5 Tips for a Perfect Cake Smash Session
A cake smash session is a perfect way to celebrate your little one’s first birthday! Whether you’re looking to hire a photographer or looking to DIY it - here are some tips to make it a smashing success.
Choosing a cohesive theme is the first step in planning your baby’s cake smash session. Themes can be anything from a simple color scheme to a trendy pun. The theme will guide the outfit, cake, and backdrops you’ll use.
In order to keep the focus on all that cake smashing action, I recommend keeping it simple. An outfit, backdrop, and cake are all you really need! I recommend using a paper backdrop for seamless photos and easy cleanup. If you’re working with me, I have a whole rainbow full of color options to choose from.
If all goes well, things are going to get MESSY. Have towels, wipes, a change of clothes, or maybe even a bath drawn and ready to go. Cake is going to be *everywhere.*
That said, while it might be tempting to worry about the mess, I encourage you to enjoy the chaos. I want cake in their hair, fingers, and toes!
Especially if the cake smash is happening at a first birthday party, some babies aren’t sure what to do when a giant cylinder of frosting is placed in front of them. If the smashing hasn’t started after a few minutes, grab their little hand and push it straight into the cake. Not only is this a fun way to get the smashing started - but it also give an opportunity for parents to get involved.
To capture the full story, get creative with your angles. Grab a pillow and get on your stomach to capture images at baby’s eye level. After that, get creative — high, low, left, right, close up, far away. Even better, sit back and watch the whole thing while I contort myself to capture the perfect shot!
I usually recommend planning about 30-45 minutes for a cake smash session. I'll typically arrive 15-30 minutes before to get things set up and ready to go!
Most families book around the baby's first birthday—either a few weeks before if you want to use the pictures for birthday invitations or at the birthday party itself are common! Reach out at least a month before for the most availability.
A 4" or 6" round cake is the perfect size for smashing. I highly recommend Sugar Cubed in Downtown Gresham for amazing custom cakes.
Most parents get a simple onesie paired with a cute pair of baby jeans for their cake smashing. I don't recommend anything too sentimental as it might get ruined depending on the frosting colors.