When to Book Your Cake Smash Photo Session

If you ask me, a cake smash photo session is THE BEST way to celebrate your kiddo’s first birthday. Cake, cuteness overload, and professional pictures so you can remember it forever. What could be better? Just like with newborn photos though, you’ll want to make sure you schedule your child’s cake smash ahead of time for the best experience possible.

little boy with hot air balloon backdrop first birthday cake smash

When to Book Your Cake Smash

I recommend getting in touch with me at least 3-4 months before your little one’s big day. My schedule books up fast—especially for cake smashes, which are some of my most popular (and personal favorite) sessions! Getting on the schedule early guarantees you a spot on the calendar.

baby girl with giant cupcake at her cake smash photo session in new jersey

Why So Early?

Aside from making sure you get a prime spot on the calendar, there are a couple of other reasons why booking your cake smash photo session early is a good idea.

Time to Customize – Every kiddo is unique, and their cake smash should be one-of-a-kind! I create custom setups for each and every one of my cake smashes based on your requested theme and other preferences. That kind of attention to detail takes time, and I want to make sure everything is perfect for baby’s one-year photoshoot. It generally takes at least 6 weeks to plan a custom cake smash and get everything created and delivered to the studio.

One-year-old girl in red dress at ladybug-themed cake smash

Product Prep – Do you want photos of your kiddos cake smash to give as gifts to family around baby’s birthday? Or maybe you want to use these cake smash photos to create birthday party invites? Then you’ll also need to allow time after the session to edit the photos and use them in your chosen designs. But wait…wouldn’t that mean getting first birthday photos before baby turns a year old?

Yes, which leads to my last point:

Flexibility – One of the great things about cake smashes is that there’s some flexibility in when we do them. Anytime between 11 and 12 months is a perfect time to capture this first birthday milestone. You may want to get baby in a little earlier than their birthday so you can have all those photos and products ready for when the big day actually arrives.

Baby boy smiling against sailor themed backdrop in New Jersey studio

I can’t wait to start planning for your session! Get on the schedule or reach out with questions and let’s get this party started!