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?

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

5 Cake Smash Photography Ideas for Baby Girls

5 Cake Smash Photography Ideas for Baby Girls

Creating customized cake smash setups is one of my favorite things to do as a baby photographer! I love gathering ideas and materials and seeing it all come together! In this post I’ll be sharing 5 cake smash photography ideas for baby girls, just to get you started. (If you’re planning a celebration for a boy, be sure to check out my previous post for ideas just right for the little man.)

Princess

Every baby girl is a princess to her parents—so why not play up the theme for her birthday celebration? A pretty dress and a sparkly crown are the perfect ensemble!

Bowers of Flowers

Flowers are always a sure bet for baby girls! I have tons of fun bouquets and garlands in my Northern NJ photo studio for you to choose from. So just let me know if you have favorite colors or flower varieties and we’ll put together a gorgeous indoor flower bower just for the birthday girl!

Lemonade Stand

A super fun option for summer is to go with a lemonade stand theme. I love the bright colors and fun flair! And of course, if your daughter isn’t a summer baby, there are plenty of other great seasonal themes we can brainstorm. (Watermelon could be another summer cake smash photography idea, a harvest theme for fall, butterflies in the springtime, winter wonderland…the possibilities are endless!)

Wonderland

Speaking of wonderland, what do you think of this adorable Alice in Wonderland first birthday cake smash? Too cute, am I right? I had a blast setting this one up!

Garden Party

Depending on the weather, another fantastic option is to do your baby girl’s cake smash outside. Yes, it means I miss out on the fun of creating the perfect studio setup, but I can still bring some fun props, and the birds and squirrels take care of most of the cleanup. ;)

Hopefully these 5 cake smash photography ideas for baby girls have given you a starting point as you plan for baby’s first birthday. But don’t limit yourself to these. Let your imagination run wild, and when you settle on one you love, get in touch so I can make it happen!

5 Cake Smash Photography Ideas for Baby Boys

Did you know that one of my favorite parts of being a cake smash photographer is setting up the studio for the main event? It’s true! I absolutely love customizing each and every session for my clients. So please feel free to bring your ideas! However, you may find that you’re drawing a blank—and that’s okay too. If you need a little inspiration, here are 5 cake smash photography ideas for baby boys. (Stay tuned for 5 more cake smash theme ideas—next time for baby girls!)

Set Sail

You can’t go wrong with a nautical theme for a baby boy. Maybe it’s because they look so freakin’ cute in a sailor suit!

Go Wild!

We all know boys are a little wild—that’s one of the reasons we love ‘em! A jungle theme or even something more specific, like this Wild One cake smash—is the perfect way to celebrate baby boy’s first birthday.

On the Right Track

Boys are fascinated by things that go. Usually the faster the better! So why not a racecar theme for a truly winning cake smash photography session?

Next Stop: Adventure!

I’ve never met a boy who didn’t love airplanes. And it starts young! Bring out your little guy’s sense of adventure with an aviation-themed cake smash.

Farmyard Fun

Mud pies, anyone? It doesn’t get much cuter than a tiny farmer in overalls (or suspenders and a cow print bow tie!) partying it up with all his barnyard friends.

If you weren’t sure where to start with planning your little one’s first birthday photos, I hope these 5 cake smash photography ideas for baby boys has given you some direction! I’m always creating fun new setups for all ages, so be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram so you catch all the great photo inspiration!

Northern NJ Cake Smash Studio ~ King of Rap

It was so fun to see this family again—this time in my Northern NJ cake smash studio! I photographed them for a holiday session earlier in the year, so it was wonderful to welcome them back for another special occasion. For this session, the big event was their little one’s first birthday, and we went all out to celebrate!

Customized Cake Smash Sessions

I love seeing the different themes clients choose for their kiddos’ one year photo shoots. Customizing sessions—collecting ideas, gathering the perfect props, designing the setup—is one of my absolute favorite things, and one of the things that sets me apart as a baby and child photographer. If you have an idea, I want to make it happen!

Biggie Smalls Party

These parents decided on a Biggie Smalls theme for their little guy’s first birthday cake smash, which was awesome! I had so much fun getting my Northern NJ cake smash studio ready with gold chain balloons, a “King of Rap” backdrop, and a mic—All the essentials! Little man wore the cutest (sorry, coolest) outfit, complete with bling, and definitely kept us all entertained with his big toothy smile and the enthusiastic way he dug into his cake.

And That’s a Rap!

As I usually do (for reasons of both cuteness and practicality) we finished up the party with bath time so we could get our little rapper squeaky clean after his performance. He did a great job for me and I love the fun, creative images we were able to get as we celebrated baby’s first year!

I’d love to get my Northern NJ cake smash studio all ready for your little one. Just tell me what you’re thinking and let’s get this party started!

Cake Smash Photo Session | West Milford, New Jersey

Another great cake smash photo session in my West Milford, New Jersey photography studio! I love doing these! There’s just no better way to celebrate baby’s first birthday than with professional pictures—and creating a special photoshoot for their special day is one of the highlights of my job as a New Jersey baby photographer.

This little man was such a cutie! He had great expressions, and I loved capturing every single one of them for the camera. We wanted tons of balloons for these cake smash pictures, and he absolutely LOVED those balloons—and really everything about his session! I was glad he had so much fun. That’s what it’s all about!

I enjoy customizing my sessions, and always work closely with my clients to determine what it is they want. I had worked with this family before (for a holiday session) and I was delighted to have them back in the studio. Mom had this vision in her mind for her little guy’s one year birthday pictures, so I went all out to make it come to life! It really is my pleasure to make every session special.

Like I said, this little guy was a huge fan of balloons! He also loved the cake—and the splash! One of the things I love about being a children’s photographer is how genuine kiddos are and how they just embrace the emotions of each moment. It was so fun to spend a bit of time with this birthday boy and create images of this first birthday celebration that he and his family can treasure for years to come.

NJ Cake Smash Photographer

If you’re thinking of booking a cake smash photo session for your own little one, I hope you’ll get in touch with me! It’s my honor to provide some of the best cake smash photography in New Jersey, and I would love to create an amazing milestone photo experience for your baby!

White and Floral Cake Smash | West Milford NJ Photo Studio

Can you say adorable? I had the best time doing this cake smash photography session for this little one’s first birthday. A lot of times my cake smash kiddos are also little ones I photographed as newborns, but this baby girl and her parents were first-time clients. It was great to meet them and I’m so glad they chose me to capture their daughter’s big milestone!

One of the things I have the most fun with is customizing each and every session to fit my clients’ unique vision and preferences. In this case, we picked out lots of clean, bright whites to create our base. Then we added some beautiful pinks, purples, and greens in the form of flowers and greenery. It turned out so pretty and was perfect for spring (we did these cake smash photos in March).

Northern New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer, baby girl in white with floral backdrop cake smash

Baby girl was the sweetest little gal. She absolutely loved her cake and did a great job smearing frosting all over her mouth! And she really got into the splash at the end when we did some tub time to get her cleaned up. Some kiddos need a little convincing on either the cake, the bubbles, or both, but this cutie was ready for anything! We had a fantastic time from start to finish!

West Milford New Jersey Cake Smash Photo Studio, 1-year-old girl cake smash and tub time

New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

Getting ready to celebrate baby’s first birthday? If you ask me, there’s no better and more memorable way to both celebrate and record the experience than a professional cake smash photography session. I’m more than happy to customize your baby’s photo session so it’s exactly what you’re looking for. Check out my gallery for more fun ideas! Can’t wait to see you and your little one in my West Milford NJ photo studio. Let’s get this party started!

Thanksgiving Cake Smash | New Jersey Photographer

Can’t get over the cuteness of this little guy and his Thanksgiving cake smash photo session! I photographed him as a newborn, so when mom contacted me about doing his one year birthday cake smash I was so excited. I love it when I get to see clients again and watch these little ones grow up.

All of my cake smash photography sessions are completely customized so that every client has a shoot designed just for them. Creating custom backgrounds is one of my favorite things to do. It’s always fun to learn about my clients’ tastes, gather the perfect props, and bring their vision to life.

New Jersey cake smash photographer, baby boy with Thanksgiving backdrop

Give Thanks

This little guy was born around Thanksgiving, so mom requested a Thanksgiving/harvest theme for his cake smash pictures. Nothing says autumn to me like pumpkins and sunflowers—so bright and fun! A rustic barn door and tractor sign made the perfect focal point. And of course—lights! If you’re familiar with my work you probably already know that I love to use lights in my baby photos. They work with any setup and add some fun sparkle to the images.

This cutie was so smiley for me! He was obviously having a great time, which is exactly the experience I want these little ones to have when they visit my West Milford, NJ photography studio. Loved the adorable plaid shirt and boots combo for his baby portraits. And when it was time for cake—well, who can resist a baby boy in a bow tie and suspenders?

It was great to spend some time with this happy little boy. We had such a fun session together and I love the images we created!

Baby boy cake smash photo session northern New Jersey, fall/autumn cake smash

New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

A cake smash is the perfect way to celebrate that special first birthday! If you’re looking for a fun, unique, and memorable way to capture your little one’s big milestone, feel free to get in touch with me! I’d love to hear from you.

Gold Stars Cake Smash | Baby Photographer Northern NJ

It was so fun to see this family again for a baby photography and cake smash session! I previously did a Valentine’s Day mini session with them in early 2020, and now that baby girl is getting so big they decided it was time for more pictures. We had a blast together!

I believe every baby and family is unique—and deserves a session that’s designed especially for them. That’s why I create a custom setup for every photo session I do. I love working with my clients to create photos that are everything they wanted and more. This little girl’s mama knew that she absolutely wanted gold and stars incorporated in some way, so that’s what we ran with. I love how it looks like stars are falling all around her. The gold and white really caught the light and made our pictures shine in more ways than one!

This little princess enjoyed her cake—especially the frosting. Now that’s a girl after my own heart. She got it all over her hands and face. She did try to lick it all off—and did a great job—but in the end we still got out my baby-sized clawfoot tub for her to wash up in. Nothing like bath time after a cake smash!

It was so much fun to celebrate with this little cutie. Definitely a gold star session!

Cake Smash Sessions in New Jersey

Cake smash photography is such a fun way to highlight baby’s growing up and create special memories. Your time in my West Milford photography studio is about more than getting great pictures—it’s also about having a great experience. If you’re interested in a custom cake smash or other type of portrait photography for your little one, please get in touch with me. I’d love to hear from you!

Custom Stars and Light Cake Smash | Northern NJ Photographer

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is getting ready for a fun-filled holiday season! It may look a little different for a lot of us this year, but as long as we have the love of family we have a reason to celebrate!

Birthday Cake Smash

I did this birthday cake smash photoshoot back in October, when the weather was just starting to turn chilly. All of my cake smash sessions are fully customized, so I always ask parents what kind of a look they’re going for and if there’s a particular theme they want. Mom told me that baby girl’s name means “light,” so she thought it would be fun to play on that theme. What a great idea! I filled the studio with twinkle lights in preparation for their session. Also used light-up star props and lots of white to reflect the light and give our photos some sparkle. It turned out just like we were hoping.  

Although we spent most of our time in my New Jersey photography studio, we also did a few outdoor shots with baby and her parents. Including parent photos in your baby photography session is a great add-on! Lots of people book that add-on when they schedule their child’s photoshoot. It’s the perfect way to document the big one-year milestone. Plus, you get updated, professional family pictures at the same time. Win-win!

Book a Photo Session

This has been quite the year, and that’s all the more reason to document how your family is growing and thriving throughout it. Professional portraiture is the perfect way to hold on to precious memories forever. So if you want to document a major milestone, create beautiful family photos, or record the newborn sweetness of a brand new little one, I hope you’ll contact me! In the meantime, I hope your holiday season is just as merry and bright as this beautiful birthday session!

Cake Smash Baby Photographer | Hewitt, New Jersey

What’s the perfect way to celebrate your baby’s first birthday? A cake smash photography session, of course!

I photographed this adorable little girl as a newborn, so it was great to see her in the studio again. She has to be one of the happiest babies on the planet! Photographing her felt like pure entertainment from start to finish, and she obviously felt the same way. She loved her cake, loved posing, and knew exactly how to work the camera. Look at that smile!

You never quite know how a baby will react to frosting, but this birthday girl loved it. There was icing everywhere by the time we were finished—which is exactly what makes a cake smash photo session so much fun! It’s also why I frequently finish up the cake smash with tub time. Splashing in bubbles is the best, and gets baby squeaky clean before it’s time to go home.

Another of the fun aspects of baby photography is figuring out themes and sets so I can achieve exactly the look parents are going for. I want every session to be unique and personalized, which is why I customize each one to my clients’ specific requests. This was a custom set and I loved it! With flowers, lights, and shabby chic décor, it provided just the right combination of gorgeous and whimsical.

If you’re looking to record that epic one-year birthday milestone, there’s no better way to do it than with a professional cake smash photography session. As a mom myself, I know how quickly these little ones grow up, and it’s my pleasure as a baby photographer to capture those memories for others. You might not be able to freeze time, but professional portraits come close! I hope you’ll contact me for all your photography needs—I would love to work with you!

When should I book my Cake Smash Portrait Session?

When is the best time to book a Cake Smash Session?

I get this question every now and then, but majority of the time a lot of people inquire right around their little one’s 1st birthday.

If I can give any advice it would be to book your session sooner rather than later. The sooner the better actually! I have clients who book their Cake Smash Sessions right around when their little one turns 5-6 months old. Is that too early?! NO WAY!!!!

A lot of time and planning go in to my Cake Smash Sessions. Custom sets can take a few weeks to put together and design. Also, I love having the photos done and ready for the 1st birthday and for the birthday boy’s/girl’s party.

So, don’t be afraid to book your custom Cake Smash Session early! I can’t wait to see you here at my Cake Smash Studio located in Hewitt, NJ. (Northern New Jersey)

Want more information on a Cake Smash Portrait Session with Jennifer Parrello Photography, located in Northern New Jersey? Go here! —> Cake Smash Portrait Session

Custom Elephant Theme Cake Smash - Northern New Jersey (NJ) Cake Smash Photographer

Can we just talk about how adorable this little guy is and how adorable this set up is?! He has an elephant themed nursery and his momma thought it would make a great cake smash session! They had a blast at my Northern New Jersey studio and I can’t wait to see them again soon!

When Do I Book My Cake Smash Session? | Northern New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

When is the best time to book a Cake Smash Session?

I get this question every now and then, but majority of the time a lot of people inquire right around their little one’s 1st birthday.

If I can give any advice it would be to book your session sooner rather than later. The sooner the better actually! I have clients who book their Cake Smash Sessions right around when their little one turns 5-6 months old. Is that too early?! NO WAY!!!!

A lot of time and planning go in to my Cake Smash Sessions. Custom sets can take a few weeks to put together and design. Also, I love having the photos done and ready for the 1st birthday and for the birthday boy’s/girl’s party.

So, don’t be afraid to book your custom Cake Smash Session early! I can’t wait to see you here at my Cake Smash Studio located in Hewitt, NJ. (Northern New Jersey)

1st Birthday Cake Smash - Mr. Clayton | Cake Smash Photography, North Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

Here I am again late as always with my blog posts….

So this session is from September, 2018. Yes, you read that right! My oh my!

Mr. Clayton rocked his custom Garage Themed Cake Smash Session that took place at my studio inWest Milford, New Jersey. His daddy owns a garage and fixes cars and what better theme for this lil guy!