A cake smash photo session is a fun, joyful way to commemorate the milestone of your little one’s first birthday. Capture your baby’s surprise, curiosity and delight as they tear into their first taste of sugar. It’s a great way to express your baby’s unique personality in a relaxed and carefree way. The images make wonderful décor for your home, and they’re also cherished gifts for family members and make adorable heirlooms. Your baby is growing fast; let us capture this moment for you to remember.

 

What to Expect
Our cake smash sessions last approximately 45 minutes. I begin the session by capturing your child’s expressions while they are calm and clean. During this time I will capture some family portraits in and around the Studio (siblings and pets are also welcome). Once we bring in the cake, the photo session usually takes about 15 minutes; we let your baby set the pace, as some little ones are eager to dig into the cake and others are more hesitant and need some encouragement. If your baby is shy about digging into the frosting, you might have to get in there and show him how it’s done. Be ready for a mess and for a quick cleanup session afterward. I also provide a tub session if that’s something you are interest in doing.

Choosing a Cake
Select a small cake or large cupcake – generally six inches or smaller. Second only to your adorable little one, the cake or cupcake is the most important part of the photo session. We ask the parents to provide the cake or cupcake, because that way you’ll be sure to get just the look you want, and you’ll also be able to take into consideration any special dietary needs your child might have.

Here are a few more things to think about when choosing a cake:
Choose light colors for both the cake and the frosting. Pastels look great on camera.
• Sprinkles, Sprinkles, Sprinkles! Decorations always look great.
Avoid chocolate or red velvet, as they can appear less than pleasant when smeared on a baby’s face.

What to Wear
The outfit your baby wears will be an important part of the photo session. We recommend that you choose the cake first, as it, along with your baby, will be the star of the show. Then choose clothing that complements the color of the cake. Some additional things to consider:
Bring 3 outfits (for family portraits, his alone portrait and cake smash)
White onesies and tutus always photograph well. We recommend simple with lots of skin showing to get messy.
• Accessories such as bows, ribbons or fun ties and necklaces can add interest to your photos.
• If you choose to leave your baby mostly undressed for the session, remember that a cute diaper cover will be more attractive than a disposable diaper alone.
• Of course, make sure that any outfit you choose will be easy to wash after the festivities are over.

 

Customize your session
I encourage my clients to make the cake smash session their own. I have a TON of props and accessories to go with pretty much any color scheme you may have in mind, and I am always willing to work with your own props and décor as well. I have had people bring balloons, toys, custom banners, tutus, you name it. You can contact me any time to discuss what I have on hand.

The Mess
Naturally, your little one is going to make quite a mess during the photo shoot – and that’s a big part of the fun! We offer packages that include a bubble bath to capture the clean-up fun. We always have clean towels on hand for easy clean-up. Please bring a change of clothes to make sure the baby is happy and comfortable after the festivities

Book in advance
Book your session early so that you get the date you want. Some parent want their cake smash pictures ready for their child’s actual birthday to print out and display, and in that case, the session should be done at least 2 weeks before the event (sometimes more depending on the season).

LoLooking forward to capturing your little one! Christine