Your baby's first year goes by so fast, filled with so many precious moments and memories. Our favorite way to celebrate baby's first birthday is with our signature Cake Smash & Splash photo sessions! Sierra reached out to book her son Gannon's photo shoot when he was just 10 months old, which may seem a bit early but I assure you is the ideal time. We were able to schedule his cake smash photo session about 6 weeks ahead of his birthday, giving time to get the images back for his first birthday party!
Many of my Cake Smash & Splash photo sessions come from my Baby Plan clients, which includes several milestone sessions during baby's first year. In this case, Sierra found me online as she was searching for a Cake Smash Photographer near her home in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Our studio is actually located in Louisville, but not far from Bullitt County, and after a brief phone chat Sierra and I felt like old friends and she knew that she had found the perfect Cake Smash photographer for her little boy!
Planning the Perfect Session
Since we had not met in person before, we spent a little time on the phone getting to know each other and planning out his session. She described Gannon to me as joyful, playful, and happy with an adorable smile and cute baby rolls. I couldn't wait to meet him!
I love personalizing each Baby's Cake Smash photo session and a great way to do that is by incorporating their birthday party theme, décor, and outfit.
Gannon's mother told me that she was planning a "Mr. One-derful" theme for his first birthday party, and that she had already ordered some items including a cake topper and a balloon arch with black, white, and gold confetti balloons.
I told her to definitely bring what she had and we would put it to use. We had a great laugh when I went to help her unload her car and it was FILLED - quite literally! - with balloons! We ended up only needing a short portion of the balloon arch for the photo set, and of course she got to reuse it for Gannon's birthday party. I added the white cake plate, black curtains, custom name banner, gold stars, and gold "fireworks" (these are actually balloon weights!).
Milestone Portraits
During your cake smash photo session, I will typically go through 2-3 series of portraits before bringing out the cake. If we are doing any family portraits those come first, since everyone is very likely to be wearing cake by the end of the session! Then I will take some photos of baby alone to show off the baby's current skills.
At close to one year of age, most babies can sit without assistance and many are able to crawl, pull up onto furniture, and stand or walk while holding on to caregiver's hands. Some are even able to stand alone and take a step or two without assistance. All of these are completely normal and depend on the individual baby, so my job is just to recognize their abilities and capture them doing whatever they can do right now.
What to Wear for Cake Smash Photos
Gannon's mother had also purchased an adorable Baby Boys Cake Smash Outfit with a diaper cover, suspenders, and bow tie (you can purchase a similar one on Amazon or Etsy). I absolutely love this style of outfit for the birthday boy because it is simple, and keeps the focus on the baby, not the clothing. In fact, I keep a few colors of these on hand for my clients to use if they want. Learn more about our studio wardrobe in a future post!
Not every baby loves their cake, but Gannon sure did! He dug in and destroyed that cake, and we got the perfect, classic, cake smash photos. His mom ended up ordering both a book and a framed wall trio, they turned out that good!
Cake Smash and SPLASH! The Best Part!
Believe it or not, for many one year old babies, their favorite part of the session is clean up. Cakes are something they aren't quite used to, but bathtime? Well, they have been doing that their whole lives! While the parents are busy wiping the frosting off baby, I get busy setting up the vintage washtub. I offer the options of warm water only, milk bath, bubble bath, or an empty tub. We use the same set as the cake smash, and add the tub along with some tub toys or décor to match the set. Then we simply add baby and stand by to capture their reaction. Gannon loved eating the rubber ducky almost as much as he loved eating the cake!
Gannon proved to be a very sweet little boy, and we were able to go through several series of portraits. Gannon's Dad was working, so Mom decided to just let the focus be on the baby. Hopefully we can capture a full family session soon!
Now it's your turn!
Are you looking for a cake smash photographer in Louisville, Kentucky? I specialize in photographing maternity, newborn, babies, and children and would love to hear from you! I have a cozy home studio that is perfect for individuals and small families, along with some simple backdrops, clothing, and accessories to complete the look. All you have to do is show up for your appointment with the baby and the cake! I will even send you my free guide for the Best Cake Smash Cakes and Cake Alternatives. Simply complete the CONTACT form or call me at 502-758-5817. I love a good old fashioned phone call, and I hope to hear from you soon!
Jill Nissen is the owner of The Proof Photography in Louisville, Kentucky, offering clients a fun, custom, and comfortable portrait experience both in-studio and on-location. Jill specializes in creating heirloom quality artwork for maternity and newborn, milestones and birthdays, all the way up to high school seniors and beyond. Jill is a member of the PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and her work has been featured in numerous online and print publications. Contact Jill for more information and a free consultation!
4 Comments
Nov 2, 2024, 10:45:12 PM
Jill Nissen - What a cute theme! I would love to be your daughter's cake smash photographer - congratulations!
Nov 2, 2024, 10:28:23 PM
Simar Deol - Hello, my daughter is turning one and I would like to do a smash cake shoot her birthday party is on December 4 on her birthday and the theme is winter Onederland
Feb 9, 2024, 9:40:18 AM
Jill Nissen - Absolutely! 6-7 months old is a great age, and we also offer sitter sessions. I bet Cohen is getting close to being able to sit up on his own. I will send you an email so we can start the conversation!
Feb 9, 2024, 8:32:57 AM
Brittney Doyle - Hi there, our son, Cohen will have his first birthday on 7-12. I recognize that it’s super early, but just trying to plan ahead. I would like some more information on rates, amount of photos, etc. We would like some family photos, as well. Thank you!