Cake Smash Photography Session Explained!

What is a cake smash?

A cake smash session is a customized photography experience designed to celebrate your baby’s first birthday.  It is a fun and personal experience where parents choose a theme of choice and then we photograph baby with a cake in that setup. The term cake smash implies that the baby will make a giant mess of the cake.  However, it is important not to have any expectations about your baby actually smashing the cake. All babies are different and thus will respond in different ways.  Some may head straight for the cake, eager to try it out, while others may hesitate or be reluctant to try the cake.  Therefore, is important to let go of all expectations and allow yourself to enjoy the experience!

Check out google or Pinterest for more theme ideas and inspirations. Here are some common cake smash themes: floral, sports, animal, colours, Disney, kids TV shows, and so many more!

 

 

 

 

Planning a Cake Smash Session for your Baby

Unless parents request a set I’ve done before, every set is designed from the ground up. We will explore all different kinds of playful themes, colour preferences, and props. Once a theme has been selected, our studio will work on sourcing all the various baby props, backdrops, and supplies to make your vision come to life!

Cake Smash Session Day!

On the day of the cake smash, we head to the studio extra early to set up for the session!  Putting all the elements together and seeing it all come to life brings us to a happy place! Once you arrive at the studio, we will gage how baby responds to the new environment and new faces.  If baby needs time to warm up, we may begin with simple portraits of your baby or we may do some family photographs.

Once baby is ready and dressed in their themed outfit, we will begin the cake smash!  From this point on, we let your baby do as they please.  If they refuse to try the cake, we will try creative ways to draw baby’s attention to the cake!  We may sing happy birthday,  play baby’s favourite songs, strategically place favourite treats on top of the cake, or even give them a baking spoon they can play with it.  The key thing to remember is to not have any expectations and go with the flow!

What Kind of Cake is Best for a Cake Smash?

We have many options for cakes to choose from – naked cakes, rosette cakes, cupcake-shaped cakes, themed fondant cakes, etc.  We may make recommendations to clients based on theme selected but ultimately you get to decide on the type of cake you prefer. Keep in mind, for most babies, this would be the first time that they would be tasting cake or such eating a large amount of sugar.  For this reason, many parents avoid choosing cakes with too much icing.  And don’t worry, if your baby has allergies, we are happy to provide a cake that is free of either nuts, dairy or eggs.

By the way, a cake smash session doesn’t always have to include cake!  If you want a healthier and maybe less messier option, parents can choose fruits such as watermelon (see example below).  Parents can also choose food items such as spaghetti!

Baby Bathtub Session Included!

An amazing perk of a cake smash session is that it includes a baby bathtub session as well!  After the cake fun is over, we fill up our tub with warm water and let your baby play in their own tiny baby tub!  It’s hard to find a baby that doesn’t love splashing in the water and for that reason, it will almost always get your baby smiling from ear to ear!

 

 

 

So what makes a cake smash so special?

Your baby’s first birthday is a very special milestone in a parent’s life.  Capturing this special milestone on camera is a wonderful way to celebrate and remember such an important milestone.   A cake smash session creates a lasting memory of baby’s first birthday celebration, one that parents can look back on with fond memories.