Get ready to party! And bring wipes!!







You've seen your friends' babies in the cutest photos covered in icing wearing a cute party hat or tutu. You've seen big cakes and cupcakes and watermelon cakes. You've wondered how that whole session went and thought about what your want YOUR baby's cake smash to look like...So I wanted to share with you a few tips to make it fun and as easy as possible!

TIP #1: Timing

Do you want her photo session to match the theme of her birthday party so you can use the pictures to decorate AT the party? Does your kiddo do better in the mornings or after their second nap? These are all questions you should consider when planning and booking your session.

Different photographers have different turn-around times for their images, so if you need the prints for something (like the birthday party) you should check on this when booking to make sure you will have the edited images back in time. This may require taking the photos before your baby is actually 1. If it's more important to you for your baby to actually be 1 in the images, then book on or near her birthday.

Time of day is also important. A photo session for a little one can wear them out quickly, so make sure your baby is rested up before the session, and try to book it during their happiest time of day.





TIP #2: Location

Where do you want your session to happen? Indoor or outdoor? If indoor - where in your home? If you want a studio, make sure the photographer you choose has a spot for that. If outdoor, just make sure it's an area that is OK if left with crumbs, icing, and chunks of cake on the ground.


indoor sessions are fun, air conditioned or heated, and have easy access to a bathtub so you can just haul the kid straight to the tub. :) If you'd like any backdrops, check with your photographer to make sure they have some. If you don't love the backdrop idea, you can always set up near a window in your kitchen or dining room. You can set baby in the floor or in a high chair - just make sure it's a well lit area. You can even shoot on a large kitchen island counter-top if there is space! (Always always always be safe!)

Outdoor sessions are fun too - just totally different. If you shoot in a public area, make sure it's OK to set up there, especially with a cake. Settings out in the grass are cute for photos - you just have to make sure baby doesn't try to eat grass along with the cake! Often, outdoor locations are easier clean up since you can just pick up all large chunks of cake, toss them in the box and throw it all away without having to make sure all smears of icing and small bits and crumbs are picked up.







TIP #3: Clean-Up

If shooting at home, all you have to do is pick up baby, strip off clothes, and dunk in a bath tub! While you are bathing him, dad can be wiping or mopping up ground zero or vice versa! Cleaning baby is much easier this way. Cleaning the area of of the cake smash takes a little more work.

If shooting outdoors, cleaning baby proves to be trickier. Plan to bring baby wipes with you...obvi. BUT - I actually would recommend bringing a couple wet wash cloths in a ziplock bag. Wipes are great to get large bits of icing and cake off, but nothing cleans like a wet wash cloth. You can take them out of the baggie, wipe baby down (after a preliminary baby wipes cleaning), and put them back in the bag when you are done to take them home. You may also want to bring a bath towel to just dry her off afterwards.

A new diaper is typically a good idea at this point since most everything she's wearing will have at least a little icing on it. ;) This way, you have a clean, dry, and HAPPY baby for the drive home.

I cannot stress this enough: EXPECT ICING TO BE ON EVERYTHING & ON ALL SURFACES OF YOUR BABY. It's amazing how easily baby can smear it in the least expected places. And it's amazing that no matter how clean you get her hands, she WILL wipe icing on your clothes at some point. :) (So...just a bonus tip for you, moms and dads, don't wear anything nice.)





TIP #4: Props & Clothes

Think about what else (besides your baby and the cake) you want in the cake smash photos. Do you love the idea of a simple cake with baby wearing only a diaper? Do you envision baby decked out in an adorable 1 year shirt with a party hat and tutu with a banner and balloons in the background? Either type of image is adorable. You just need to figure out what you want, so you can make sure to have it ordered/purchased in plenty of time.


A few ideas for clothes & props:

  1. Customized t-shirt with baby's name and/or a "1."
  2. Tutu matching party colors
  3. Party hat matching party colors
  4. Balloons (latex and Mylar both look cute!)
  5. Bunting/Banner/Swag to hang behind baby or on a high chair
  6. Family heirlooms or treasures such as an old (but safe) high chair, a tiny rocking chair, jewelry, or quilt. (just be sure you are OK getting icing on any of those items)
  7. Cakes that match baby's outfit or the party theme are also super cute! Be sure to talk to your bakery in plenty of time, and be ready to show them photos of a print or pattern you want if it's not a typical cake design.




TIP #5: Let them eat cake! (or ice cream! or fruit!)

I know it might seem crazy to you or me, but not all babies like cake...especially if they've never had it before their session or aren't used to eating sugar. Most store bought or bakery cakes will have very sweet icing that can hurt baby's teeth or just be startling to eat if she's never had anything like it before.


Don't be surprised if your baby doesn't tear into the cake immediately...or at all. Some babies don't like the texture on their hands or face. Some babies don't like getting dirty. Some babies love it, but aren't sure what to do with it in the beginning because they've never been given carte blanche with such a large amount of food. You may have to help your baby out and show them that

1. The cake is edible.

2. They are allowed to dig in.

3. There is cake under all that icing. (I've seen lots of babies love cake but hate the icing.)


Also - a cake smash session doesn't HAVE to involve cake! :) Don't like giving your kiddo all that sugar? Try those adorable fruit "cakes" like you can find here: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/watermelon-cake-167158.aspx Does your kiddo love ice cream instead of cake? Or what about popsicles? Or a cupcake for a more manageable size? If you don't want to do a traditional cake, you have so many other options! So don't be afraid to do something different - especially if you know what baby likes already!


Hope these tips help make your baby's 1 year session and cake smash a SMASH!!