When Should You Book a Cake Smash Session?

Remember when you brought your new baby home in your arms? And now look at them! Can you believe their first birthday is just around the corner?

Baby girl in white dress smiling during cake smash session

When to Schedule Your Session

When it comes to booking a cake smash session (or any type of session for that matter!) I always say earlier is better! Definitely plan to book 3-4 months prior to your little one’s first birthday. Why so early? Because every one of my cake smashes is fully customized, and I need time to get everything and make sure it’s perfect for the big day!

African American toddler with chocolate cake and pink and gold fall backdrop

When to Photograph Your Baby

Although this is a first birthday celebration, anytime between 11 and 12 months is a great time to capture this milestone.

Including Milestone and Family Photos

If you want to get portraits of your birthday boy or girl without the cake, we can absolutely do that! Usually I’ll start off the session with non-cake photos on the set before we break out the cake. Family members are welcome to get in on the fun too! I’m happy to provide photos with parents or siblings during our time together with certain collections you can choose from!

One-year-old portrait of boy in bow tie with backdrop of elephants

How to Customize Your Cake Smash

I provide the outfit and all the props, so all you need to worry about is ordering the cake (I have an amazing bakery I recommend) and getting your little cutie to the studio! I can do pretty much any theme, so let your imagination run wild and we’ll chat about the theme, colors, and/or general vibe you’re looking for.

Lion cake with backdrop of zoo animals for first birthday cake smash setup

Getting Baby Ready

I always encourage a practice run at home about a week prior to the session. A good way to do this is to put some whipped cream in front of your little one and let them play with it. Stage fright is a thing with cake smashes and some kiddos can get nervous, but don’t worry—I’ll work my magic and we will get fantastic photos!

Another thing I advise parents to do is bring your little one’s favorite food to the studio. Chicken nuggets, cheese…whatever they love! Cake is great, but little ones who aren’t used to a lot of sugar will appreciate something else to snack on instead.

1-year-old girl in pink dress sticking out her tongue to lick cake

I can’t wait to celebrate with you! You can get more info about booking your cake smash session here, or reach out with questions. Let’s make this first birthday one to remember!