That first birthday is a milestone worth celebrating in style! Cake smash sessions have become an increasingly popular way to commemorate this special occasion, creating joyful, sometimes messy, and always memorable photos that capture your little one's personality. With some thoughtful planning, you can create a cake smash photoshoot that results in frame-worthy images and a delightful experience for your baby.

Tips to Plan the Cake Smash Session

Timing Matters the Most

While cake smash sessions typically happen around the first birthday, consider scheduling 1-2 weeks before the actual party. This gives you time to get photos back for displaying at the celebration. Choose a time of day when your little one is typically well-rested and happy, usually mid-morning after a nap and snack.

Creating the Perfect Setup

A thoughtfully chosen theme can elevate your cake smash session from cute to spectacular. Plan colours that look good in photos and take your baby's personality into account.

For the backdrop, a simple white, cream, or pastel background creates a clean, timeless look. You can add a few key decorative elements, like a birthday banner or balloons. Natural light works wonderfully, so position near a large window if shooting indoors.

Outfit Considerations

Many parents begin with a special birthday outfit before changing into a simpler "smash" outfit. For the actual cake smashing, a diaper cover, simple bloomers, or a basic onesie let your baby's expressions shine. Choose fabrics and colors that contrast with your backdrop and cake. I offer curated wardrobes as well so you don’t have to stress too much. Don't forget to bring backups. Things can get a little messy!

The Star of the Show: The Cake

A small, 4-6 inch smash cake is perfect for little hands and big photos. Consider any potential allergies if your baby hasn't tried certain ingredients yet. Buttercream typically photographs better than whipped frosting and is easier for babies to grab. Choose frosting colours that complement your theme without staining your baby's skin too dramatically or I can provide the cake that’ll work perfectly for the session.

Capturing Perfect Moments

We’ll allow warm-up time before introducing the cake and capture the progression: the clean setup, first reactions, progressively messier moments, and the aftermath. I’ll document the close-ups of the tiny fingers covered in frosting and concentrated expressions. We’ll also take family photos throughout the session!

Making it Easy on Yourself

Planning a cake smash session can feel overwhelming alongside birthday preparations. You could take a simplified approach with just a cake and plain backdrop, DIY some elements to save on costs while maintaining a personalized touch. Or you could leave it all to me!

As a professional photographer with experience in cake smash sessions, I handle everything from theme development to props, cake arrangements, and capturing those perfect moments. This allows you to simply enjoy watching your baby's delighted reactions without worrying about details or cleanup.

A cake smash session creates images that perfectly preserve this fleeting, frosting-covered milestone for years to come, highlighting not just your baby's growth but also your journey through that first transformative year of parenthood.

When I photograph your baby’s first-year milestones, I make it easy to turn those images into a custom album you'll actually want to flip through for years. I handle all the design and layout for you - no software, no stress, no sitting at your laptop trying to choose photos. Just a beautiful, finished album that tells the full story of your baby's first year.