A cake smash session is a fun and joyful way to commemorate this milestone in your Baby’s life.  Take this opportunity to capture your child’s delight as they tear into their first real taste of sugar!

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you prepare for your session:

What to Expect

First year/Cake Smash sessions last about 60 minutes.  The first 30 minutes  is comprised of family/sibling pictures, and also milestone pictures, in which we capture the personality of your little one in a variety of different backgrounds and sets.  We typically have time to get through 2-3 outfit and backdrop changes, depending on the cooperation of our subject.  The last 30 minutes is the cake smash.  We begin by taking pictures of your little one in their cake smash outfit before introducing the cake.  Once we bring in the cake, the photo session takes approximately 15 minutes.  We let your baby set the pace, as some little ones dig right in and destroy the cake, and others need a little bit of encouragement and sometimes even help to get into their cake.  Be ready to get your hands dirty and help your little one get past all that frosting to the cake underneath!

Choosing or Making a Cake

Select a small cake or large cupcake, approximately 6 inches around.  Due to concern for allergens, Urban Bent studio Photography is not able to provide the cake.  I am happy to recommend some local bakers if you will not be making the cake yourself.  Whether you are making the cake, or having it made, please consider the following items:

• Please make sure that the cake is placed onto a cake round (something that can be used to transfer the cake easily from one surface to another)  A piece of cardboard cut into a circle and covered in aluminum foil works just as well if you are making the cake yourself.
• Think light colors for the cake itself and vanilla is preferred- (red cake smeared on baby’s face tends to look like your little one just ate someone – not the best look!)
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before the session to allow the frosting to come to room temperature.

What to Wear

Choose the theme or color of your little one’s cake smash first, and then you can choose the outfit.
Bring all the props you wish to use for the session.  For the family portion of the session choose seasonal coordinating colors (I encourage layering and accessories for photos e.i. hats, scarf, shawls etc)

Things to Bring

• Cake
• Cake Smash Outfit
• 2-3 additional outfits for Baby
• Change of clothes for parents, just in case
• diapers
• Sippy cup to help wash down the cake
• Snacks (think cheerios, or puffs) in case they don’t like the cake.  We sometimes have to hide them the cake to make it look like your little one is actually eating the cake.  Ssshhh.. If you don’t tell, we won’t 🙂

The Mess

We hope that your little one makes a huge mess!  That’s the whole point of this session, and most of the fun of the day.  We will finish the session with a warm bath, so please bring a clean outfit for the ride home.