First Birthday & Cake Smash Photography
Celebrate Every Milestone
“We turn not older with years, but newer every day."
— Emily Dickinson
How exciting is it that your little baby's birthday is quickly approaching! This is an amazing milestone that definitely deserves to be photographed and remembered
for a lifetime and more. Our Cake Smash Sessions are the perfect opportunity to allow your little one their time to shine. With a custom theme and preferred color scheme to highlight your child's current interests, your Cake Smash experience will be exactly how you want to remember this magical time.
When Should I Schedule?
This can be a time-sensitive session experience depending on a few factors. If you're needing any photos for your little one's big birthday celebration, you definitely need to schedule with enough time for your session to be captured, edited, choose your favorites, and have products delivered. That can be a total of 3 to 4 weeks depending on when you schedule and product delivery.
Another factor to consider, availability. If you've waited until the last minute to book, your desired date might not be open. Have these time requirements in mind when considering your booking date and make sure to book well enough in advance to ensure availability.
However, if neither of these are pressing, we can schedule your birthday milestone session at a time most convenient for you.
Styles & Themes
I know this is an important aspect to consider, so I'm going to be as thorough as possible.
Cake Smash sessions are a ton of fun and just like any other session, require a consultation to ensure we're capturing a style & theme you love. To do this, I send out a questionnaire after booking to find out what you're hoping to achieve with your cake smash session. I'll ask if there's a specific style you love or a color scheme you want to feature. All of our birthday & milestone sessions feature a custom setup. Each child is different and deserves their own special birthday celebration. We'll go over color preferences, theme ideas, and overall style. All of the details can be discussed during your consultation to answer any questions you might have.
What to Expect
Once you've booked and your session date is here, you'll arrive at our studio and we'll begin immediately. We'll photograph your little one solo to begin with, then we'll introduce the cake (or alternate food item) for baby to "smash". Sometimes, the birthday child isn't much of a fan, so we'll capture as many images as possible while they're still tolerating me. :)
After this portion of your session, you have the option to include a "splash" pose, another outfit, or family pose. This is decided during your questionnaire period prior to your session date.
Once we're finished, baby can be cleaned up and you will be able to head home and wait for your gallery to be ready!
Sibling & Guest Policy
A Cake Smash Session is designed exclusively for the birthday child (or children, if multiples), ensuring the focus stays on their big milestone! Due to the elaborate setup, we are unable to combine sibling portraits with the full Cake Smash experience. If you’d like to include a sibling, we can structure the session differently to allow for simple portraits and a minimal cake setup instead.
To create a stress-free environment, we kindly ask that only one or two non-participating guardians attend the session. If bringing siblings, we recommend having another adult available who can step out with them if needed.
Cake Smash Session FAQ
Can I include a food item other than cake?
About how long are milestone sessions?
My child has dietary restrictions/allergies, what should I do?
Do you provide outfits for milestone sessions?
Can siblings or parents be included in the session?
What if my child isn’t in the mood for photos?
Do you offer themed or styled milestone sessions?
How long does it take to receive our images?
What should I bring to the session?
Cake Smash Session FAQ
Can I include a food item other than cake?
Definitely! We love to capture alternate food themes during birthday sessions. During your consultation, we'll discuss your preferences and decide on the particulars then. Some fun alternate food themes to consider: sweet potatoes, tacos, spaghetti, pizza.
Any food your child might have a special fondness for, or, due to dietary restrictions, you want to include instead of cake. Feel free to get creative!
About how long are milestone sessions?
Due to the fact that milestone sessions involve very small children, we want to plan for a fast-moving session experience. This means we'll have everything ready to go when you arrive so we can start immediately. We usually aim to be done within an hour to 90 minutes once we officially begin.
My child has dietary restrictions/allergies, what should I do?
This is actually more common than many believe and can be easily handled with careful instructions and a few tweaks. During your consultation, we'll ask if your child has any food allergies or concerns. This will establish the need for an alternate food item and what you prefer to use instead of cake. Any clients with allergies will provide their own food for safety reasons. This ensures your little one is taken care of with no concerns regarding ingredients.
Do you provide outfits for milestone sessions?
Yes! Every client has the option to use pieces from our beautifully curated Client Closet. Most families choose to take advantage of this, but if you have a treasured outfit you’d love to include, you’re more than welcome to bring it. You can mix and match—use one outfit from our Client Closet and bring one of your own, or rely entirely on our collection. We’re happy to help you choose the perfect look!
Can siblings or parents be included in the session?
Milestone sessions are designed to focus solely on your little one, so we do not include siblings or parents during this experience. We want to ensure your child stays engaged and happy throughout their session without distractions or feeling overwhelmed. To help create the best environment, we also recommend bringing only necessary guardians to the session. If you’re looking for a session that includes family, we’d love to chat about other options!
What if my child isn’t in the mood for photos?
Little ones are naturally unpredictable, and their moods can shift in an instant—that’s completely okay! My approach is never to force smiles but to capture your child exactly as they are. Some children are naturally bubbly and full of grins, while others are more quiet and observant, and both are perfect. My goal is to create an environment where they feel comfortable, engaged, and free to be themselves. If they’re happy, playing, or even giving me their serious, thoughtful expressions, we’ll capture the moments that truly reflect their personality.
Having said that, I will do EVERYTHING in my power to help your child find their smiles. This might involve some insane antics and slightly mental behavior - what happens at a Cake Smash Session, stays at the Cake Smash Session. ;)
Do you offer themed or styled milestone sessions?
Absolutely! We love bringing creative visions to life with our themed Cake Smash Sessions. Whether you have a simple, elegant idea or a more elaborate theme in mind, we strive to design something unique for your child. Even if we've created a similar theme before, we always add special touches to make each set feel one-of-a-kind—just like your little one.
How long does it take to receive our images?
Your in-studio Reveal & Ordering Appointment is scheduled immediately after your session, typically within 2 to 3 weeks. During this appointment, you'll experience a beautifully curated slideshow featuring your best images, all custom-enhanced and ready to be displayed. We'll also present digital mock-ups of select products to help you visualize your artwork in your home. Every piece is sourced from professional photography labs, ensuring the highest quality and craftsmanship. You'll also have the chance to see and hold our stunning print products in person, making the selection process seamless and exciting.
What should I bring to the session?
We recommend bringing an extra outfit—just in case cake (or water from the splash portion) gets a little too enthusiastically enjoyed! If your child has a favorite snack, feel free to bring that along as well; we sometimes use it to help encourage interest in their cake. And of course, if you’re bringing any outfits of your own, don’t forget those!
Your Cake Smash Session & What To Expect
First Birthday Outfit
Each Cake Smash Session begins with your child's First Birthday photos. We'll have already decided on your session's theme, set-up, and outfit prior to your session date and everything will be completely prepared when you arrive at our studio. The first portion of your Cake Smash Session always starts with your chosen first birthday outfit on your child's custom-designed set.
During this portion of the birthday baby's session we'll aim to photograph Baby's precious personality & various expressions. This allows each client a few images of this milestone birthday without introducing any cake yet.
Cake Smashing Fun
After we've captured First Birthday poses, we'll change outfits, pull out their custom cake, and begin the actual cake-smashing portion of your child's Cake Smash Session. All clients receive some tips & tricks beforehand that we can employ to help Baby enjoy their cake. However, no matter what mood your little one is in, this is the perfect opportunity to capture your child's personality to its fullest. Most kiddos will tolerate their cake to capture some adorable images of your Baby's first birthday cake.
Splash Time
Last, but definitely not least, comes what will probably be your Baby's favorite part of their session: Splash Time! This is where we introduce a small tub (we have a couple of different options depending on theme, but it's usually our cute clawfoot tub) and let your little one have the most fun splashing around. The vast majority of our littles LOVE splash time and we're able to capture some genuine smiles.
Once Splash Time is complete, we get Baby dressed in their going-home outfit and you are good to go!
