new bookings and of course a new team member, our fabulous studio assistant Bianca (welcome to the mad house Bianca) - and not a moment too soon!

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Phew! we’re exhausted just thinking about it!

We usually like to give all of our amazing clients a mention in our monthly roundup but there was just so much happening in March that we think we’d need a publisher and a book deal to write it all down. So instead, here are a few highlights for you to enjoy, and we promise we will blog all the amazing occasions for you soon!

Oh, and on a personal level there is not much to report as we have all been either at work or asleep ;-)

We hope you had a great month too!

Bunbury Studio Photography ~ The Hamilton Girls

Recently we had the pleasure of having three gorgeous little girls in the studio. Bec, Dayle, and their two girls had just welcomed baby Willow into their family, and what better way to celebrate this new chapter in their lives than with a newborn portrait session. Of course we couldn't leave out Willow's sisters Sybella & Harper, so we split our time to have some fun with the three girls together before spending some time capturing some beautiful portraits of baby Willow. I don't mind telling you, a kids portrait session with three girls all under the age of 5 is more than a little challenging, and you need to be quick to get the shots before toddlers have had enough and just want to go and play, but we had lots of fun. The girls did fantastically well and it was lovely to see them come out of their shells and enjoy themselves with us. Sybella is a gentle, adoring big sister and Harper is so cheeky she had me giggling throughout the morning. Love it!!! And not to forget mum who did an amazing job of styling their outfits to help the images look simply fabulous!

Congratulations to the family, and good luck managing three teenage girls in a few years time! We hope they love each other as much then as they do now - and if they don't believe that they did then they can just look at the pictures! ;-)

Jo x

Bunbury Wedding Photography ~ Shevaun and Anthony

Sometimes couples just "fit", and Anthony and Shevaun are one of those couples. It was lovely seeing them so comfortable with each other, so in love, and so relaxed about the Big Day ahead. And when you have friendly, happy families to add to the equation you just know it's going to be a great day! We started off with a beautiful ceremony at Christ of the Living Vine and after the "I Do"'s and congratulations were over we whisked ourselves off to Millbridge to capture some fun photos at Shevaun and Anthony's local park. Then it was a quick trip up to Back Beach to capture some memories of the place that they first got together. I love it when we can incorporate special places and memories like that :-)

The reception at the Sanctuary was beautifully decorated by Creations Unlimited and it was really special to see the Ovarian Cancer Awareness ribbons around the tables in place of bonbonieres  - a cause very close to Anthony and Shevaun's hearts. They looked really great as buttonholes for the groomsmen too!

Congratulations Anthony and Shevaun - here's to a very long and happy future together!

Jo x

Busselton Wedding ~ Katrina & Shane

Well what can we say about Katrina and Shane except what an awesome, down to earth couple! :-)We got to know the two of them in the run up to the wedding trying to fit in as much planning as we could between long stints of them both working away, and had a great engagement session which involved a bit of country style, some romance on the beach, and a very cool Harley Davidson.

With the engagement session and tailormade guest book all done, it was time for the Big Day. This was a big one for us with a full day of both photo and video coverage which called for Clare, Jo and Carly to all be there to capture the magic, and Clare was especially excited by the cadbury purple theme.

Abbey Beach Resort was the perfect spot for the wedding, keeping everything and everyone close together all in one place. The ceremony in the gardens was just lovely, and whenever you have a wedding in Busselton you are always spoilt for choice as far as photo locations go. Katrina and Shane went to the effort of booking the very rustic and gorgeous Wonnerup House for their bridal shoot, which along with some big LOVE letters and a fantastic bridal party made for a very fun afternoon capturing their special memories.

Stay tuned for their very awesome Wedding Fusion Film...still to come!

The Makings of the Day.....

Ceremony & Reception:

Abbey Beach Resort

Venue Styling:

Creations Unlimited

DJ:

Darren Gittos

Celebrant:

Robin Shine

Cars:

Chevrolet Limousines

Hamelin Bay Wedding ~ Jodie & Matt

A beautiful setting, beautiful day, beautiful people, a mishap averted and lots of silly giggles just about sums up Jodie and Matt's Big Day - not to forget a lot of love of course!Clare & Jo spent some time with Matt and the boys at Losari Retreat getting some candid and often silly pre-wedding photos which involved a few beers, some boisterous behaviour and a lot of very strange yet convincing foreign accents, before heading off to see the girls where things were much more civilised but still lots of fun. Jodie's dress was absolutely stunning and we even managed to get some shots with her much beloved dog without getting any slobber on anything ;-)

Down at the beach it took a little while to sort out exactly where the ceremony was going to be, but eventually everything was put in the perfect spot and we did our photographer thing while the lovely couple made their promises to each other in front of family and friends. The bridal party colours looked simply gorgeous by the white sand and azure waters, and we were in our element!

For bridal party photos Matt took us on a bit of an expedition through Boranup Forest (thanks for that Matt!) before we all headed to Watershed Wines for some love in the vines and a very awesome reception featuring a super original, handmade by Matt guest signing surf board!

Congratulations Jodie & Matt - if married life turns out to be anything like your wedding day you certainly have lots of unexpected events and laughs in store - sounds like the perfect way to grow old to us!

February at the Studio

We don’t think there is such a thing as a quiet month in the world of CDPD. We get asked “So are you busy?’ OH MY GOD ARE WE BUSY!!  (which is great because we LOVE what we do J)Here’s a little look at what we got up to in February at the studio…

February Weddings

We had the privilege of photographing two fabulous weddings this month. A little quieter than past Februarys, but we are grateful for that as March is going to be a dooooooooozy.

Our first was the stunning wedding of Tabitha and Lance down in Pemberton on the 2nd of February. We love Pemberton and Clare would move there in a heartbeat if she was a closet millionaire and didn’t need to be in Margaret River or Busselton every weekend. The green lushness of the forests just makes her heart sing, as they did Tabitha and Lance and their wedding guests. Lance had great fun driving his antique red truck as the wedding car, and it made for pretty awesome wedding photos with the background of trees and ancient train tracks.

Clare Day Photographic Design_0002

On the 8th of February we joined Laura and David at the fabulous Watershed Winery in Margaret River. It was a heartfelt late afternoon ceremony followed by a fun and joyful reception with family and friends in the restaurant. The surrounds of the winery are just beautiful and made the perfect backdrop for the bridal party images.

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February Portraits

This month we celebrated three engagements with our fabulous E-Sessions.

Diona and Ryan started a VERY windy session with Clare and Jo at Back Beach before finishing up finding shelter at Maidens Reserve (it’s always great to have a backup plan!) Clare took Sophie and Jesse, along with their adorable puppies, to a special loved up Valentines session on the Australind Foreshore, and Josh and Sarah got up nice and early to hang out in Dalyellup with Clare one Saturday morning!

Featured on Polka Dot Bride!

Planning a Summer wedding? This is for you...At Clare Day we have been in the wedding industry for many years, and there is no substitute for experience when it comes to planning the perfect day. Of course we love our clients and we want you to have the perfect wedding, so we like to share our knowledge and help you have the best experience imaginable. Last week we shared some of our tips and advice for Summer Weddings in an article for Polka Dot Bride. If you are planning a Summer Wedding we'd suggest taking five minutes out of your busy day to read it!

You can find it right here.

And if you haven't come across Polka Dot Bride before (...where have you been?? ;-)) we'd also suggest checking out the site - it is packed full of inspirational ideas and resources for your Big Day.

Enjoy!

Parasol wedding boat

Pemberton Wedding ~ Tabitha & Lance

A lovely day for a country wedding! Carly and Clare travelled down to Pemberton for the nuptials of Tabitha and LanceThe ceremony was held beneath the huge trees on the foreshore of Big Brook Dam. The simple rustic decorations including a fabulous mirror and a twisted vine archway perfectly complemented the natural surroundings.

The Family Truck provided amazing transportation for the bridal party, and made a pretty awesome entrance. She didn’t travel very fast but you could definitely see and hear her coming!

After the ceremony it was off to Pemberton Pools, a beautiful secluded sanctuary surrounded by spectacular tall trees, perfect for some breathtaking bridal portraits.

A quick stop at the old train station for some fun with the bridal party and then it was back to the gorgeously decorated reception at The Gloucester Hotel (home of the most amazing buffet ever) for the party to begin!

The Makings of the Day…

Ceremony                  Big Brook Dam

Reception                   Gloucester Motel – Sadies Restaurant

Celebrant                   Julie Newton

Hair & Makeup          Jessica Franke

DJ/Entertainment     Greg Butcher

Bridal Wear               Bunbury Bridal & Invitations

Groomswear              Mensland

Bridesmaids               Myer

Accessories                Angus & Coote

Transport                  Lance's Big Red Truck!

Bunbury Family Portrait ~ Bonser Family

We love clients who come back for more!We shot Ashleigh and Steven's Loved Up 'E-Session" (they were already married though ha!) about 2 years ago, and they loved the experience so much Ashleigh purchased a session for her Mum and the whole family! We spent a fabulous morning down at St Marks Park, with the ducks and early morning light, capturing the family love and joy shared amongst this group.

We LOVE the gorgeous colour combination chosen by Ashleigh - fabulous choice!