Cake Smash Sessions are a fun way to commemorate your child’s very first birthday. It’s their very first time having a cake to celebrate them and the images make for fun mementos to share with family and friends. (Not to mention your kiddo will love having the pictures to look back on when they are much older!)
Cake Smash sessions in my New York studio are awesome for parents as well because the disaster doesn’t create a mess you have to clean up, I do all that work for you.
The issue that so many parents face when planning a shoot for their kids is the amount of prep work they think is necessary to make it happen.
Most parents think they need to plan the outfit, choose the location, coordinate with a local baker, clean their kid before and after the messy session, and pray they kid cooperates.
In reality, a professional newborn and childhood photographer should do all that heavily lifting on your behalf.
For cake smash sessions, I always help parents…
-Choose the outfit and color scheme of the shoot.
Whether you are ordering a custom outfit off Etsy or using a look in my client closet, I’m there to help you choose the clothing that best suits your little one. We can even make the colors of the cake match with their outfit for a coordinated look throughout the session.
-Recommend bakers or secure a cake on your behalf
You can opt to hire your go-to baker for the cake or leave it to me to pick up the cake and have it ready to go for the date of your shoot. The goal here is to give you the freedom to do what you want to here. If the idea of adding another chore to your already long to-do list seems like a drag, I’m happy to take it off your plate.
You’ll also be happy to know that I already have a friendship with a local baker who is happy to prepare these cakes on my client’s behalf, making the process easy on you.
-Leave with a clean kid by providing a tub in my studio you can use before they get back in your car (leaving with a clean kid truly makes a world of difference.)
The tub in my studio has truly been a game changer for parents who are apprehensive about the mess that often results from this kind of shoot. I encourage you to let your kiddo have full reign of the shoot so they can make a huge mess and you can have peace of mind knowing you won’t be scrubbing cake off their car seats for weeks after the session. I often take photos of the clean up process as well because they make for adorable tub-time shots.
-Relax during the shoot because I know every trick in the book to get great photos regardless of any apprehension that might arise.
Some kids dive right into the cake and couldn’t be more excited to enjoy the sweet fun that having a cake all to themselves provides. Other kids are very hesitant, finding the tower of sweet goodness to be confusing. Luckily, I’ve worked with every personality imaginable and have all the tricks for getting the best shot. Some kids respond well to a cartoon playing in the background, while others need a food they are more familiar with stuck into the back of the cake to make it seem less obscure.
Thinking a cake smash would be perfect to celebrate your child’s first birthday? Use the contact form on my website to book your session.
Need a little more convincing? Read on to explore four past sessions that resulted in some very sweet images.
Meet DJ
DJ was a little apprehensive to dive into his pirate-themed cake at first. It seemed more like a toy he didn’t know how to use than a delicious treat. Once we added one of his favorite snacks to the back of the cake though, he was more than happy to dig in.
We started the session by letting him get used to the cake. When I realized he was more comfortable staring at it than digging into the frosting, I put gerber puffs into the back of the cake. The familiarity with the treat made DJ feel more comfortable and we got some great photos of him during the remainder of our session. His sweet smile quickly made it’s way into the session. Isn’t he truly the cutest pirate you’ve ever seen?
Although apprehensive at first, DJ dug into the cake as soon as his favorite snack was placed into the backside of the cake. Fun tricks can be used to make your child feel more at ease during our session. After all, this is their first time ever enjoying their very own birthday cake!
Say Hello to Nolan
Nolan understood the assignment. After his first fingerful of frosting, he was sold on the sugary deliciousness of his first birthday cake. He didn’t need much prompting and his willingness to dive right in, makes me think his adventurous and fun spirit will be a personality trait for years to come.
Meet Nolan, the sweet one-year-old with a budding sweet tooth. Nolan was so excited to dive right in and was more than excited to rip the cake apart after his first fingerful of birthday cake goodness.
Introducing Charlize
Sweet Charlize was more keen on finger painting with the frosting than eating it, which sparked some laughter in the studio as her mom and I tried to encourage her to eat the treat instead of sticking it on her legs.
After making some “body art work”, she cleaned off in the bathtub that is standard after each cake smash photo session. This is where she really came alive. She loved looking at the bubbles and splashing around in the water.
This is one of the major perks of a cake smash session in my studio, we can have fun and make a mess and create more great photos during the clean-up process.
Charlize was more excited to finger paint with the frosting than to eat it. She really came alive during tub time and loved being able to splash in the water and play with bubbles.
Say Hi to Emmett
Instead of a traditional cake smash, Emmett’s mom opted for a less common sweet treat: donuts.
We embraced the theme with plush donuts, sprinkle-themed balloons, and pastry display platters that allowed the colors to really pop in these images. Emmett was thrilled to have a tray all to himself and was excited to bite into the jelly-filled deliciousness.
The images that resulted are a cute and messy celebration of this little guy turning one.
Instead of a traditional cake smash, Emmett’s mom opted for something a little different…donuts! The donut theme was coordinated with all the props and the resulting images are a sweet and unique reminder of his very first birthday.
Ready to book a cake smash for your little one? Here are some tips to make the most of it.
-Reach out early.
Cake smashes are traditionally booked right around your child’s birthday. Reach out early to ensure I have space on my calendar for your booking. It’s never too early to reach out, but at least 2 months notice is often needed.
-Tell me what’s on your mind.
Some parents have lots of ideas in mind and some need more guidance. If you already have a set theme and an outfit in mind, great! If you need more assistance just let me know in your inquiry that you need help getting the creative juices flowing.
-Decide on the sweet treat to include.
As the name suggests, most parents opt for a birthday cake to celebrate. This is not a requirement though. We can do a donut, cupcake, or taco smash just as easily. The possibilities are endless.
-Come with a well-rested kid.
Do the best you can. I know enforcing naptime is not always easy. Ensuring your kid is well-rested often means a happier demeanor as we encourage them to chomp on their birthday cake.
Use these tips to make your experience run more smoothly from start to finish.
Feeling ready to book?
Fill out the inquiry form on my contact page to book your shoot in the Cheektowaga NY studio. This is also where you can get your questions about cake smash photography answered.